Palm Beach County volleyball preview: Local teams, players and more to know for 2023!
LAKE WORTH – Boca Raton volleyball recognizes the round target painted squarely on the program’s back this year.
After finishing 23-2 and reaching the state semifinals, the expectations from inside and out are high – but Boca has the talent for a successful encore.
That said, last year is just that – last year, says head coach Andrew Sloan.
“Obviously, last year’s success is last year’s success,” he said. “We have to start from scratch and kind of do it all over again.”
While the skill on the court makes a huge difference, two fundamental pillars of Boca’s program rest in the Bobcats’ approach to volleyball on a personal level.
“We talk a lot about two things in the program, and one is passion and one is humility,” Sloan said. “To me, nothing can happen without humility. You start from that humble approach at practice and apply that drive, that passion to what you’re doing, and it opens up learning opportunities.”
That mantra was showcased during a preseason jamboree against Park Vista and Dwyer, when Sloan deployed a 6-2 lineup, something they’ve never done under Sloan – in the interest of trying something new with the understanding that it would likely affect their performance.
When the regular season hits full gear, the journey to repeat 2022’s success will likely be anchored by a trio of talented upperclassmen with college commitments.
Natalie Depaula, Mija Bendzuite, and Catherine Hubiak are expected to have prominent roles once again but so are a few up-and-comers like sisters Amara Clark and Hadley Clark.
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The former is expected to help step into the gap left by Heather McKenzie, while her younger sister drew rave reviews from Sloan.
“I think she’s going to be the future of Boca High,” Sloan said. “She’s cool as a cucumber. She knows how to hit. She’s taken everything I’ve thrown at her thus far in stride. It’s unbelievable at her young age. I think she just has a temperament and a mindset of a Division 1 athlete.”
Ultimately, while the reloaded roster will look to learn and form building blocks together off the court, the objective on the court remains the same.
“Obviously, the goal is to get back to the show, and I think we absolutely have the potential to do that,” Sloan said.
Teams to Watch
Boca Raton
The trio of Depaula, Bendzuite, and Hubiak should lead the way for Boca, a program that finished 23-2 last season. State aspirations are clear, and it will be interesting to see how young players like Hadley Clarke impact a squad that is returning many of its key players.
Jupiter
Finishing 19-6 last year, including a perfect record at home, Jupiter will seek another deep playoff run after last season’s five-set loss to Osceola. Look for 6-foot-5 Sarah Brodner, a Virginia commit, and outside hitting partner Ava Webster to lead the way for the Warriors.
Benjamin
Head coach Alex Clarke put together a tough schedule for her Bucs this fall. But after finishing 16-5 and notching a playoff victory last year, this is a roster that doesn’t need a walk in the park.
Jupiter Christian
After finishing last year with an 18-6 record, fans have to be excited to see what Ella Brodner can do in her sophomore year. The Eagles do lose Allison Moore, who led the team in hitting percentage, kills, and digs, but look for players like Lindsay Cox to help mitigate that loss.
Suncoast
Suncoast is a bit of a wild card team after losing captains Zoe Zudans and Kalei Joiner, much of the leadership will fall to McKayla Theleus. Lilian Hoffs and Alani Joiner will likely be looked to for larger roles, but time will tell where talent and growth across the roster are with the Chargers.
Boca Raton Christian
Coming off a stellar 25-5 campaign, the Blazers are, once again, very young. But behind the stellar Tekoa Barnes who tallied an incredible 629 kills last season, Boca Christian is once again poised to prove that age and inexperience doesn’t tell the full story.
King’s Academy
After losing a pair of regional semifinals across the last two seasons, the Lions are ready to take the next step under new head coach Ashlei Furtado and star junior Kelly Kinney, who is ready to lead the way after representing Team USA in the U21 Worlds.
Lake Worth Christian
The Defenders finished 15-12 last year while taking district runner-up and reaching the second round of the FHSAA state tournament. It was a step below Lake Worth Christian's usual lofty standards, which saw the program compile a 72-11 record with a state title and state runner-up finish in the three previous seasons. They'll need to replace Florida Southwestern State signee Abigail Toeniskoetter, who accounted for 46 percent of the Defenders' kills in 2022. Senior libero Sarah Montero returns after leading the team in digs last year.
Players to Watch
Tekoa Barnes, Boca Raton Christian
The Post's reigning POTY was nothing short of spectacular last season. Playing far beyond her experience, the junior comes off a year in which she notched 628 kills on a .371 hitting percentage. Her 51.1 kill percent is absolutely eye-popping, and she also managed to lead the team in digs and tied for the team lead in blocks. Barnes committed to Oklahoma this offseason.
McKayla Theleus, Suncoast
The Chargers may be a bit of an unknown, but Theleus is not. The senior will be called on to step into an even larger role after losing captains Zoe Zudans and Kalei Joiner, but her track record is one that proves she’s up for the challenge. Fans will be watching her for more than just her unique serve this season, guaranteed.
Natalie Depaula, Boca Raton
An FAU commit, Depaula led the way for Boca Raton last year, tallying 310 kills on an impressive 50.8 percent kill mark. Her .338 hitting percentage was also tops on the team by a wide margin as the outside hitter also used the most of her 5-foot-10 frame to notch the most blocks of her squad. For a team with title aspirations, Depaula is one name among several key players, but she’s a big name indeed.
Sarah Brodner, Jupiter
Listed at 6-foot-5, Brodner towers over the opposition and has a Division I future with her commitment to the University of Virginia. She led the Warriors in kills (218) last season and is a favorite to do so again entering her fourth season on the varsity roster.
Ella Brodner, Jupiter Christian
Just a sophomore, Brodner’s performance as a freshman, including 218 kills, leaves little doubt that the outside hitter will avoid any sort of sophomore slump. On the contrary, Brodner is one of the most exciting young players in the game, and she will be relied on even more in the wake of Allison Moore’s graduation.
Kelly Kinney, King's Academy
Despite missing a good chunk of last season with an injury, Kinney still managed to notch 117 kills, good for third on the team – demonstrating her elite hitting ability shown in her freshman campaign was no fluke. Strong on both the offensive and defensive sides of the net, Kinney will be looked at often if King’s is going to get over the regional semifinals hump this season. She's committed to Minnesota.
Charlotte Glass, Saint Andrew's
Glass, a junior, has a large of bag tricks to bamboozle her opponents. She's a tall (6-1) left-handed setter with the versatility to contribute as a hitter, setter and at the net. Glass led Saint Andrew's in assists (485), blocks (54) and hitting percentage (.350) last fall and was second on the team in total kills (172). She committed to play volleyball at Duke this offseason.
Grace Havlicek, Benjamin
Havlicek formed a 1-2 offensive punch with senior star Payton Bryan last season, posting the second-most kills (254) in the Bucs' 16-5 finish. She also led the team in digs (189). With Bryan and other key seniors like Sofia Buller lost to graduation, the 6-foot-3 outside hitter should be a focal point under head coach Alex Clarke. Havlicek is committed to play collegiately with Auburn University.
Games to catch this fall!
Aug 24: King’s Academy @ Suncoast (7 p.m.)
Sept. 8: King’s Academy @ Boca Raton Christian (7 p.m.)
Sept. 12: Boca Raton Christian @ Jupiter Christian (7 p.m.)
Oct. 10: King’s Academy @ Boca Raton (7:30 p.m.)
Oct. 11: Benjamin @ Jupiter (7 p.m.)
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County volleyball: Local teams, players and more to know!
