Deer Lakes won't give up volleyball title easily

It took a little longer than Rick Tatrn had hoped, but the Deer Lakes High School boys volleyball team finally came home with a tournament title.

The Lancers won the 11-team Fox Chapel Tournament title on Saturday.

"It's always great to win a tournament," said Tatrn, now in his 42nd year as the Lancers head coach. "But we should have won the Norwin Tournament [the opening weekend of the season] and came up short [of the finals] at the Derry Tournament."

Tatrn was referring to Deer Lakes' tough loss to Greater Latrobe in the title game of the Norwin Tournament.

"We lost, 29-27," Tatrn said. "The next weekend we went to the Derry Tournament and lost to Norwin in the semifinals."

Deer Lakes recorded single-game victories against three Class AAA teams in the Fox Chapel Tournament playoffs. The Lancers beat Peters Township in the quarterfinals, Plum in the semifinals, and Bethel Park in the championship game.

"We're still not 100 percent healthy, but we're getting close," Tatrn said. "We are playing much better as a team."

Deer Lakes is the defending WPIAL and PIAA Class AA champion. Four players from that team have graduated, including three recognized on the WPIAL Class AA All-Star Team.

"We did lose a talented group of kids to graduation, but we also had a good group coming back," Tatrn said. "It's just a question of getting everybody on the court at the same time."

Although three All-WPIAL players have graduated, three others return to the Lancers lineup in Tony Nicotra, Sean McTigue and Jason Garland.

Nicotra is a 6-foot-5 senior outside hitter who has been a starter for the Lancers since halfway through his freshman season. He is considering scholarship offers from Penn State University and St. Francis University (Pa.).

"Tony has been nursing a shoulder injury," Tatrn said. "He's been playing in the front row and blocking, but not doing much hitting. We're hoping to have him at 100 percent for the playoffs."

McTigue is a 6-3 senior outside hitter who has signed with NCAA Division III Medaille College. Garland is a 5-8 senior libero. Nicotra, McTigue and Garland were all voted to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class AA Finest 40 last season.

"Sean has a back issue that has bothered him at times this season, but it hasn't kept him from playing," Tatrn said. "I just give him a break whenever possible."

Four others return with varsity experience. Donny Szoszorek, a 6-6 junior, and Kody Buttyan, a 6-5 junior, split time at middle hitter last season, while Zach Guiciardi, a 5-11 junior, and Seth Colton, a 5-10 junior, saw time at setter.

"Donny and Kody split time when the season began," Tatrn said. "Donny took over late in the season, but Kody still saw significant playing time all season."

Guiciardi and Colton have taken over the setting duties for graduate Charlie Tindall. Guiciardi is the son of assistant coach Joe Guiciardi.

"We're using a 6-2 offense with both sharing the setting duties," Tatrn said. "Seth is playing the whole way around. Zach comes out when he rotates to the front row."

Tatrn has been using 12 players on a regular basis. The other five players are 5-5 senior back-row specialist Tony Coletta, 5-10 senior outside hitter Nick Baker, 6-3 junior outside hitter Nick Roberts, 5-9 sophomore setter/back-row specialist Nick Noble, and 5-10 freshman outside hitter Jake Roberts.

"We do have good size," said Tatrn, referring to the fact that five of the top 12 players are 6-3 or taller. "I haven't seen a team with our size in Class AA. In fact, there can't be many Class AAA schools with our size."

Deer Lakes concluded the first half of section play with a 4-1 record in Section 2-AA. The Lancers are ranked No. 3 in the WPIAL, behind No. 1 Ambridge Area and No. 2 Derry Area.

"Derry beat us, 3-1, in our first section match," Tatrn said. "We're looking forward to the rematch Tuesday. The result of that match will play a big part in how we are seeded."

Deer Lakes returns to action tonight with a non-section match at Hopewell. The Lancers are entered in Saturday's Hempfield Tournament.

(Photo: Deer Lakes junior Seth Colton sets up a teammate at the Derry Tournament. Photo by J.J. LaBella for Tri-State Sports & News Service)