Grady is great for Port boys’ volleyball team

The first year in the North Shore Conference for the Port Washington High School boys’ volleyball team came with some accolades, mostly right up the middle.

Senior middle blocker Grady Karrels, standing 6 feet, 6 inches tall, was named to the NSC first team and was an all-state honorable mention.

He led the conference with a .433 hitting percentage and in blocks with 93. His 288 kills was fifth, and he was fourth in aces with 47.

Senior Middle blocker Finn Pashak, 6-7, was named to the second team. He was third in the NSC in blocks with 82 and was 10th in kills with 160. He served 21 aces, fourth on the team.

Junior outside hitter Will Theisen was 13th in kills with 147, and he was second on the Pirates with 24 aces. He had 134 digs, tied for second on the team with Gabe Jerome, and his 285 serve-receives were second to teammate Andy Redman.

“They’re all great players, great athletes and great kids,” coach Doug Niemeyer said.

“All are a part of a great foundation we are building at Port around boys volleyball. Their approach, dedication and commitment to success lead our program this year and have set the bar high so we can continue to grow and succeed.”

Port, in its second year of varsity competition and first year in a league after playing as an independent last season, went 2-5 in the NSC, finishing fifth of six teams. The Pirates were competitive in nearly every match with three losses coming in five sets.

In the playoffs, Port lost a heartbreaker at Hartford, 25-18, 25-18, 23-25, 17-25, 15-12.

Karrels had 19 kills, Theisen had 14 and Pashak had 12. Karrels and Pashak each had five blocks, and Sawyer Lorier and Jerome each had four.

Mark Krueger had 16 digs, Redman had 14 and Jack Lorier had 12. Jerome had 47 aces.

Theisen had 26 serve-receives with one error. Krueger had 22 with three errors. Lorier had 18 and Redman had 15, each without an error.

After losing the first two sets, co-captain Jack Lorier told the team “this will not be a three-set match. We are winning the next one for sure,” Niemeyer said.

The Pirates’ “Beeee Deeev” short for “be devious” rallying cry worked. They took a 19-10 lead in the third set and won it.

That momentum carried into the fourth set.

In the fifth, Port fell behind, 5-1, and 10-2, before battling back to make it 13-6.

Pashak fired two aces, and he and Sawyer Lorier each made a block. A Karrels kill got Port to within 13-10.

The Pirates crept to a two-point deficit at 14-12 when the Orioles closed out the match on an out-of-system set from their setter.

“It was an awesome effort and one in which our entire team played a part in. Our fans were awesome and our bench was loud. We just spotted them too many points to overcome a deficit like that to a good team,” Niemeyer said.

“After the match, I had parents and grandparents from both Port and Hartford approach me to say ‘Great match,’ and it was so great to see our heart and drive to come back after losing the first two sets, win the next two and to be down so much in the fifth and nearly pull off the upset.”

Port loses Karrels, Pashak, Jack Lorier and Cash Didier to graduation.

“Replacing Grady and Finn will be challenging, but we have a solid core of incoming seniors including Will, that will be our strength,” Niemeyer said.