Norwin boys volleyball reloads under 1st-year coach

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 30, 2018 | 5:04 PM

Norwin is changing its tune at boys volleyball practice this season.

The program's new conductor, Nick Fallone, a former player and assistant under longtime coach Al Warden, wanted to amp up the intensity at practice this season. So now music — generally rap and rock — pumps from a speaker in the Knights' gymnasium, with the players acting as DJs.

There's just one rule: The music has to be clean. Otherwise, anything goes.

“It gives us juice, a little extra juice in practice,” said Fallone, 27, a 2008 Norwin graduate. “Nothing wrong with the way the atmosphere was in previous years. We just like it. It gets us a little bit more motivated, gets us to compete a little bit more. When we're loose, when we're feeling good about what's happening in the gym, I think play is really affected in a positive away.”

Now Norwin wants to pump up the volume on the rest of the WPIAL.

The Class AAA No. 9 Knights (1-0) are replacing some significant contributors from last season, when they finished second in Section 3 and advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals. But that's a familiar song for the program, which frequently loses successful senior classes only to find willing replacements waiting in the wings.

“Each and every practice we try to make ourselves better,” said junior outside hitter Jake Williams, one of two returning starters along with libero Tanner Cook. “We bring a competitive edge to each and every practice, each and every game, scrimmage — we just try to better each one of us.”

Among Norwin's losses from last year were a pair of all-WPIAL players in libero Andy Halza and outside hitter Matt Schaich, along with setter Remi Lojas and middle Grant Saunders.

But the biggest departure was Warden, who led Norwin to 13 WPIAL playoff appearances — including three runner-up finishes — and seven PIAA appearances in 14 seasons before stepping down.

“He knows the game through and through, every piece of it,” Fallone said. “For several years, I've tried to take as much as I could from him. He's still around, so he's able to help me, mentor me through this first beginning year. But he hasn't left anything. His competitive edge, his fight, his spirit, his character all is still here, and I hope to carry it on with us.”

Fallone worked as junior varsity coach under Warden, and the team went undefeated last season — providing a measure of confidence for the Knights.

Senior A.J. Skweres, a 6-foot-3 setter, replaces Lojas as the quarterback of Norwin's offense. He has a pair of strong outsides in Williams and sophomore Joey Ferragonio, the latest in a long line of successful Norwin volleyball siblings.

The Knights are smaller in the middle with juniors Josh Garbinski (5-10) and Jared Valentich (5-11), but basketball player Josh Ratesic (6-3) will add some height in the middle and on the right side. Junior Noah Gross will join Cook on the back line.

“Practice makes perfect,” Skweres said. “We've just got to make sure we execute and we bring it, we give it 110 percent effort each and every practice, each and every game and just try to follow through.”

Norwin finds itself in a crowded WPIAL Class AAA that includes defending champion North Allegheny, section and bitter rival Penn-Trafford — last season's WPIAL runner-up — and Seneca Valley, among others. But Fallone's expectations remain the same as Warden's: qualify for the playoffs and compete for — and potentially win — the program's first WPIAL title.

That would be music to Norwin's ears.

“A lot of it is just working hard in practice every day, coming with a purpose, playing a lot, competing at a high level and just setting the bar high,” Fallone said. “There's a lot to think about, but I'm excited for the challenge.”

Doug Gulasy is a Tribune-Review staff writer.

Tags: Norwin