The Bruins Journey To Boys Volleyball Dominance

The team stands in silence as they give their respect to Duran’s wife, Jordan Duran. Unfortunately Jordan passed away fighting against ovarian cancer last year. To remember her, the boys ordered new jerseys with a teal ribbon on the back to show awareness of ovarian cancer. (Eden Cha)

Sophomore player Kyle Smith wins MVP of the Pioneer Valley League. Leading his team with 504 kills overall; 327 kills Sophomore year and 177 kills freshmen year. Smith holds a competitive attitude on the court and continues to lead his team. Smith’s dominant plays and hard work keeps his team full of energy and effort. (Eden Cha)

Throughout the season, the Bruins have scouted their opponents, and practiced hours to improve their skills. As coaches Good and Duran keep the practices intense, each of the players continue to work hard and play with effort. Even the coaches themselves take part in some of these drills to help improve their players IQ. Practice to these Bruins is no joke. They come into the gym to get better and to stay competitive. (Eden Cha)

Senior captains Luke Jeffers (left), Austin Mertens (middle), and Justyce Johnson (right), have become great examples on the team. All three boys have shown their commitment and excellence to their team, and finished three years of the varsity level. With the exception of Jeffers, who had finished his fourth season. These captains have helped lead their team to reach success. (Eden Cha)

Freshman Ethan Tucker (left) starts out his volleyball career on the boys’ varsity team. As the setter, Tucker leads this season with 665 assists. Tucker competes not only as a setter, but sometimes as a hitter, as he finishes the season off with 55 kills.Senior Luke Jeffers (right) finishes his fourth year with the boys volleyball team as the middle blocker. This season, he leads his team with a hitting percentage of .448%. Both Tucker and Jeffers have made a difference on the court as their connection helps them dominate. (Eden Cha)

Volleyball isn’t just about skill, it’s about its connections within the team. The Bruins are filled with different personalities that keep the team feeling lively. As some are more serious or goofy than others, the Boys Varsity Volleyball team still leads each other to success.

The team brought up three Freshmen players for playoffs: Cannon Duffey, Carsten Duffey, and Kava Moody. As the JV season ended, coaches Good and Duran are preparing for the future by bringing them to practice. All three boys have shown their commitment to the varsity level, and continue to leave room for growth. (Eden Cha)

Bear River High School’s Boys Varsity Volleyball coaches Jonathan Good and Jeff Duran, scope out their competition for the night. At this point in the season, the competition only gets harder. The Bruins had fought for their spot during the league as they took the fourth seed in the Division 4 bracket. The Bruins play John Adams Academy for a spot in the semi-finals. (Eden Cha)