Hazleton Area senior Kendrick Ortiz was named league MVP, while league standouts Crestwood and Holy Redeemer were well-represented as the Wyoming Valley Conference Boys Volleyball Coaches All-Star teams were released on Saturday.
The Comets and the Royals each had two first-team honorees after a year in which the two schools battled it out for the conference title, district title and both represented the league in the PIAA Class 2A tournament.
JJ Stec and Luke Joseph were named to the first team for Crestwood, the latter earning the lone defensive spot on the first team. Setter Jack Wasiakowski and middle hitter Koirey Tang got the nods for Holy Redeemer.
Crestwood and Holy Redeemer faced each other three times this season: once in the regular season, once in a playoff for the WVC title and finally for the District 2 Class 2A title.
Redeemer won the first two matches, but Crestwood was able to pick up the win for the district championship.
Both schools advanced to the state tournament. Holy Redeemer was eliminated in the first round, while Crestwood made it to the quarterfinals (earning their first-ever state playoff win in the process with a sweep of Masterman High School in the opening round).
In addition to Ortiz’s MVP recognition, Hazleton Area head coach Carmen Ramos and her staff were named the WVC Coaching Staff of the Year.
After winning just two matches in 2024, Ramos and staff led the Cougars to a 14-2 season and the top overall seed in the District 2 Class 3A tournament.
Hazleton Area reached the district final, where the Cougars fell to Abington Heights.
Nanticoke Area outside hitter Zachary Zubritski, Wilkes-Barre Area outside hitter Matthew Clark and Delaware Valley outside hitter Chase Peereboom made up the rest of the WVC first team.
The full list of Wyoming Valley Conference All-Stars:
First Team — Kendrick Ortiz (HAZ, MVP), JJ Stec (CRE), Jack Wasiakowski (HR), Zachary Zubritski (NAN), Koirey Tang (HR), Matthew Clark (WBA), Chase Peereboom (DV), Luke Joseph (CRE).
Second Team — Eric Rinehimer (CRE), Rowan Hunter (TUN), Zabwon Welch (WVW), Larry Little (CRE), Sebastian Cooney (HR), Chance Hall (HAN), Zachary Koons (CRE), Daniel Posada (HAZ).
Honorable Mention — Xander Slusser (BER), Luke Nicolai (DAL), Ethan Burns (DAL), Michael Elgonitis (DAL), Eric Choi (DV), Harrison Bixby (DV), Kaden Sublett (DV), Seth Piontkowski (NAN), Ethan Yendrzeiwski (NAN), Rodney Williams (HAN), Sebastian Burgos (HAZ), Jack McCue (HR), Max Mohutsky (HR), Tijan Njai (WBA), Manhamudi Latifou (WBA), Jendry Nunez (WVW), Wilangel Felipe Henriquez (WVW).
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