The Oak Park and River Forest Boys Volleyball team left little doubt as to who was the top team in the state when they defeated Glenbard West 2-0 on April 14. The Huskies now hold the number one spot in Illinois rankings after defeating Glenbard West, which was ranked third, according to MaxPreps. The win has given the Huskies a commanding position in the West Suburban Conference.

For the Huskies, the win carried special significance given the opponent and history of the matchup. A Huskie victory marked the first win in conference play and the first program sweep over Glenbard West in 16 years. Varsity Head Coach Justin Cousin said, “When we sweep high-level programs like that, that just means that we are also a very high-level program.” 

Leading up to the matchup, OPRF was aware of the pedigree of its opponent. Senior setter Matthew Proskey said, “We knew they were going to be good; they always are. But our game plan was to just focus on us.” 

Cousin also added that, “We knew that going into the game it was going to be competitive, because that’s a competitive program. But we have been doing so well, especially after our successful Arizona trip, so we came in with a lot of confidence.” 

The week before the game, the Huskies traveled to Phoenix for the Brophy Prep Invitational. OPRF finished fourth out of 12 teams in a very competitive tournament that included nationally ranked teams. 

That experience came in handy against Glenbard. 

Despite the Huskies taking both sets, they had to dig deep to fight back in the second set. The Huskies found themselves down 16-13 to the Hilltoppers before mounting a comeback to win the set 25-19. Proskey said, “The determination to fight back in the second set was something I was very proud of because every single person on the team was the reason that happened.” 

Cousin emphasized the team’s composure during that stretch, pointing out that the players relied on their teammates instead of the sideline. “We were down, and I did not call a timeout,” said Cousin. “It shows the confidence that I have in the guys, but also the confidence that the guys have in themselves, that they’re not looking to the sideline for timeouts. They’re not looking for answers. 
They know what they have to do.”

When asked what the factors that led to victory were, senior opposite hitter Henry Ohlhoff said, “I would say our passing was a consistent strength for us. Our offense is anchored by our passing, because a good pass gives Matt [Proskey] more options to set. Gus [Leman], Rohan [Champaneri] and Alex [Lema] were crucial for that reason.”

Building off the passing success, the Huskies ran a balanced and dynamic offense throughout the match. “We have a lot of options on offense,” said Ohlhoff. “Everyone can produce for us, and Matt does a great job distributing the ball.” The Huskies’ offensive flexibility allowed them to go to many different hitters in different situations, making it difficult for Glenbard West to key in on any one hitter. 

The depth of the bench was another reason OPRF found success in Glen Ellyn. Ohlhoff said, “Honestly, everyone impressed me. Our bench is really deep, and being able to rely on different people is huge. Drew [Wieland] came in off the bench and generated a ton of kills for us, and Wesley [Kochendorfer] and Trayce [Chrusfield] had great games too.”

Cousin also highlighted the impact of both starters and players who came off the bench and took their chance. “We have our core guys, but players like Drew [Wieland] and Alex [Lema] come in and provide an instant spark,” Cousin said. “That depth makes a big difference in matches like this.”

In addition to their in-game execution, Ohlhoff credited the team’s preparation for the performance following a strong performance in the Brophy Prep Invitational.

“We had a great tournament in Phoenix where we got a lot of experience and bonded as a team,” Ohlhoff said. “Going into the game, we focused on playing our game and our strengths rather than external factors. We know we can beat any team in the country, it’s just about staying composed.”

That confidence was evident throughout the match as the Huskies executed impressive plays in high-pressure moments, proving why they hold the number one rank in the state. 

Looking ahead, Cousin believes that playing and beating an opponent like Glenbard West will be critical for the team as they approach the postseason. “Those good programs are not going to quit. They’re well coached, and they’re going to fight. One thing that we really focused on was making sure that we did not let the moment get too big for us…that’s something we’ll carry into the playoffs.”

With a signature win over a top-three opponent and a program-wide sweep to match, OPRF continues to separate itself as the team to beat in Illinois. When asked why this team is different from previous teams, Cousin said, “They’re acting as if their back is against the wall from day one. They’re treating every single game as if it is a state championship and coming in with that same chip on their shoulder with that same focus on being a good teammate, and letting the rest come to them.”

At press time, the Huskies are 9-3-1, undefeated in Illinois, and are approaching a pivotal stretch in the season that will determine who takes home the conference title.