Can this be the year the Athol boys volleyball team breaks through and reaches the MIAA Div. 2 state tournament for the first time since the new format was put in place?

The Bears certainly have the experience to make a run at it. 

Athol made a jump last year, going from two wins in 2023 to six wins in 2024. A similar jump may be in the cards for the Bears this spring with a roster that features five seniors, four of those being returners. 

It starts with Landon Mallette and Warren Taylor, a pair of seniors who have been playing volleyball from Athol since their freshman seasons. Mallette started as a defensive specialist but will see time as a middle hitter this year while Taylor is another middle hitter for the Bears. 

Senior Jack Waslaske is out to begin the season but Athol coach Jen Mason is looking forward to having him back as a player who can play all along the front while Landon Collins is another senior who is moving from the setter position to the outside this spring. 

All four will be captains for the Bears. 

“We have four returning seniors to make some noise,” Mason said. “Landon is a three year varsity player stepping up to fill the role of middle hitter while Jack is an asset to our offensive line and we are eagerly waiting his return. Landon Collins is making his debut as an outside hitter this season and is versatile and has grit while Warren Taylor is a returning middle hitter who continues to dominate in the front.” 

Aiden Desreuisseau and Caunor Mason are fellow returners, both starting for the Bears as freshmen last year. Both have been playing club volleyball in the offseason and have made big strides forward, Desreuisseau playing as an outside hitter while Caunor Mason can set or play on the outside. 

Athol will once again compete in the West Division against Sci-Tech, Ware, Commerce, Duggan and Granby. It was Granby that won the league a year ago, then went on to capture a Western Mass. Class C championship. 

Over at Goodnow Gymnasium, the Frontier boys volleyball team is seeking to reach the state tournament for the fourth year in a row. 

In 2022 — its first season having a team — the Redhawks captured a Western Mass. Class C championship and earned a spot in the Div. 2 state tournament. Frontier once again took home the Class C championship in 2023 while making it back to the Div. 2 state tournament, this time winning a match and reaching the Round of 16. 

The Redhawks were unable to make it three Western Mass. titles in a row last year, but they did make it back to states, falling in the preliminary round to Sci-Tech. 

It’ll be a different looking Frontier team than the past few years. The lone holdovers from the first boys volleyball team the Redhawks put together are seniors Tavo Vincent-Warner and Will Petrin, with Frontier graduating four seniors a season ago. 

Those two will be joined by Tegan Dexter, William Reading, Jonathan Olvera and Benaiah Dougan to make up the seniors on the Redhawk roster this spring. Vincent-Warner is the straw that stirs the drink, as the setter reached 1,000 career assists as a junior. 

Petrin and Nate Rivera have started the season on the outside, Reading, Olvera and Brendan Carey have been playing in the middle, Ethan Rivera has opened the season opposite while Evan Maio is Frontier’s libero. 

The Redhawks are competing in the East Division for the second year in a row, going up against Central, Putnam, Belchertown and Longmeadow. 

Athol

COACH: Jen Mason

LEAGUE/DIVISION: West/2

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 6-14

ROSTER: Landon Collins, Landon Mallette, Jack Waslaske, Warren Taylor, Preston Achalefe, Aiden Desreuisseau, Caunor Mason, Jack Inniss, Dillon Boudreau

Frontier

COACH: Sean MacDonald and Courtney Parent

LEAGUE/DIVISION: East/2

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 8-13, D2 prelims

ROSTER: Nathan Rivera, Hengxi Yue, Benaiah Dougan, Liam Evanson, Killian Stewart, McCavery Burgess, Griffin Casey, Tavo Vincent-Warner, William Petrin, Ethan Rivera, Tyler Belue, William Reading, Beckett Jackson Tegan Dexter, Jonathan Olvera, Brendan Carey, Evan Maio