Boys Volleyball Player of the Year: Matt Rice
By Ricardo Sanchez Jr.
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Article Launched: 06/26/2007 03:02:29 AM PDT
Matt Rice lunged to his right, slapped at a ball around his knees, saved it one-handed and made a perfect pass to his setter Dillon Martinez all without looking. The play, during the North Coast Section Class I boys volleyball championship match against Deer Valley, provided a sample of Rice's arsenal.
Yes, he can kill the ball spectacularly and with authority. Yes, he can put up a major block and shut down the opposition. Yes, his jump serve is fierce.
But what Rice showed was his ability to pass; perhaps the most crucial and respected skill in the sport.
Rice's versatility brilliantly shone throughout the season and only intensified in the playoffs as the Cal State Northridge-bound senior helped lead his team to a second straight NCS title. For these reasons, Rice has been named the Times' Boys Volleyball Player of the Year.
"Definitely, he has become an all-around player," Falcons coach Dusty Collins said. "Looking at his stats, he led our team in aces. He had our best hitting percentage, he had the most stuff blocks, most kills, and he was right up there in passing."
Early on, passing wasn't exactly Rice's forte. But he had teammates, like senior captain Nik Tertel, to remind him to stick to the plan of improving.
"Sometimes, he had to remember to be an all-around player at all times," Tertel said. "You have to pass the ball. ... Passing equals hitting. He started to pick it up."
Collins also advised Rice earlier in his high school career about diversifying his repertoire if he wanted to stand out. The work paid off and everyone noticed.
"He's a great blocker. He was a great hitter. I was really impressed how much he improved his passing skills," De La Salle coach Tom Reiser said. "He was nailing perfect passes. He seemed to have well-rounded skills."
As the lone returning starter from last season's championship team, Rice said he carried a large weight on his shoulders. The burden was evident from the start.
"We looked upon him to be the role model," Collins said. "In the beginning we went to him a lot. He was always our go-to guy and he came up huge."
Foothill later figured out it couldn't rely solely on Rice, a realization that turned the Falcons into one of the best teams in the area. Foothill was extremely well coached, had offensive balance and boasted a defense that made few mistakes. So having Rice became something extra, like a diamond on a platinum watch. His teammates enjoyed the show.
"You just watch him go up and the height makes a total difference," Tertel said. "He hits over their blocks. It doesn't matter if there's a block there. It's really cool to watch standing behind him on the court. It's even cooler to watch it on tape afterward."
Contact Ricardo Sanchez Jr. at rsanchez@cctimes.com.
Matt Rice
SCHOOL Foothill
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: Opposite hitter
THE SKINNY: At 6-foot-6, Rice wasn't hard to miss and the Cal State Northridge-bound senior made sure of it with his all around game. Rice finished the season with 387 kills, a .433 hitting percentage, 48 blocks and 66 aces and led the Falcons to an undefeated EBAL campaign and a second straight NCS Class I championship.
WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Rice's high score in bowling is 248. Bowling is his hobby and he tries to get out to an alley every other weekend.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soaring Falcon Swoops in for Highest Honor
Rice led Foothill to two NCS titles after pivotal sophomore season
By Dennis Miller, STAFF WRITER
Article Last Updated: 06/28/2007 02:59:08 AM PDT
PLEASANTON — Standing 6-foot-6, Matt Rice of Foothill High looks like your typical, big-hitting volleyball player. And Rice is certainly talented, leading the Falcons to East Bay Athletic League and North Coast Section championships. But it wasn't always that way for the personable senior.
When Rice came in as a freshman at Foothill, he was big, but his game was far from complete. He was able to make only the occasional play in the middle.
The next year, Rice turned the corner when he took up the game year-round.
"His sophomore year, Matt made the commitment to being the best volleyball player he could," Foothill coach Dusty Collins said. "He put a lot of time and energy into it, and it's showed. Everyone sees the big hits, but what's most impressive is all the little things he can do. That's what has made him an all-around player."
In addition to leading the Falcons to the two titles, Rice has been selected as the East Bay Player of the Year. It's simply a case of hard work paying off.
"You could see early on he had potential," said Collins. "But just where he's gone as an athlete from a freshman to a Division I player is not an easy thing to do. You have to be special to get there."
Special is what Rice was this year, dominating the front line for the Falcons. Also crucial was his leadership as the lone returning starter.
Rice didn't take the role lightly.
"We came into the season really wanting another EBAL and NCS championship," said Rice, who will move on to play for Cal State Northridge next year. "I felt great about how the team came together as the season went on."
The Falcons started to blend early, finishing second in the Davis tournament. However, they stumbled in the Chico tournament, losing to California.
The loss was a wake-up call.
"That drive home wasn't a happy one," Rice said. "We thought about what we did wrong and focused on the rest of the year. We needed the focus."
They didn't lose again, running the table to defend their EBAL and NCS titles, getting better as the season grew longer. In the NCS finals, the Falcons destroyed Deer Valley in three straight games, with Rice leading the way with 15 kills, four blocks and eight service points.
"I was surprised we won that easily," Rice said. "But (NCS) was the best we had played all year."
Before Rice heads off to college, he's got a busy summer ahead. In addition to playing in national tournaments with his Central Coast volleyball club, Rice will also compete for the United States Youth National A-2 team in an international tournament in Miami in late July.
"I consider myself lucky to have a chance to play for that team," said Rice of the U.S. Youth team. "It's going to be a great experience."
ALL-EAST BAY FIRST TEAM
NIK TERTEL
School: Foothill
Year: Senior
One of the most underrated players in the section this year. Tertel was big throughout the season for the Falcons as the team rolled to both the EBAL and NCS titles. A versatile hitter, Tertel finished with 241 kills with a .362 hitting percentage, 49 aces and 121 service points.
Justin Smith
School: Deer Valley
Year: Senior
Smith was a tenacious hitter for the Wolverines. He had 393 kills, 64 aces, 45 blocks and 315 digs, leading Deer Valley to an undefeated BVAL season and earning the league MVP award. Smith also led the Wolverines into the NCS finals this year before they fell to Foothill.
Chris Brecheisen
School: Granada
Year: Senior
Known as "The Hammer" throughout the East Bay Athletic League, Brecheisen led Granada to the North Coast Section semifinals. Brecheisen finished with 328 kills, 182 digs, 33 solo blocks and 53 aces for the Matadors. Against De La Salle in the second round of NCS, Brecheisen had 19 kills and 17 digs.
Eric Aku (photo unavailable)
School: Deer Valley
Year: Senior
Aku spent the previous few years as a hitter, but this year moved into the setter's role for the Wolverines. A first-team, All-BVAL pick, Aku had 1,073 assists, a school-record 105 aces, 80 kills, 41 blocks and 330 digs in helping Deer Valley to a 16-0 league record and its first BVAL title.
Charley Henrikson
School: Acalanes
Year: Senior
Acalanes was just 6-10 this year, but the 6-foot-6 Henrikson was a big-time middle blocker. He will play at Stanford next season. Said Stanford coach John Kosty: "We are excited about the addition of Charley to Stanford men's volleyball. He brings a size needed to be a solid player in the near future."
Joel Davidson
School: Las Lomas
Year: Senior
An absolute dominant hitter for the Knights this year, Davidson was as dangerous as they come when it was about dropping the big kill on opponents. He averaged 21 kills per match during DFAL play and finished the year with 420 total kills. He also averaged four aces and four blocks per match
