Kellam tightened its grip on the Beach District lead, downing Kempsville 3-1 to remain undefeated in district play at 9-0.
Against the Chiefs, Kellam was led by Bennett Pyka with seven blocks and 34 assists, including his 2,000th career assist. Cooper Melby and Nate Goan added eight and seven blocks, respectively.
Pyka, a senior setter, has passed off 326 assists this season to lead the Knights. His brother Nathan, an outside hitter, has contributed 23 aces and 107 kills, as the Pyka duo paces the team toward the goal of defending last year’s Class 6 state championship. Junior outside hitter Dylan Calkins, another key cog in last year’s state tournament, leads the Knights with 136 kills. One addition from last season is at the libero position where freshman Ryan Phillips has been a defensive asset, scooping up 106 digs for coach Aaron Campbell’s squad.
Grassfield climbins to No. 4 this week after overcoming a first-set loss to defeat Western Branch 3-1 last week. Isaiah Agustin led the Grizzlies offensively with 16 kills, and brother Caedan Agustin tallied 33 assists, four blocks and three kills.
Indian River jumped into the top 10 after beating Western Branch, while No. 5 Warwick retains the area’s best winning percentage with a 12-1 mark. That, along with their share of the first-place in the Peninsula District, will be on the line as the Raiders travel to Menchville (12-2) this week.
For seventh-ranked First Colonial, Zia Peterson earned a rare quadruple-double with 17 kills, 15 blocks, 18 digs and 10 assists in a win over Landstown. Bo Sawyer recorded 27 kills, 14 blocks and 20 digs. Nate Brown had 38 assists, 17 digs, nine kills, and eight blocks.
Ocean Lakes (7-5) won matches over Bayside and Landstown last week to improve their Beach District record to 6-3, just ahead of Green Run’s 6-4, and the Dolphins enter the rankings at No. 14
Team, Record, Last week
1. Kellam (13-2), 1
2. Granby (14-2), 2
3. Menchville (12-2), 3
4. Grassfield (11-4), 6
5. Warwick (12-1), 7
6. Kempsville (11-4), 5
7. First Colonial (10-5), 8
8. Kecoughtan (11-5), 9
9. Maury (8-2), 10
10. Indian River (6-3), NR
11. Western Branch (10-3), 4
12. Great Bridge (10-6), 12
13. Hickory (9-5), 13
14. Ocean Lakes (7-5), NR
15. Green Run (8-6), 15
Dropped Out: Norfolk Christian, Nansemond River.
