The Kellam boys volleyball team heads the final 757Teamz Top 15 rankings for the 2025 season as play continues with regional playoffs this week.
The Knights, with coach Aaron Campbell at the helm, and seniors Bennett and Nathan Pyka leading a young lineup, finished their regular season with a 21-2 record. As the top seed of the Class 5 Region A playoffs that begin today, the Knights drew a first-round bye and await the winner of the Princess Anne-Ocean Lakes match to play in a semifinal.
Both Kellam losses occurred at the Endless Summer tournament Sept. 13, including a 2-0 defeat to Dorman of South Carolina, the nation’s top-ranked boys squad. The Knights are 16-0 in Beach District play and 18-0 in best-of-five set matches, with a 60-8 (.882) set winning percentage.
Granby held its No. 2 position for the second half of the season, while No. 3 Warwick was the area’s most improved team. The two teams could meet in the Class 5 Region B championship match Nov. 12 at Maury High.
Warwick coach Chris Dixon spoke of his team’s tenacity.
“We have been battle-tested this entire season with each Peninsula District (match), finding new ways to step our game up,” said Dixon, whose team was 16-7 last season, losing its first playoff match 3-0 to Granby. “Our team has seen struggles and fought through adversity. At the end, we all come together as a team and play for one another, and that’s when we’re at our best.”
Their first test came with a 6-0 performance in the Endless Summer Tournament as the Raiders won the Varsity Division 2 pool.
According to Dixon, Warwick is led by captains Tyler Sundeen and Braeden Toland, as well as a pair of newcomers — freshman libero Zy Godfrey and senior transfer outside hitter Josiah Norton.
With Class 5 now playing for its own state title instead of sharing with Class 6, both Warwick and Granby could benefit from the new alignment, as could their Wednesday semifinal opponents, Maury and Kecoughtan.
Kempsville and Maury round out the top five.
The Nos. 6-10 slots are mostly populated by Southeastern District teams, with Grassfield (6), Western Branch (7), Indian River (9), and Hickory (10).
There were two new additions to the final rankings. Cape Henry Collegiate enters for the first time this season at No. 12 after defeating Norfolk Christian 3-1 for the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools championship. One of the more entertaining sets of the season came in the set the Dolphins lost in that match, a 36-34 first set.
Gloucester, at No. 14, also enters the rankings. Despite their 9-9 record, the Dukes are on a four-match winning streak and face top-seeded Denbigh in a Class 4 Eastern Section semifinal Thursday.
Team (Record), Previous
1. Kellam (21-2), 1
2. Granby (21-2), 2
3. Warwick (22-1), 3
4. Kempsville (18-4), 5
5. Maury (16-3), 8
6. Grassfield (16-6), 8
7. Western Branch (16-4), 12
8. Menchville (17-5), 4
9. Indian River (14-7), 7
10. Hickory (16-6), 11
11. First Colonial (15-8), 9
12. Cape Henry Collegiate (15-9), NR
13. Denbigh (12-8), 15
14. Gloucester (9-9), NR
15. Kecoughtan (14-9), 10
Dropped out: Great Bridge, Ocean Lakes
