The Joliet West boys volleyball team has had a tough season so far. The Tigers improved to 20-3 on the year after Tuesday's win over Southwest Prairie Conference rival Plainfield Central.
The Tigers like to play fast, and that style creates opportunities for multiple batters, including Tommy Fellows and Nathan Fleischauer on the outside, Drew Johnson in right field, and Alexander Oguah, Mason Simpson, and Michael Meloy in the middle. I'll give it.
At the center of it all is setter Landon Brower, who brings order and organization to the speed.
It's something he's been doing for a long time.
“I started playing volleyball in the sixth grade at Troy University,” Brouwer said. “Three of my teammates on that team were on that team, Nathan Fleischauer, Tommy Fellows, and libero Connor Herle. We had good chemistry on the court. All you have to do is place it in the air near a specific location, and the batter will do all the heavy lifting for you.
“I've played with them for a long time, so I know what they want. Tommy and Nathan have different attacking styles and I know the difference.”
The plan has worked out nearly perfectly so far this season, helping the Tigers advance in the postseason despite facing a potentially formidable opponent in the 30-team Bolingbrook Sectional. I have high hopes that I will be able to fulfill this goal. Joliet West is one of four regional host schools in this section, along with Lockport, Joliet Catholic Academy and Oswego East.
Brower's presence has been a blessing for West coach Tara Litwicki.
“Landon is one of the best setters that has ever been at Joliet West,” Litwicki said. “I wish I could clone him and bring him back to life for another four years.
“He always makes smart decisions on the court and is a great leader. He's not a real vocalist. We don't have any captains, but if we need to go run an errand, we call on the other sailors. “Landon has great chemistry with our hitters and puts them in great position to be successful.”
Brower plans to continue playing volleyball after high school and has committed to play in college at Roberts Wesleyan University in Rochester, New York, where she plans to study biology.
“I really like the coaches there and the whole surroundings,” Brower said. “When I visited there, I really liked the team members and felt like I would fit in there. It’s a little far from home, but I’m going to try my best.”
But until then, Brower and his teammates will continue to pursue their season goals, which include winning the Southwest Prairie Conference, advancing to the state finals and advancing in the playoffs.
So far this year, Brower has 379 assists in 23 games (52 sets), averaging 7.3 assists per set. He also totaled a team-high 28 blocks, with 75 kills and 98 digs while rarely leaving the court.
“I like being in charge in the field,” he said. “I enjoy being in control and deciding the pace of the game and who receives the ball. We have a lot of good attackers, so someone always has a good matchup, so I like to play with them. We're trying to make sure we get the ball when we have a good matchup.
“It's my job to make smart decisions on the ground, and that's what I'm trying to do.”