Written by Joe Harris | Featured on STLhighschoolsports.com
Miles Liddell couldn't leave it.
The Belleville West senior sat out the boys volleyball season during his junior year to focus on his primary sport, basketball.
But he wasn't about to let another run slip away as a senior.
“What brought me back to the team this year was definitely my friends, the coach himself and the atmosphere there because volleyball has a special place in my heart,” Liddell said. “It's the same energy in the game. It's just fun to play the game and it's always been very exciting for me.”
Liddell and his teammates have certainly generated excitement this season. The Maroons finished with a 21-10 record, their best season since the program began varsity play in 2009.
Liddell is a 6-foot-2 middle hitter who leads the team with 2.96 kills per game.
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“I can confidently say his athleticism is unparalleled in the conference,” Belleville West coach Ryan Sisk said. “He's as explosive as they are. I'm very happy to have him back and play for us this year. He's an explosive hitter. He's smart. I mean, he was perfect for us this year.”
While basketball is No. 1 for Liddell, whose older brother EJ plays for the New Orleans Pelicans, volleyball is No. 1B.
Liddell's mother, Michelle, was a middle hitter at Illinois State University, and her twin sister also played volleyball.
“My athletic ability comes primarily from my mom,” Liddell said. “Just seeing so many volleyball players around me made me want to play volleyball too.”
Liddell said her skills on the basketball court translate well to the volleyball court.
“Vertical jump and court coordination, that's what you need,” Liddell said. “Even in volleyball and basketball, what really clicked for me is blocking shots and hitting the ball, because you know exactly where the ball is going to go. So it takes a lot of coordination. .”
Another skill that separates him from regular volleyball players is hang time.
“It's kind of fun to watch him hit because when he jumps up, the other team will jump up too, and there have been many times this year when the other team is down and he's still hanging on.” Sisk said. “That's just some of the things he learned in basketball that he seems to be able to apply to volleyball, like the dwell time when shooting the ball.”
That hang time allows him to make adjustments in the air and place the ball even if his timing is off on a pass or set.
“I don't even know how to describe it, but he was a very reliable addition to our team,” setter Josiah Partellow said. “If there's a problem, the coach says, 'Just set Miles.'”
But West is more than just a one-man show.
Partellow is the main setter and also plays as a right-side hitter in a 6-2 attack with Aidan Idries. Sisk calls Palterow the team's energy center and has a high volleyball IQ to run the offense.
Lucas Horace (2.52 kills), Xavier Cole (1.56 kills), Jarius Winters (1.52 kills) and Idris (1.17 kills) round out the versatile offense.
Eli Thornberry is an all-conference defenseman and libero.
Sisk said the team gained momentum heading into the season by reaching the district championship game last season. Four of the Maroons' nine seniors played key roles on that team.
“Some of them said this offseason, coach, we’re definitely going to win a regional championship this year,” Sisk said. “And a lot of them have that drive and are now playing as well as ever and have even more confidence in themselves.”
Partelow is part of that group.
“We always knew we had it in us,” Partello said. “We always knew our team was good enough to perform well, and it was kind of a fact that we were able to get that performance. Our team has a lot of chemistry. I feel like we've had a response and all of our players are very talented, but we've struggled with the determination to be successful. So this year, our senior year, we really dug deep and found ourselves. I'm really happy that I've made the decision to reach my full potential.”
Sisk said the turning point in the season came early in the loss to Father McGivney.
“Father McGivney has a good team,” Sisk said. “They've had a good program the last few years. And that was the only game we missed and you could see after the game that the players weren't happy with their performance. And I think that started to illuminate something.”
West's accomplishments include defeating Southwestern Conference rival Edwardsville twice. His first win on April 20 ended a 17-game losing streak to the Tigers dating back to 2016.
The end of the losing streak was news to Sisk and the Maroons players.
“I had to talk to assistant AD Austin Betts, who used to coach here, and I double-checked with him. I was like, hey, is this right? ” Sisk said. “He was like, 'Yeah, that might be accurate.' So it's kind of a feel-good moment.”
With the postseason starting next week, West is hoping for a few more good moments.
The Maroons are looking for another chance at a regional championship.
“I think this team really needs to focus and really understand that if they put their mind to it, they can accomplish it,” Partello said.
Liddell knows what it feels like to win a regional championship on the basketball court. He wants to experience that feeling on the volleyball court again.
“All you need is confidence and the right attitude,” Liddell said. “We can do virtually anything. It would be a really great feeling to have a basketball and volleyball region.”
