Hey everyone! This is my column that’s running in the Akron Beacon Journal Friday, but it’s posted on Ohio.com now, as you can see. Thanks to everyone who submitted votes for their favorite high school nicknames. If there are other crazy nicknames from out of state, post them so we can all get some laughs. Thanks again!

The Archbishop Hoban boy’s volleyball team continues to excel this season. Last Thursday the Knights beat Walsh Jesuit to advance to the State Semifinals 11 a.m. Saturday at Hilliard Davidson High School in Columbus. The Knights beat the Warriors in three straight sets 25-18, 25-151, 25-11.

If Hoban should win they will play in the Division II state final 5 p.m. Sunday.

Although boy’s high school volleyball still falls behind other states — like California, Illinois and Pennsylvania – it is headed in the right direction.

In fact is quite incredible to see the steps that people like Scott Ebright, the executive director of the Ohio High School Boys Volleyball Association, and Hoban coach Matt Mihelic, who doubles as president of the OHSVBA, have made for the sport.

Those two, along with many others, have helped develop an entire association that runs concurrently to what the OHSAA does, making for a seamless transition for when or if boy’s volleyball becomes a sanctioned sport in the state of Ohio. You can check it out the hard work for yourself at this site. 

Boy’s volleyball is much more fast-paced and athletic then I thought it would be. Ebright described the sport to me as “explosive.” While I am not willing to go that far yet, I would say that it is an exciting sport that the fans seemed to get into at Hoban High School.  Watching senior Jojo Sokol go above the net and scorch kills past St. Edward’s defenders was a sight to see in itself.