The boys varsity volleyball team from the King’s Academy began its spring season with two consecutive losses, but concluded the year with eight straight wins, one of which was a victory against previously undefeated Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) from Tampa in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) Class 1A state championship game.
The championship-clinching match was a straight set win (25-14, 25-14, 27-25) on Saturday, May 17 at the Winter Haven Sports Center. The final record for TKA was 22-5, while SLAM concluded its season at 25-1. It was the first state championship title for the boys volleyball program at TKA.
As head boys volleyball coach Danielle McCoy analyses the season, she noted that her team was not at full strength at the beginning of the season, but it was at the end, when it counted the most.
“We started the season missing three starters. Once they came back, we lost another very important player to a major injury,” McCoy said. “We also battled some wear-and-tear injuries and end-of-year distractions as the season went on. So, at times, it was a challenge to build any consistency as a team. In the end, that strengthened us and gave us confidence that we could overcome any obstacles. We have a very talented team, and no single player needed to carry the load. We focused on team success over individual stats and achievements. The team played its most complete games in the state tournament, getting big-time play from every player on the court.”
McCoy gives all the credit for the team’s march to the state championship to her group of talented players who executed on the court at all the key times throughout the regular season and during the postseason.
“We had one of the best middle attacks in the state with three players contributing,” McCoy said. “Our middle attacks included 6-foot-5 senior middle blocker Dylan Wahl, who did an excellent job all season with blocking and timely attacks. Freshman Jack Swartzbaugh, a 6-foot-4 middle blocker, is a very talented young player who brought great energy with his quick attacks and solid defense in the back row. Junior Isaiah McCoy, a middle blocker who stands 6-foot-8, is the centerpiece of the offense and defense. Isaiah is a dynamic player who opposing teams have to game-plan for, and he often changes the game with his power and presence at the net.”
While having a tall and talented group of middle blockers is a key part of any volleyball team, having a crew of strong outside hitters is equally important.
“Ryan Huff and John Casey, a pair of 6-foot-5 outside hitters, were very steady at the pins and gave us great serve-reception and defense, allowing us to play with good tempo and balance,” McCoy said. “Senior Graysen Amestoy, a 6-foot-9 Master’s University commit, was a solid attacker and blocker on the right side. He also carried the team in the early matches as an offensive-minded setter. Senior setter Jake Manning, who stands 6-foot-2, rounded out the starting group. Jake masterfully ran one of the most balanced offenses in the state. He is a steady leader who plays with a very high volleyball IQ and has an innate ability to get the most out of his teammates.”
While it’s vital to have a starting lineup that is tall, quick, fast and athletic, it’s equally important to have a deep and talented group of reserves on the bench.
“Our bench was led by senior defensive specialist/libero David Brainard, whose steady improvement throughout the season paid dividends with timely play in the regional tournament,” said McCoy, who just completed her second season as the TKA head boys volleyball coach. “Other key reserves were Konstantin Zwirner, an international student who was new to volleyball, and provided size, blocking and attacking when needed. Maddon Tumas is a junior outside hitter with a laser of a serve; Rett Wedding is a sophomore defensive specialist with lots of upside; and Micah Amestoy, a 6-foot-8 sophomore opposite, would surely have been a first-team all-Palm Beach County selection if it wasn’t for a major injury in the first month of the season. He was able to come back at the end and was an impactful serving specialist.”
This is only the fourth year that TKA has had a boys varsity volleyball team. Two years ago, in 2023, the team advanced to the state finals, but didn’t win the championship. There were three seniors on this year’s team who were sophomores on the 2023 squad — Jake Manning, John Casey and Dylan Wahl.
