Pyles, D'Angelo Lead Refocused Lakers Volleyball

Fans of the varsity volleyball team are sure to notice a new character among the Lakers, even though many of the faces from last season are returning.

Outside attacker and captain Jackie Pyles leads a group of seven returning seniors who affirm they want to win more this year. The Lakers’ 16-21-1 (5-2 Oakland Activities Association White Division) record last season is both a measure of the talent on the roster — Pyles, Julie D’Angelo and Missy Christenson were named to the division all-star team as juniors — as well as how that talented underclass struggled to acclimate to then-new coach Julian Wargo.

“Last year was overwhelming,” Pyles said after practice Tuesday. “It was a good group of girls, but we didn’t really have the leadership we needed to have to win. (Wargo) was more intense than what we were used to. Now he’s like, you’re in it to win it, you have to play hard, and we’re ready for it.”

Fellow senior captain and setter D’Angelo agreed that the attitude of the team has matured, adding that she and Pyles are taking on new roles.

“Last year was the first year that this group (of seniors) played together on the same team," D'Angelo said. "Now, it all starts with defense, and we know that we can only get better as our defense gets better. It’s up to (Jackie and I) to communicate that.”

Wargo said he has changed the Lakers’ strategy in practice as well as in games to accommodate for the strength of the team — a skill he said he has improved upon from last season.

“Last year, we weren’t in the type of physical shape we needed to be by the end of the season … this year, I’m going to run a slightly slower-paced practice that should appeal to the team more — less focus on teaching in terms of technique and more on team movement and strategy,” said Wargo, 52, of Novi.

Come game time, the Lakers’ starting lineup will focus on defense, precise passing and conditioning in the absence of a roster full of tall attackers as they look forward to games against Rochester Adams High, Bloomfield Andover High and Farmington High especially.

“Those are big games,” Pyles said. “They have hitters, but we can play them in the back row, and they’ll just get tired of swinging away and digging it up.”

Wargo said the new focuses have specifically worked to accommodate the strengths of Pyles, D’Angelo and Christenson, as well as fellow senior Elandra McConney and junior Tara Heald.

“(McConney and Heald) worked really hard during the offseason, and it is already showing in the gym,” he said.

The team’s deep senior class will be aided by underclassmen including Heald and left-handed junior Kayla Trexler, a backup setter last season now converted to defensive specialist.

Pyles remains the focus as she is receiving letters of interest from universities across the country who’d like to see her play on their teams next year. Wargo described her as “one of the most developed all-around players I’ve ever coached.”

In addition to division honors, she won awards as a member of the All-Observer (Lakes) Team and MIVCA (Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association) All Region Team and was a member of the All-State Academic Team. She also led the Lakers in kills, aces and digs last season.

Pyles and the rest of the senior class teammates appear to not take last year’s successes and failures too seriously as they focus on this season, pointing to the team’s new uniforms as a key difference between this season and last as they focus on their goal of reaching the district championship round of the playoffs.

“We look the part of winners now,” joked D’Angelo.

The Lakers’ season opens at home Saturday in the West Bloomfield Invitational.