With a new season about to dawn, the Whitehall boys volleyball team is well positioned for a bright future as it looks to make another deep postseason run.

The Zephyrs made it to the district finals last season, losing to Emmaus in the championship game. That also earned them a state playoff berth, where they were eliminated by Penn Manor in the opening round.

They wound up 19-5 on the season, another winning campaign in a tenure marked by success under head coach George Cowitch.

While they suffered some tremendous losses to graduation, the Zephyrs have a talented group waiting in the wings. Sure, the departure of outside hitter Logan McGinley (four-year starter, 1,000-plus kills, EPC all-star, first team), setter Joey Maamari (EPC all-star, second team, 1,000-plus assists), libero Kyle Sayre, frontcourt smashers Devin Martinez and Nick Herman, and reserves Austin Forward and Junior Alvarado-Rosario, will sting, they have the luxury of plugging in a number of former junior varsity players who are coming off an undefeated season.

And that’s not all.

The Zephyrs return starters Ethan Parvel and Joe Herman who give them a solid foundation as they embark on the 2018 season. Both players figured prominently in last season’s district run and they’ll be spearheading this season’s attempt to make it back to the championship game.

While those two outside hitters will represent a link to last year’s district championship, Cowitch said that their objective this year is to concentrate on the present. And the upcoming talent at his disposal is the reason for the optimism.

“Our mentality is that we’re just going to keep reloading,” said Cowitch.

Reloading allows talented returning varsity players to slide into starting roles. Those players include Sami Barhoum, Aziz Atiyeh, Alexander Khouri, Richard Melosky, Dylan McGinley and Alex Rummel.

Middle hitters Khouri and McGinley will play big role in that reloading mix. Cowitch said that Khouri, a junior, played a lot of club volleyball during the offseason and has a lot of experience in their program.

McGinley, a sophomore, possesses the size and athleticism to make the Zephs a formidable force in the middle.

“I’m looking forward to what he brings to the table,” said Cowitch.

Taking over the setting duties is junior Rick Melosky. The junior is adjusting well, using their two recent scrimmage to feel more comfortable, according to Cowitch.

When assessing the team as it prepares for the upcoming season, Cowitch felt that finding comfortability with one another, and within their roles, will be a big key to their success. He believes that this may be the most talented team he’s had at Whitehall, and that once they find that cohesiveness, they should really hit their stride.

Barhoum, a senior, will also be part of the varsity lineup as an opposite hitter, while Atiyeh assumes the libero position. Cowitch said that Atiyeh is very athletic, and is another player who’s had the benefit of playing club ball in the offseason to keep his skills sharp.

Likewise, Barhoum, devoted his summer to playing club ball that will further enhance their front line as the season gets into full swing.

The Zephs also feature junior Ian Frankenfield (DS), and sophomores Alex Haydar (DS/L) and Wayne Tolson (OPP). They also have a large freshman class, including Matt Lisicky (DS), Anthony Sabbagh (OH), Theodore Williamson (MH), Nicholas Rex (S), Amir Ysa (DS/L), Hunter Pinkey (MH), and Daniil Peresunko (OPP).

Cowitch said that this season has been marked by a smooth transition, allowing him to plug in new players that are ready to go. In prior years, that process may have taken awhile given how many starters were lost to graduation, but this year’s corps is going to hit the ground running.

The Zephyrs begin their season with some tough opponents as they face Liberty at home on March 27, followed by a match versus Nazareth two days later.