Senior helps Raiders snare another Skyland title
By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
No matter what the sport or activity, Alex Duncan is used to being in the middle of good teams.
He was been the starting center for the Hillsborough High School football team the last two years, and last year he traveled as part of the HHS robotics team that advanced to the First Robotics Competition, the world championship, in St. Louis. And for four years, he has been growing into his role as the top middle hitter for the Raider boys volleyball team.
”Coming into the season, I didn’t really know what to expect,” said Duncan, a senior middle hitter. “We’re one of the teams that picks it up as the season goes along. I think we have a chance to end the season very well.”
Duncan is a big part of the Raiders’ success this year. He has stepped into a bigger role and delivered for HHS, which was 13-6 going into Wednesday’s scheduled match against St. Peter’s.
”Alex has really stepped up as that third attacker for us,” said Hillsborough head coach Todd Sudol. “He gives us a third guy that can dominate and attack for us.”
Duncan had some huge performances as the Raiders reeled off 10 wins in 11 matches before they fell to one of the state’s best, Fair Lawn, in two games Tuesday. He had a season-high 15 kills in a 2-1 win over Bridgewater-Raritan, 12 in a 2-1 win over Vernon, 10 more in a win over Watchung Hills and nine in a win over Hunterdon Central last Thursday that clinched their fifth Skyland Conference regular season title in six years.
”It’s a much different feel than it was last year,” Duncan said. “When I’ve been coming through the program, the middle hitter has always been the big guy. I was nervous coming up. I worked hard in the offseason. It showed in the way I’ve been able to play the last couple games.”
Duncan takes over as the top middle hitter for the graduated Danny Mitchell while Duncan’s senior classmate Andrew Domowicz has taken over as the second middle hitter.
”Last year, I was one of the juniors that got more playing time,” Duncan said. “I was our second middle. Drew Domowitz is playing where I did last year. We’ve all been on the same level as each other and we’ve had time to adjust to each other’s style of play.”
Seven seniors have helped to push the Raiders to a strong start against one of the toughest schedules in the state. By week’s end, they will have played 16 teams ranked in the top 20 by the state’s biggest newspaper. Even a loss to a top team like Fair Lawn only helps them as they prepare for the state tournament.
”We definitely found some things we have to adjust going into (Wednesday’s St. Peter’s game), Duncan said. “We kind of pride ourselves on having one of the tougher schedules in the state.”
Scott Timko, Tim Erdman and Duncan give the Raiders three players in the top 20 in the state in kills. Duncan is happy to be contributing even more than he did last year on a well-balanced team.
”It feels a lot different this year,” he said. “In the past, we always had one guy who when it’s a close game would take over. This year, it’s all over the place. We have guys making plays here and there and every position. It’s great to see it. When we’re down or in a rut, you see someone step up, and it puts us right back in the game.”
Timko is a junior and looks to be a future leader for HHS, but it is this year’s seven-strong senior class that has earned the credit for guiding the Raiders performance. Joe DeLuca, Sean Nemec, Tyler Burd and Ben Seitz all have been vital. DeLuca already has 522 assists, while Nemec has 220 digs as the libero. Burd has given the defense a lift and Seitz has pitched in with nearly 50 kills this season.
”The senior leadership is strong this year,” Sudol said. “Between the seven of them, they’re all contributing. They’re setting a nice example for my juniors.
”It’s good to have a team with a lot of seniors. You tend to win the closer games, you tend to make less mental errors. And when we play top teams, we’re calm and collected. Win or lose, we hold our composure well. We just get the next point. It makes my job easier at times.”
Duncan has seen the team grow more cohesive through the season. They are heading into this Saturday’s Skyland Conference Cup that they hope to defend as the top seed with more confidence in the way they are playing.
”I think a lot of it is the defense,” Duncan said. “Early in the season, our passing wasn’t as consistent and now our back row has gotten that under control and given us some good passes so we can run our offense.”
The team’s growth helped them recapture the Skyland Conference after missing a fifth straight title last year by one game. It could be tight for another Skyland Cup on Saturday. The Raiders split with second-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan in the regular season.
”We love playing conference teams,” Duncan said. “We always get up for playing them, especially with us winning one and Bridgewater winning one. We’re looking forward to it.”
The tournament and the end of the regular season will prepare the Raiders for the state tournament ahead.
”When your goal is to be a top 10 in the state, and that’s been the goal of the program, if that’s one of the goals you have to play the good teams,” Sudol said. “And the good teams want to play us.”
Duncan is enjoying the challenges in his final season with the Raiders. He will play football and, he hopes, club volleyball next year at Carnegie Mellon University. The football and strong studies have been there all along, and Duncan added volleyball as he came to the high school four years ago.
”I actually had a friend on the team as I was going into freshman year,” Duncan recalled. “I came to a camp to check it out. I was originally going to try out for the baseball team. Once I started playing volleyball, I fell in love with it.”
Now Alex Duncan is an integral part of another good team at Hillsborough High, the boys volleyball team.