vs St. Charles North #33

St. Charles North enters this May 19, 2026, match against Lake Park with an overall record of 23-10 and a 2-3 record in conference play. The North Stars currently hold a No. 37 ranking in Illinois and a No. 388 national ranking. This matchup follows a season where St. Charles North has remained a consistent presence in the state's "Other teams to watch" and top-tier rankings, relying on a blend of veteran leadership and sophomore offensive production.

Team Overview

St. Charles North operates a balanced system that emphasizes high-volume attacking from the pins and efficient distribution from the setter position. The team has secured 23 victories by utilizing a roster that features two players recognized in the Illprepvb Top 100. While the North Stars have struggled to find a winning record within their conference (2-3), their non-conference performance has kept them within the top 40 teams in the state. The team averages a high number of assists per match, directed primarily through a single-setter system that feeds three primary attackers who have each surpassed the 160-kill mark for the season.

Key Players to Watch

• Alex Kinzle (#22): A sophomore outside hitter with a height of 6'6". Kinzle is the team’s primary scoring threat, leading the roster with 270 kills and 3.3 kills per set. He maintains a 0.269 hitting percentage and is the most effective server on the team with 42 aces (0.5 per set).
• Cooper Meadows (#15): A senior right side with a height of 6'6". Meadows is ranked No. 31 in the Illprepvb Top 100. He has contributed 175 kills and 34 total blocks this season.
• Nolan Wallace (#7): A senior outside hitter ranked No. 89 in the Illprepvb Top 100. Wallace provides secondary scoring with 164 kills (2.4 per set) and is a key defensive contributor with 99 digs and 21 total blocks.
• Tomas Makishima (#9): A senior setter who serves as the offensive facilitator. Makishima has recorded 581 assists and maintains a 0.253 hitting percentage on his own attacks. He also ranks second on the team in digs with 139.
• Hieu Nguyen (#4): A freshman libero who anchors the back row. Nguyen leads the team in defensive volume with 226 digs (2.7 per set) and has handled a team-high 477 receptions.
• Logan Haycraft (#35): A junior middle hitter with a height of 6'5". Haycraft is the team’s most efficient attacker with a 0.257 hitting percentage and leads the defensive effort at the net with 48 total blocks.

Tactical Strengths

• Multi-Point Attack: St. Charles North does not rely on a single player to carry the offensive load. With Kinzle (270 kills), Meadows (175 kills), and Wallace (164 kills), the North Stars present three distinct options that require opponent blockers to stay disciplined across the entire net.
• Service Pressure: The team utilizes aggressive serving to get opponents out of system. This is led by Kinzle’s 42 aces and supported by Makishima (27 aces) and Nguyen (23 aces). Based on available data, the team averages over one ace per set from these three players alone.
• Interior Defense: The combination of Logan Haycraft (48 TB) and Cooper Meadows (34 TB) provides a consistent block. Haycraft’s efficiency in particular limits opponent middle attackers, which is a critical factor when facing teams with high-volume middle hitters.

Tactical Vulnerabilities

• Reception Concentration: The North Stars rely heavily on freshman Hieu Nguyen for ball control, as evidenced by his 477 receptions—nearly 170 more than the next closest player. If an opponent can successfully serve away from Nguyen and target Wallace (309 receptions) or Kinzle (293 receptions), it may disrupt the timing of Makishima’s 581-assist offense.
• Conference Performance Gap: There is a statistical disparity between the team's overall winning percentage (.696) and their conference winning percentage (.400). This suggests a vulnerability when facing high-caliber scouting and familiar opponents who can neutralize their primary hitters.
• Defensive Reliability Behind the Block: While Nguyen and Makishima combine for 365 digs, the drop-off to the third defensive option (Wallace at 99 digs) is significant. If the front-row block is bypassed, the North Stars have shown a reliance on a limited number of players to extend rallies.

Matchup Analysis

The match against Lake Park presents a specific challenge at the net. Lake Park’s Offensive Engine is Ethan Schnabel (#7), who has recorded 287 kills on 640 attacks. St. Charles North will need Logan Haycraft (#35) to maintain his 48-block pace to neutralize Schnabel’s volume.

Defensively, Lake Park is led by its Defensive Anchor, Anthony (AJ) Bellavia (#4), who has recorded 276 digs, and Nolan Cocat (#18), who has 78 total blocks. For St. Charles North to be successful, Alex Kinzle (#22) must maintain his 3.3 kills per set efficiency while attacking into the lane occupied by Cocat, who is a Purdue Fort Wayne commit. The battle between Makishima’s distribution (581 assists) and the Lake Park floor defense (Bellavia’s 276 digs) will likely determine the efficiency of the North Stars' pin hitters.