The Saint Patrick volleyball team took its recent run of success to another level on Tuesday, when the Shamrocks punched their ticket to state by defeating Von Steuben for a sectional championship.
Returning to the state tournament for the first time since 2010 was the obvious next step for the up-and-coming St. Pat’s volleyball program, which has competed for a sectional title in each of the past five seasons.
There’s not one clear-cut reason for the Shamrocks upward trend, which includes winning regional championships in 11 of the past 12 seasons, but most signs do point one way – four miles away, to be exact.
Saint Monica Academy sits about 2 ½ miles north and 1 ½ miles west of Belmont and Austin. Its students excel in both academics and athletics, and have developed a tradition of leaving their mark on Saint Patrick High School.
That includes the volleyball team.
Five of the Shamrocks’ seven starters – Brett and Blake Rosenbusch, Tyler Jankiewicz, Marcin Piechocki and John Hogan – are Saint Monica graduates, and reserve Jack Boma is also a former Mustang, meaning 50 percent of the Shamrocks’ roster comes from that school.
The Saint Monica grads aren’t just contributing, they’re the driving force. A Mustang led St. Pat’s in every statistical category (kills, blocks, aces, assists and digs) this season.
“They’ve been a backbone of the program for a number of years,” St. Pat’s coach Joel Anderson said. “They’re just great kids and great people.”
The chemistry began when recent St. Pat’s graduates Blake Rosenbusch, Marcin Piechocki and Tyler Jankiewicz were in fifth-grade at Saint Monica, finally old enough to play volleyball.
All three went out for the team, coached by Blake and Brett’s mother Renee, who moved up in age group with the team from year-to-year.
As the kids grew up, St. Pat’s became an obvious choice. Blake and Tyler already had older siblings who were Shamrocks and the opportunities offered at the school were too good to pass up. Boma and Hogan, now juniors, went on to join the St. Pat’s family the following year, and Brett Rosenbusch joined his brother and fellow classmates the next season.
Those six Mustangs have already accomplished a lot in their two short years together, and they’re not done yet. But aside from all of the accolades and achievements, the chance to play alongside childhood friends has made a lasting impact on the team.
“Winning a sectional championship was a dream come true, but winning it with these guys makes it even better,” Jankiewicz said. “We were so close in fifth grade, and now that we’re on the same team and it’s our senior year, it’s just better because we got to do it with our closest friends.”
Blake Rosenbusch, St. Pat’s valedictorian, agrees with his longtime friend.
“There’s just a bond there,” he said. “I know that they’re going to be there for me, on and off the court.”
The opportunity to bring the Saint Monica students to Saint Patrick has been a win-win for both schools. In addition to their athletic success, the young men have gone above and beyond in the classroom. Four of the five Shamrocks starters from Saint Monica were inducted into the National Honor Society earlier this year, further driving home their dedication in all aspects of life.
Saint Patrick Principal Jon Baffico, a former high school volleyball coach himself, has been extremely impressed with the well-rounded young men that come to St. Pat’s from Saint Monica.
“The beauty of the success of the volleyball team is that the boys epitomize what it means to be student-athletes,” he said. “The boys are an excellent example of how important it is to have outstanding Catholic grammar schools lay a foundation for the boys. Volleyball is truly a sport that needs support from the administration, parents and students to thrive at the grammar school level. Saint Patrick has certainly reaped the benefits of Saint Monica’s foundational support.”
