Cole Kowalski arrived on the Tucson Catalina campus one year after the Trojans won their second straight Division II boy's volleyball state championship. It was the spring of 2012 and the freshman setter found himself on a team without all-state players Ryan Graham, Josh DeYoung, Lorenzo Gonzales, Ethan Mangosing and his brother Cooper Kowalski.

The Trojans went from 29-2 to 15-11 almost overnight. Still, head coach Heather-Moore Martin slowly rebuilt her squad into a playoff contender but the shift to one division for boy's volleyball made things even more difficult.

Moore-Martin moved over to coach at Tucson Salpointe after Kowalski's sophomore year and Scott Tunnell stepped in and led Catalina to a 23-11 season but he went back to the college ranks is now an assistant coach at Stetson University.

With Tunnell's departure, Kowalski's high school career almost ended a year early.

"They told me a week before the season that we had a coach but I was still worried," said Kowalski. "I was going to research the rules on transferring if a school dropped a program. It was a bit discouraging."

Kowalski is used to playing at the highest level. His APV club team finished in third place at nationals and he is known to be somewhat of a coach on the court. Luckily for Kowalski, longtime youth and high school coach Damon Lovato stepped in to lead the team after new athletic director Brenda Lowery Dubinion explained the need to save the program.

"I may have missed playing with all those guys but it's rewarding to be considered among the best in the four years I have been here," added Kowalski.

"It's good to know the other schools know I'm still out there and they have to prepare for us. I'm vocal anyway so I'm helping the other guys on the court and they look to me on how to react when I have my game face on."

Kowalski's game face shared a bit of time with his smiling face after the Trojans defeated Tucson Desert Christian 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-10) Tuesday night.

It was the first section win for the Trojans who are now 5-4 in games that count to go along with their 1-2 section record. The Eagles are struggling at 0-9 and 0-2.

Both teams are ranked outside of the playoff picture at this point but things could improve with the move back to multiple divisions for boy's volleyball next year but that, of course, will be too late for Kowalski.

Catalina will take part in the Hitmen Invitational scheduled for this Friday and Saturday. Pool play will take place at both Oro Valley Canyon del Oro and Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge.

The Dorados call themselves the "Hitmen" and current Ironwood Ridge coach Bill Lang was an original Canyon del Oro "Hitman" when he played at the school. Lang was also part of the group that convinced the AIA to make boy's volleyball a sport.

Pool play will start at 1 p.m. and continue through six matches on Friday night.

 

At Canyon del Oro

 

POOL A

Marana

Canyon del Oro

Marana Mountain View

Tucson Catalina Foothills

 

POOL B

Tucson Rincon

Tucson Salpointe

Sierra Vista Buena

Tucson Amphitheater

 

At Ironwood Ridge

 

POOL C

Vail Cienega

Tucson High

Tucson Desert View

Tucson Cholla

 

POOL D

Tucson Sahuaro

Ironwood Ridge

Tucson Sabino

Catalina