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Millikan Volleyball Wilson

Boys’ Volleyball: Wilson Sweeps Millikan

The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.

The first point of the match was a kill by Wilson senior Leo Pravednikov.

The last point of the match was an ace by freshman Marek Turner.

Pravednikov is the present and Turner could be the future for the Bruins, who had another dominant victory on Tuesday in a straight sets win over Millikan, 25-17, 25-19, 25-17.

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“We are finding our rhythm,” Bruins coach Chris Ceballos said. “We have some players playing different positions.”

Turner is a player Ceballos said had a “bright future” and it’s shown in matches this year.

“He’s a man child and not afraid,” Ceballos said. “He goes out and executes.”

Turner had a couple of kills and blocks in the first set but both teams struggled with their serves as five of the first seven points were service errors.

The match was knotted at 11 before Wilson (9-2) went on a run en route to the set win.

Pravednikov, who led the team with 15 kills, said the team still isn’t “close” to their potential but the team showed they are improving in the second and third sets.

Pravednikov will get a lot of the accolades because of his performance last year but junior Max Cherin and sophomore Ian Nolte both bring a lot to the table and junior Braden Pool-Harris keeps the team together and was key in telling his teammates to get their energy up throughout the match.

After leading 5-1 and 15-11, the Rams (7-5) battled back to cut the deficit to two before the Bruins put the set away. The third set was back-and-forth early before Wilson ended the match.

Freshman Jackson Cryst had a couple of nice kills throughout the match for the Rams and looks to be one of the best players in the league in the next couple of years.

Ceballos said after the match the team needs to continue to become scrappier on defense.

Pravednikov, a four-year varsity player, said he wants his teammates to “carry on” the tradition when he and some other Bruins graduate after the year.

Millikan is at Bellflower tomorrow while Wilson hosts Jordan on Thursday.

VIDEO: Wilson vs Millikan Boys’ Volleyball

Julian A. Lopez
Julian A. Lopez has been covering sports for five years. A Long Beach native, he graduated from Arizona State in 2016 with a BA in Journalism and spent the last three years as the sports reporter for the Modesto Bee.