Keith Nonnenberg returns to try to revive Plum boys volleyball

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, March 25, 2018 | 5:15 PM

Previous Next

Keith Nonnenberg spent nearly a dozen years away from the Plum volleyball team, but he can recall plenty from his first tenure as the Mustangs' coach — like the time in 2005 when his team had eventual PIAA runner-up Norwin down to match point only to lose when a serve sailed out of bounds and two attacks got blocked.

The Mustangs were a WPIAL playoff team themselves during those years, and now Nonnenberg hopes to bring them back.

Nonnenberg returned this spring as Plum volleyball coach and will attempt to lead the Mustangs to a better ending than 2017, when they went 3-11 in Section 3-AAA and finished in sixth place, missing the WPIAL playoffs for the second consecutive season.

“Our program was down, and the athletic director talked to me about trying to bring it back a little bit,” said Nonnenberg, Plum's coach from 2000-06. “I guess that's why I'm here.”

In his first tenure at Plum, Nonnenberg led the Mustangs to six WPIAL playoff appearances and made it as far as the 2005 quarterfinals, where they lost that fateful match to Norwin.

Much changed in the decade-plus since Nonnenberg's departure. Mt. Lebanon, a top program from back then, no longer exists, but he hopes to reinvigorate a program that made it to the WPIAL semifinals as recently as 2015.

“I think he's brought a new atmosphere, obviously,” senior setter/outside hitter Will Marzina said. “He's really brought a new culture.”

Plum lost a half-dozen seniors from last season, leaving Nonnenberg with some holes to fill. He is spending more practice time working on fundamentals in preparation for the season, which began Saturday at Norwin's 16-team tournament.

“You have to adapt the drills that you run in practice,” Nonnenberg said. “There are more complex drills that you would run with a more experienced team. And then because they're young and they lack fundamental skills, you want to spend a lot of time developing those skills. But at the same time, there's no drill you can run that can replicate a game situation where the ball's in play, you're spinning around and you don't know what's going on. So you're trying to mix in some scrimmaging at the same time.

“It can be difficult at times, but I think they've come a long way.”

Nonnenberg has one advantage in his attempt to rebuild the program: He works as a physical education teacher at Plum, giving him ample opportunity to recruit potential players. He did that even when he wasn't coaching, helping coax Khaynen Yocca to join the team. Yocca went on to lead Plum to that 2015 quarterfinal appearance and plays collegiately at Rivier.

Lightning might strike twice, as Nonnenberg brought 6-foot-4 Alex Vidas into the program this spring. The freshman has limited volleyball experience, but Nonnenberg believes he has great potential.

“I think the sky's the limit for that kid,” Nonnenberg said. “He started coming to some of the open gyms, and I told his parents (that) I don't know what Alex has told you, but I've been involved with Plum volleyball since 1987 (as a player), and your son probably has more potential than anyone I've ever seen. To think he only started playing volleyball since like six weeks ago … he's going to be fantastic.”

Vidas will provide some much-needed size to Plum, which lacks it otherwise and will attempt to win in other ways.

“We've got to play our style, and that's playing hard and not letting any ball drop,” Marzina said.

Marzina said Nonnenberg is emphasizing offensive work during practice because last season the team focused more on defense. He and Frank Czura will share setting responsibilities and also work as outside hitters.

“Setting constantly kind of wears on you a little bit,” Czura said. “Having the opportunity to kind of set up plays as well as have a swing at the ball and just put it down, that's kind of exciting.”

Will McFarland will join Vidas in the middle, and senior Mason McAndrew is expected to lead the defense from the back row.

Plum will compete in Section 3-AAA with Armstrong, Gateway, Hempfield, Latrobe, Norwin, Penn Hills and Penn-Trafford, with the top four teams making the playoffs.

Although Nonnenberg said he's not aiming for any specific accomplishments this season, the Mustangs know they'll be working hard for improvements under their new coach.

They took some positives out of a tri-scrimmage against Baldwin and Norwin, during which Plum had No. 7 Norwin down to game point — sound familiar? — before losing. That performance showed the Mustangs' potential, Czura said, and hard work can help the team reach said potential.

“(It'll take) just maximum effort, all the time,” Czura said. “Getting those tough plays, getting the ball up, just working on getting the ball over the net and putting pressure on the other team. That's what we need to do.”

Doug Gulasy is a Tribune-Review staff writer .

Tags: Plum