For someone who barely knew a bump from a spike just a few years ago, Eric Fitterer sure has learned how to put a volleyball in its place.
Just two seasons ago, Edwardsville's go-to hitter with a team-high 117 kills this spring, was a 6-foot-3 rookie who hadn't stepped foot on a volleyball court.
"My sister convinced me to play when I was a sophomore," Fitterer said. "I had never touched a volleyball before that."
From that point on, the newcomer to sets and blocks - and several of his teammates - really dug their new-found sport, and began playing year-round.
One other development provided quite a boost: in a matter of months, Fitterer shot up to 6-7.
"I wasn't that tall (six feet) freshman year," Fitterer said. "I just started growing really fast."
Fitterer's ‘rise' has paralleled the Tigers'. After a solid 12-7 campaign in just its second season last spring, Edwardsville entered the week 11-1 overall sporting a league-best 4-0 mark in the Southwestern Conference.
Fitterer's kill rate of 49.5 percent is one of the area's best, as is his average of 5.32 kills per game. He also has posted a team highs in aces (30) and is tied for the team in lead in blocks (23). And he isn't the only gun in the Edwardsville arsenal.
Senior 6-5 middle John Pranger, who also has 23 blocks, has rung up 72 kills in 115 attempts (3.43 per game). Junior outside hitter Nathan Henning has 59 in 123 attempts and senior Thomas Pauk added another 35 (of 69).
"We don't just have one or two good players," Fitterer said. "We have a whole lineup that can put the ball down."
With senior setter Stephen Billiter putting the ball in the right place for his mates and libero Sean Lynn flying around on defense, the Tigers have been tough to beat.
Edwardsville coach Andy Bersett, once a player himself at St. Louis power CBC, said most of the lineup has been together for two seasons. That cohesiveness has shown on the court.
"We kind of thought we could have something special," Bersett said. "You never know until you see it, but it has been a special year.
"Eric might be our most talented player. He has played some high level ball with St. Louis High Performance the last two years. But the good thing about our team is we are balanced on offense. People have to respect our outside as well as our middle."
The block of skyscrapers Pranger and Fitterer, who two weeks ago verbally committed to play at Lewis (Ill.) University near Chicago, alter opponents' attacks. But Pranger has grown tired of some opponents' comments about the Tigers' height.
"I wish teams would say something more than ‘they have a height advantage on us,'" Pranger said. "Eric and I do stand out, but we've all worked hard to improve, and our defense is the biggest thing."
Bersett said the combination of Pranger and Fitterer is doubly deadly.
"Pranger is just a freak athlete and great at the net," Bersett said. "Eric is a strong blocker and has a tremendous jumpserve that has some meat behind it. Some don't have a lot on theirs, his does. It is difficult to pass."
Most of the team has been together for two years, which has helped them become such a cohesive squad. It is shown in their play this spring - the Tigers have won 22 games and lost just two, both in their lone loss at CBC.
Fitterer said the lone loss gave them even more incentive.
"It was the biggest game we've had," Fitterer said. "Even though we lost, we found out how it felt to lose, and we don't want to feel that again. That has motivated us to do the very best we can every game."
The Tigers (6-4) finished third in the Southwestern Conference last season behind O'Fallon (10-0, 25-3-1) and Belleville East (7-3, 17-7). This year they are a good bet to lead wire to wire - if they can have a strong week.
The Tigers were scheduled to host O'Fallon (2-3, 6-6) on Tuesday then travel to this year's nemesis, Belleville East (3-1, 9-2) on Thursday.
Since they struggled against those teams last season, Pranger said the winning the conference is the highest priority. They also expect a postseason run.
"We haven't made it out of regionals yet," Pranger said. "That is our main goal.
"We have some room for improvement, but making it to state is a realistic goal."
For the Fitterers, who moved from Seattle when Eric was in seventh grade, volleyball success is nothing new. Older sister Sarah, 20, used to play at Althoff. And Kayla, 19, who played at first Althoff then Edwardsville, currently plays for the University of Alabama.
While it was a natural sport for his sisters, in Seattle and here, Eric said boys volleyball was something new. Most people that meet him have a different question.
"Whether I play basketball is probably the question I get asked to most," Fitterer said. "In southern Illinois, a lot of people haven't heard much about boys volleyball."
If the Tigers continue playing the way they have been, a whole lot of folks will know all about it.
