The Whitehall boys volleyball team will enter the postseason blazing hot, but senior Hunter Pinkey is aware that league rivals will be looking to cool them off as the league playoffs begin this week.

Pinkey is the lone returning starter with postseason experience. He was part of the 2019 starting unit that claimed gold in the league and district championships. He’s also delivered in those cutch moments, scoring the final point to win the District XI 3A title against Parkland for the Zephs.

His message to his teammates as they embark on what would essentially be back-to-back league titles is to remind them that every team is going to be fighting with everything they have. There are a bunch of talented teams all vying for the gold, and he said it’s important to take care of their own business.

“We just have to stay calm and play our game like we’ve been doing all season,” said Pinkey.

Pinkey said that staying calm entails holding together as a team when their backs are against the wall.

“We just have to fight through it and don’t panic,” he said.

That’s where his experience will help guide this 2021 team. He’s played in those tense situations and there’s going to be moments where things aren’t going their way. He said it’s important to just stay focused and play up to their capabilities.

After dropping the opener to Parkland, the Zephyrs have won 16 matches in a row. They defeated the Trojans in a rematch, and Pinkey said that the lessons learned from that opening match helped define them as the season progressed. While it was a loss, he knew they had the right ingredients.

“I think it showed us who we could really be,” said Pinkey.

He said that by playing hard and fighting through adversity is something that was borne from that opening match. They just needed to complete that extra step, and that’s helped them realize they can reach their full potential.

Pinkey, who is one of the team’s middle hitters, said that their goal is to be wearing two golds around their necks in the upcoming weeks. He said that it’s within their reach if they remember to have fun, and to continue to play like they have all season.

The Zephyrs are still the reigning league and district champs, and the senior is trying to make sure he’s taking nothing for granted this season. He said at times he may have been guilty of that this year, but he’s gotten the message that every match is an opportunity to achieve a title, something that not every student-athlete gets a chance to do.

“I got the message now, and it’s play like it’s our last match every time,” Pinkey said.

The Zephyrs will open the EPC Championships on May 14. They will host the semifinal match against an opponent to be determined as of Press deadlines.

The Zephyrs will feature a strong cast of players along with Pinkey in pursuit of their second consecutive title. That list includes: Devin Donatelli, Connor Fenstermaker, Matthew Lisicky, Nicholas Rex, Ethan Ringenberger, Anthony Sabbagh, Aiden Sommer and Torrey Tyson. They’ll also rely on Gavin Fasolka, Anthony Gallo, Gavin Kneller, Jack Kocher, George Nema and Matthew Yadush.

Pinkey has been an extremely productive player throughout his career. He said that he’s still undecided about his future plans. He wants to weigh his options, and is taking it slow as he decides his next step.