Oak Park-River Forest senior setter Quinn Bozarth first heard the rumors about Jimmie Chrusfield III last June.
Chrusfield wasn’t in high school yet.
“He went to the summer camp, and a few of our teammates from last year were there, and they told me about him, but I never saw him,” Bozarth said. “And then I saw him at club nationals.”
Bozarth’s initial impression of Chrusfield the incoming freshman was different from his impression of Chrusfield the teammate, who has opened eyes this season.
“He didn’t look this good, I’ll tell you that,” Bozarth said. “He’s definitely a lot better than I thought he was from club.”
Bozarth was speaking after Chrusfield, who goes by the first name “Trayce,” turned in an astounding performance against reigning state champion Glenbard West on April 16. Chrusfield, a 6-foot outside hitter, recorded a match-high 15 kills along with eight service points, four aces and two blocks as the Huskies (17-4) nearly pulled off an upset.
“I don’t know what his parents are feeding him,” Bozarth said. “But I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Chrusfield’s play has been impressive not only because he’s a freshman. He has been playing club for just two years.
“I grew up in North Lawndale,” he said. “I used to play basketball, and then during COVID I stopped, and I started playing volleyball. My dad (Jimmie Chrusfield Jr.) played volleyball, so I was like, ‘Oh, why don’t I give it a try.’”
Oak Park-River Forest coach Justin Cousin is glad Chrusfield did.
“He had been coming to our summer camp for the past three years,” Cousin said. “He transferred into our district. His mom said they felt like it was the better fit for them.”
Oak Park-River Forest’s Jimmie “Trayce” Chrusfield III, center, huddles with teammates during a match against Proviso East in Oak Park on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (H. Rick Bamman / Pioneer Press)
Chrusfield also considered attending Marist. The East Suburban Catholic Conference power offered him a scholarship, but it wasn’t enough for him to afford the tuition.
The Huskies have benefited greatly from Chrusfield’s arrival. He was leading the team with 132 kills through April 30 despite missing multiple matches with an injury. He also had a team-high 18 aces.
But Chrusfield hasn’t surprised himself.
“When I came in, I knew who else I had played against, and I knew it was going to be hard,” he said. “But at the same time, you’ve got to have confidence in yourself, not to be cocky, but know that you’re better.”
Cousin has encouraged Chrusfield to take charge.
“I’m extremely impressed, and I tell him every day that even though he is a freshman to have the biggest voice in the locker room, to tell guys, ‘Hey, this is what we need to do,’” Cousin said. “If he says it, they will listen, especially when he backs it up with his play.”
That’s exactly what happened against Glenbard West, which had dropped only one set in 12 matches until Chrusfield ripped seven kills in the opening set.
The Hilltoppers have reached at least the state semifinals in each of the past nine seasons. They’ve won five state titles in that span, including the last two.
So it’s not surprising that Glenbard West adjusted its strategy against Chrusfield, who missed four kill attempts in the second set. But he didn’t back down, landing five kills in the third set, during which the Huskies held leads of 18-15 and 20-19 until the Hilltoppers rallied.
“He was crazy,” Glenbard West senior setter Jack Anderson said. “He had all his shots. He started off the game with probably seven kills sharp cross. Then we shifted more across, and he bounced two down the line in the last set that were absolutely ridiculous.”
Sidelined with an injury, Oak Park-River Forest’s Jimmie “Trayce” Chrusfield III, center, reacts during a match against Proviso East in Oak Park on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (H. Rick Bamman / Pioneer Press)
Chrusfield enjoyed the rivalry match and the chance to play against the state’s top-ranked team.
“It was really cool,” he said. “It was like a new opportunity because this is my first time playing high school volleyball. It shows me how different high school volleyball is from club volleyball.”
Chrusfield, who plays club for MOD, is quickly making a name for himself at the high school level. Leading the Huskies, who reached the state semifinals last season, in hitting bodes well for his future.
How high can Chrusfield, who says he can touch 11 feet with a vertical jump of 38 inches, go?
“I would say that, not just for me but for anybody, they can go as far as they want to,” he said. “It depends on your work ethic.”
Chrusfield’s work ethic isn’t in question, but he said it needs to be better.
“I’ve been slacking myself,” he said. “I would say today was a lucky day. You just want to be consistent because if you’re not consistent — like I’m going to do this and not stick to your work — it’s going to affect you because other people in other states, like California, they’re getting better every day. You’ve just got to think about that.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
