St. Josephs wins state crown
By Fred Siegle
SOUTH BRUNSWICK - When the game, match, and state title were on the line and senior John Moll was in the back row, Drew Colon wanted to be the hitter.
"I hurt my finger pointing it into my chest, saying "give me the ball,''' said Colon, who had the final three kills for his team in St. Josephs' 29-27 third-game victory over Bridgewater in the NJSIAA Final on Friday night. "We go with who's hot, and it seemed like down the stretch, that was me and John.''
The first of the three kills gave his team a 27-26 lead. After a kill by Chris Allen tied the game, the second came from the left side on serve receive to make it 28-27 in favor of the Falcons (30-4). The third came out of middle with Moll also in the front row, so Colon had a single block after Keith MacDonald hand-passed a free-ball to give setter Matt Scott his choice in who to set. The Falcons used lessons they learned during the course of the season to carry them to the title.
"I think I play better when there's more pressure,'' Colon said. "Mr. Cabrita (the St. Joes coach) told us to keep swinging. In our loss to East Brunswick in the GMC's (Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament) we got near the end and played tentatively. We weren't going to do that again.''Moll and Colon each had 13 kills to lead the Falcons. Moll said his team was ready for the pressure of the back-and-fourth third game because they had played Bishop Hendrickson, the defending Rhode Island state champions, to a 30-28 victory in the finals of a tournament in that state in April.
"This was the same type of game,'' Moll said. "That one went to 30 points. We've been in this situation before, when you get to the end you have to keep siding out. We knew what we had to do.''The Falcons had won the first game 25-16, but Bridgewater-Raritan, which has won six overall state titles, roared back in the second to win 25-17. Senior star Chris Allen had 8 of his 22 kills in that game, while junior Chris Metzger contributed 5 of his 13. Allen finished with over 1000 kills for his career.
"I didn't think Chris could take over like that,'' Moll said. "But that team (Bridgewater) played great. Their defense was getting everything up.''
Bridgewater-Raritan came into the match with a 17-9 record and had battled its way to the NJSIAA North section title as the No. 7 seed. But St. Joes' players and coaches knew not to take the Panthers lightly."They played the kind of match you expect to see out of Bridgewater in the state final,'' Cabrita said. "(Bridgewater coach) Corey's (Romanak) team is always a legit team.''"After the first game, we just wanted to start the match over,'' Allen said. "We just went into the second game saying "Ok, we need to win two games. That second game was just completely different. We played with confidence, like we did in the semifinals (the win over Clifton in the North final), and we just tried to keep it going. In the third game, we just messed up on a couple of plays, and St. Joes played a great match.''By the second and third game, Bridgewater had eased into its strategy of getting the ball to Allen and Metzger. It seemed setter Andrew Conkin - or whoever set, since he made some of the digs, and some others weren't always controlled - could always find one of the go-to hitters after every defensive play.
"They were really scrappy,'' Colon said. "And it seemed like there was a magnet on the ball or something, they always got the ball to those guys.''
Bridgewater led the third game by as many as four points (14-10 after a block by Metzger), but two kills by Dan Deverin and a Bridgewater error left the score tied at 17. Bridgewater was two sideouts away from winning after a kill by Allen made it 23-21, but a Bridgewater player went under the net and Moll registered a kill to tie the game. Allen had a kill on a 10-ball, but another 10-ball hit was out by about a foot to tie the game at 24. St. Joes took the advantage on a Bridgewater error on the next play, then the teams traded sideouts until Colon's final two kills."We had some rough patches,'' Cabrita said. "But we held strong both mentally and physically and got the job done.''"This feels great,'' Moll said. "I remember as a freshman seeing our team lose in the final, and I didn't want to be in that same situation. And we did it against a great team, a team that's used to winning in this spot.''
"Coming off a state championship (in 2005), to make it back here after all the injuries we had this year, I couldn't be more proud of our team,'' Romanak said. "We kept our composure tonight, we not only made it to the final as an underdog, but we pushed a real good team to three games. That third game was a great final, it was back and forth the whole way. I couldn't ask more of my kids.''Senior libero Kurt Backlund had 19 digs for the Falcons - many off big hits from Allen and Metzger - while Deverin, a senior left side, contributed 7 kills and 8 digs. Setter Matt Scott had 42 assists and 8 digs, and MacDonald, a junior right side, had 7 kills and 11 digs. Senior Alan Zastrow (right side and left side), sophomore Paul Konopacki (middle) and junior Aidan Nemergut (serving specialist) also made some key plays in the victory."We've said all year we're a team,'' Cabrita said. "I'm really happy with the way my guys hung in there with all the pressure on them.''
Friday, June 16, 2006
2006 FINAL TOP 10
2006 FINAL TOP 10
By Fred Siegle
Final Top ten is based on entire season
1. St. Josephs. Preseason rank: 2. Week One: 1. Week Two: 1. Week Three: 1. Week Four: 1. Week Five: 1. Week Six: 2. The Falcons capped their awesome season by winning the state title with a three-set (29-27 in the third game) victory over Bridgewater. They beat East Brunswick for the NJSIAA South/Central title, gaining a split (2-2) in the four games between the two top teams. The Falcons finished with a 30-4 record after playing the toughest schedule in the state, with victories over the top five teams in the final rankings.
2. East Brunswick. Preseason rank: 3. Week One: 2. Week Two: 2. Week Three: 2. Week Four: 3. Week Five: 4. Week Six: 1. The Bears ascended to the top spot by beating St. Joes for the Greater Middlesex title in mid-May, but were eliminated in the South/Central title game by the Falcons. They finished the season with a 27-3 record and three wins and one loss against Old Bridge. Their victory over Old Bridge in the South/Central semis was probably the best match of the season.
3. Old Bridge. Preseason rank: 6. Week One: 5. Week Two: 5. Week Three: 5. Week Four: 2. Week Five: 3. Week Six: 3. The Knights became a state power behind a solid core of veterans who were playing together for the third year. They beat Southern, East Brunswick once, and Fair Lawn, which for most of the season was the top team in North Jersey, and finished with a 24-7 record.
4. Southern. Preseason rank: 1. Week One: 6. Week Two: 6. Week Three: 6. Week Four: 6. Week Five: 2. Week Six: Four. The reasoning is simple: The Rams beat Bridgewater during the season. They both lost to the same team (St. Josephs) in the state tournament. They finished 27-6, with all the losses coming against the top three teams.
5. Bridgewater. Preseason rank: 10. Week One: 7. Week Two: 7. Week Three: Not ranked. Week Four: Not ranked. Week Five: Not ranked. Week Six: Not ranked. The Panthers turned their season around in the second half, rebounding from a 6-9 start to finish 17-10. They emerged with the NJSIAA’s North Tournament title and almost took their seventh overall state crown, losing to St. Josephs, 16-25, 25-17, 27-29. As the No. 7 seed, they cruised through the North playoffs, beating No. 2 Lakeland, No. 3 St. Peters, and No. 5 Clifton to capture the title.
6. Lakeland. Preseason rank: not ranked (teams to watch). Week One: not ranked. Week Two: Not ranked. Week Three: Not ranked. Week Four: Not ranked. Week Five: 8. Week Six: 7. The Lancers lost to the same team – Bridgewater – as Clifton in the state tournament. They won the Passaic County crown, beating Wayne Valley, which knocked Clifton out of that tournament. After losing two of their first three matches, the Lancers went on a 19-match winning streak that was ended by Bridgewater in the North quarterfinals and finished 20-3.
7. Clifton. Preseason rank: not ranked (teams to watch). Week One: Not ranked. Week Two: Not ranked. Week Three: Not ranked. Week Four: Not ranked. Week Five: Not ranked. Week Six: Not ranked. After an unspectacular regular season, the Mustangs made a strong run in the state playoffs, beating No. 4 seed Wayne Valley and No. 1 Fair Lawn on their way to the title game, where they lost to Bridgewater. Clifton lost to Passaic, Don Bosco, East Brunswick, Fair Lawn and Wayne Valley during the regular season, but had victories over Eastern, Don Bosco, Passaic, and Bridgwater, which helped it earn the No. 5 seed in the North playoffs.
8. Fair Lawn. Preseason rank: 5. Week One: 3. Week Two: 3. Week Three: 3. Week Four: 4. Week Five: 5. Week Six: Five. The Cutters were the undisputed top seed in the North playoffs after dominating play in that area (Their only losses prior to the start of the tournament were to St. Joes, Old Bridge and Southern, three of the four top south teams). Were eliminated from the North by Clifton, which they had beaten during the regular season.
9. Eastern. Preseason rank: 7. Week One: 4. Week Two: 4. Week Three: 4. Week Four: 5. Week Five: 9. Week Six: 8. The Vikings were the top team in the Olympic Conference, but they never seemed to find their rhythm during the season. The best team they beat was St. Peters, and that was in the first week of the season. They were seeded No. 5 in the South/Central playoffs and were eliminated by No. 4 Southern.
10. St. Peters Prep. Preseason rank: unranked (teams to watch). Week One: 9. Week Two: 9. Week Three: 8. Week Four: 8. Week Five: 10. Week Six: 9. The Marauders were cruising along through the season but hit a rough spot at the end, losing to Bayonne in the Hudson County Tournament final, and Bridgewater in the state semifinals.Fred Siegle is the communications editor and reporter for powerzonevb.com. <fsiegle@powerzonevb.com>
By Fred Siegle
Final Top ten is based on entire season
- St. Josephs.
- East Brunswick
- Old Bridge
- Southern
- Bridgewater
- Lakeland
- Clifton
- Fair Lawn
- Eastern
- Peter’s Prep
1. St. Josephs. Preseason rank: 2. Week One: 1. Week Two: 1. Week Three: 1. Week Four: 1. Week Five: 1. Week Six: 2. The Falcons capped their awesome season by winning the state title with a three-set (29-27 in the third game) victory over Bridgewater. They beat East Brunswick for the NJSIAA South/Central title, gaining a split (2-2) in the four games between the two top teams. The Falcons finished with a 30-4 record after playing the toughest schedule in the state, with victories over the top five teams in the final rankings.
2. East Brunswick. Preseason rank: 3. Week One: 2. Week Two: 2. Week Three: 2. Week Four: 3. Week Five: 4. Week Six: 1. The Bears ascended to the top spot by beating St. Joes for the Greater Middlesex title in mid-May, but were eliminated in the South/Central title game by the Falcons. They finished the season with a 27-3 record and three wins and one loss against Old Bridge. Their victory over Old Bridge in the South/Central semis was probably the best match of the season.
3. Old Bridge. Preseason rank: 6. Week One: 5. Week Two: 5. Week Three: 5. Week Four: 2. Week Five: 3. Week Six: 3. The Knights became a state power behind a solid core of veterans who were playing together for the third year. They beat Southern, East Brunswick once, and Fair Lawn, which for most of the season was the top team in North Jersey, and finished with a 24-7 record.
4. Southern. Preseason rank: 1. Week One: 6. Week Two: 6. Week Three: 6. Week Four: 6. Week Five: 2. Week Six: Four. The reasoning is simple: The Rams beat Bridgewater during the season. They both lost to the same team (St. Josephs) in the state tournament. They finished 27-6, with all the losses coming against the top three teams.
5. Bridgewater. Preseason rank: 10. Week One: 7. Week Two: 7. Week Three: Not ranked. Week Four: Not ranked. Week Five: Not ranked. Week Six: Not ranked. The Panthers turned their season around in the second half, rebounding from a 6-9 start to finish 17-10. They emerged with the NJSIAA’s North Tournament title and almost took their seventh overall state crown, losing to St. Josephs, 16-25, 25-17, 27-29. As the No. 7 seed, they cruised through the North playoffs, beating No. 2 Lakeland, No. 3 St. Peters, and No. 5 Clifton to capture the title.
6. Lakeland. Preseason rank: not ranked (teams to watch). Week One: not ranked. Week Two: Not ranked. Week Three: Not ranked. Week Four: Not ranked. Week Five: 8. Week Six: 7. The Lancers lost to the same team – Bridgewater – as Clifton in the state tournament. They won the Passaic County crown, beating Wayne Valley, which knocked Clifton out of that tournament. After losing two of their first three matches, the Lancers went on a 19-match winning streak that was ended by Bridgewater in the North quarterfinals and finished 20-3.
7. Clifton. Preseason rank: not ranked (teams to watch). Week One: Not ranked. Week Two: Not ranked. Week Three: Not ranked. Week Four: Not ranked. Week Five: Not ranked. Week Six: Not ranked. After an unspectacular regular season, the Mustangs made a strong run in the state playoffs, beating No. 4 seed Wayne Valley and No. 1 Fair Lawn on their way to the title game, where they lost to Bridgewater. Clifton lost to Passaic, Don Bosco, East Brunswick, Fair Lawn and Wayne Valley during the regular season, but had victories over Eastern, Don Bosco, Passaic, and Bridgwater, which helped it earn the No. 5 seed in the North playoffs.
8. Fair Lawn. Preseason rank: 5. Week One: 3. Week Two: 3. Week Three: 3. Week Four: 4. Week Five: 5. Week Six: Five. The Cutters were the undisputed top seed in the North playoffs after dominating play in that area (Their only losses prior to the start of the tournament were to St. Joes, Old Bridge and Southern, three of the four top south teams). Were eliminated from the North by Clifton, which they had beaten during the regular season.
9. Eastern. Preseason rank: 7. Week One: 4. Week Two: 4. Week Three: 4. Week Four: 5. Week Five: 9. Week Six: 8. The Vikings were the top team in the Olympic Conference, but they never seemed to find their rhythm during the season. The best team they beat was St. Peters, and that was in the first week of the season. They were seeded No. 5 in the South/Central playoffs and were eliminated by No. 4 Southern.
10. St. Peters Prep. Preseason rank: unranked (teams to watch). Week One: 9. Week Two: 9. Week Three: 8. Week Four: 8. Week Five: 10. Week Six: 9. The Marauders were cruising along through the season but hit a rough spot at the end, losing to Bayonne in the Hudson County Tournament final, and Bridgewater in the state semifinals.Fred Siegle is the communications editor and reporter for powerzonevb.com. <fsiegle@powerzonevb.com>
Friday, May 12, 2006
Powerzonevb.com Week Six Top 10 Rankings
powerzonevb.com Week Six Top 10
Week 6 Top 10
1. East Brunswick (17-2). Preseason rank: 3. Week One: 2. Week Two: 2. Week Three: 2. Week Four: 3. Last Week: 4. The Bears become the latest team to take over the top spot after beating the previous No. 1, St. Joseph’s in a three-gamer on Monday. They await the results of Tuesday’s game between St. Joes and Old Bridge to find out their seeding for the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament.
2. St. Joseph’s (20-2). Preseason rank: 2. Week One: 1. Week Two: 1. Week Three: 1. Week Four: 1. Last Week: 1. The Falcons suffered their first loss to a New Jersey team on Monday when they were beaten by East Brunswick.
3. Old Bridge (19-3). Preseason rank: 6. Week One: 5. Week Two: 5. Week Three: 5. Week Four: 2. Last Week: 3. With the way the top four teams have been playing musical chairs, it’s very possible the Knights could take over the top spot on Tuesday by beating St. Joseph’s. A victory in that match would mean they’ve beaten East Brunswick, St. Joes and Southern in their most recent meetings with those teams. If they lose, the stay right where the are.
4. Southern (24-4). Preseason rank: 1. Week One: 6. Week Two: 6. Week Three: 6. Week Four: 6. Last Week: 2. The Rams dropped a three-gamer to Old Bridge in the final of their tournament on May 6. They beat Williamstown 25-15, 25-10 on Thursday.
5. Fair Lawn (17-3). Preseason rank: 5. Week One: 3. Week Two: 3. Week Three: 3. Week Four: 4. Last Week: 5. The Cutters have rebounded from a tough day at the Super Six Showcase with five straight wins, including a 25-14, 26-24 victory over Livingston on Tuesday.
6. Don Bosco Prep (15-0). Preseason rank: unranked. Week One: unranked. Week Two: unranked. Week Three: 10. Week Four: 10. Last Week: 7. The Ironmen continued their rise with an 18-25, 26-24, 25-23 victory over Montclair on Monday.
7. Lakeland (15-2). Preseason rank: unranked (teams to watch). Week One: unranked. Week Two: unranked. Week Three: unranked. Week Four: unranked. Last Week: 8. The Lancers haven’t lost since a 1-2 start in the first week of the season. They handled Passaic, 25-16, 26-24 on Wednesday in the Passaic County Tournament semifinals.
8. Eastern (18-3). Preseason rank: 7. Week One: 4. Week Two: 4. Week Three: 4. Week Four: 5. Last Week: 9. Brian Bertucci had 7 kills and three blocks as the Vikings beat Moorestown 25-15, 25-14 on Thursday.
9. St. Peters Prep (20-2). Preseason rank: unranked (teams to watch). Week One: 9. Week Two: 9. Week Three: 8. Week Four: 8. Last Week: 10. The Marauders host their tournament today, with a field that includes No. 2. St. Josephs.
10. West Windsor-Plainsboro South (12-5). Preseason rank: unranked. Week One: unranked. Week Two: unranked. Week Three: unranked. Week Four: unranked. Last Week: unranked (teams to watch). The Pirates beat Bridgewater-Raritan on Thursday, May 4. Bridgewater beat last week’s No. 6 team, CBA, on Thursday.
Teams to watch: Wayne Valley (big win over Clifton in Passaic semis on Wednesday. They face No. 7 Lakeland in the final tonight at Clifton); Bridgewater-Raritan (defending champs likely clinched a state tournament berth with 25-17, 25-18 win over CBA on Thursday); J.P. Stevens (likely to earn fourth seed in highly competitive GMC tournament); Clifton (reached Passaic County semis before slipping against Wayne Valley); Passaic (the other Passaic County semifinalist).
NOTES
All’s Wellington: Add Lakeland coach Russ Kniewel to the Wellington Perez fan club. Perez had 23 kills and 3 aces against the Lancers in Lakeland’s 13-25, 25-20, 25-18 victory over Newark East Side on Thursday. He also had 19 kills in East Side’s 25-21, 25-12 win over West Essex on Tuesday.
“I’ll tell you what, I wouldn’t want to play them (Newark East Side) again,’’ Kniewel said. “That team is going to be a tough out in the state tournament. Out of the players I’ve seen, he’s the best player in North Jersey, he can do everything – serve, pass, block and hit. The way we beat them was we didn’t serve him.’’
Fred Siegle is the communications editor and reporter for powerzonevb.com. <fsiegle@powerzonevb.com>
Week 6 Top 10
- East Brunswick
- St. Josephs
- Old Bridge
- Southern
- Fair Lawn
- Don Bosco
- Lakeland
- Eastern
- Peter’s Prep
- West Windsor-Plainsboro South.
1. East Brunswick (17-2). Preseason rank: 3. Week One: 2. Week Two: 2. Week Three: 2. Week Four: 3. Last Week: 4. The Bears become the latest team to take over the top spot after beating the previous No. 1, St. Joseph’s in a three-gamer on Monday. They await the results of Tuesday’s game between St. Joes and Old Bridge to find out their seeding for the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament.
2. St. Joseph’s (20-2). Preseason rank: 2. Week One: 1. Week Two: 1. Week Three: 1. Week Four: 1. Last Week: 1. The Falcons suffered their first loss to a New Jersey team on Monday when they were beaten by East Brunswick.
3. Old Bridge (19-3). Preseason rank: 6. Week One: 5. Week Two: 5. Week Three: 5. Week Four: 2. Last Week: 3. With the way the top four teams have been playing musical chairs, it’s very possible the Knights could take over the top spot on Tuesday by beating St. Joseph’s. A victory in that match would mean they’ve beaten East Brunswick, St. Joes and Southern in their most recent meetings with those teams. If they lose, the stay right where the are.
4. Southern (24-4). Preseason rank: 1. Week One: 6. Week Two: 6. Week Three: 6. Week Four: 6. Last Week: 2. The Rams dropped a three-gamer to Old Bridge in the final of their tournament on May 6. They beat Williamstown 25-15, 25-10 on Thursday.
5. Fair Lawn (17-3). Preseason rank: 5. Week One: 3. Week Two: 3. Week Three: 3. Week Four: 4. Last Week: 5. The Cutters have rebounded from a tough day at the Super Six Showcase with five straight wins, including a 25-14, 26-24 victory over Livingston on Tuesday.
6. Don Bosco Prep (15-0). Preseason rank: unranked. Week One: unranked. Week Two: unranked. Week Three: 10. Week Four: 10. Last Week: 7. The Ironmen continued their rise with an 18-25, 26-24, 25-23 victory over Montclair on Monday.
7. Lakeland (15-2). Preseason rank: unranked (teams to watch). Week One: unranked. Week Two: unranked. Week Three: unranked. Week Four: unranked. Last Week: 8. The Lancers haven’t lost since a 1-2 start in the first week of the season. They handled Passaic, 25-16, 26-24 on Wednesday in the Passaic County Tournament semifinals.
8. Eastern (18-3). Preseason rank: 7. Week One: 4. Week Two: 4. Week Three: 4. Week Four: 5. Last Week: 9. Brian Bertucci had 7 kills and three blocks as the Vikings beat Moorestown 25-15, 25-14 on Thursday.
9. St. Peters Prep (20-2). Preseason rank: unranked (teams to watch). Week One: 9. Week Two: 9. Week Three: 8. Week Four: 8. Last Week: 10. The Marauders host their tournament today, with a field that includes No. 2. St. Josephs.
10. West Windsor-Plainsboro South (12-5). Preseason rank: unranked. Week One: unranked. Week Two: unranked. Week Three: unranked. Week Four: unranked. Last Week: unranked (teams to watch). The Pirates beat Bridgewater-Raritan on Thursday, May 4. Bridgewater beat last week’s No. 6 team, CBA, on Thursday.
Teams to watch: Wayne Valley (big win over Clifton in Passaic semis on Wednesday. They face No. 7 Lakeland in the final tonight at Clifton); Bridgewater-Raritan (defending champs likely clinched a state tournament berth with 25-17, 25-18 win over CBA on Thursday); J.P. Stevens (likely to earn fourth seed in highly competitive GMC tournament); Clifton (reached Passaic County semis before slipping against Wayne Valley); Passaic (the other Passaic County semifinalist).
NOTES
All’s Wellington: Add Lakeland coach Russ Kniewel to the Wellington Perez fan club. Perez had 23 kills and 3 aces against the Lancers in Lakeland’s 13-25, 25-20, 25-18 victory over Newark East Side on Thursday. He also had 19 kills in East Side’s 25-21, 25-12 win over West Essex on Tuesday.
“I’ll tell you what, I wouldn’t want to play them (Newark East Side) again,’’ Kniewel said. “That team is going to be a tough out in the state tournament. Out of the players I’ve seen, he’s the best player in North Jersey, he can do everything – serve, pass, block and hit. The way we beat them was we didn’t serve him.’’
Fred Siegle is the communications editor and reporter for powerzonevb.com. <fsiegle@powerzonevb.com>
Friday, May 5, 2006
Week Five Top 10
Powerzonevb.com Week Five Top 10
1. St. Josephs (19-1). Preseason rank: 2. Week One: 1. Week Two: 1. Week Three: 1. Last week: 1. The Falcons went 4-0 at their Super Six, beating Southern, Bridgewater-Raritan, Fair Lawn and Cherry Hill East.
2. Southern (19-3). Preseason rank: 1. Week One: 6. Week Two: 6. Week Three: 6. Last week: 6. The Rams move closer to where they started the season after a super showing at the Super Six Showcase on April 29. They beat Old Bridge, Fair Lawn, and Cherry Hill East there, and lost a close one to No. 1 St. Joes.
3. Old Bridge (14-3). Preseason rank: 6. Week One: 5. Week Two: 5. Week Three: 5. Last week: 2. Libero Scott Behnke had 13 digs and middle Lance Rogers registered 7 blocks in a 25-23, 25-14 win over J.P. Stevens on Wednesday. Rise to the top was thwarted a bit with a loss to Southern at the Super Six Showcase on April 29.
4. East Brunswick (14-2). Preseason rank: 3. Week One: 2. Week Two: 2. Week Three: 2. Last week: 3. Southern’s win over Old Bridge knocks the Bears down another spot, but they could move to the top on Monday with a victory at St. Joes, which beat them earlier in the season. Won three matches at the Eastern quad on April 29.
5. Fair Lawn (14-3). Preseason rank: 5. Week One: 3. Week Two: 3. Week Three: 3. Last week: 4. Had a tough day at the Super Six, but rebounded Tuesday with an emotional victory over Clifton. Setter Jon Bashon knows where to go when he’s in trouble – leftside Vlad Livshits had 21 kills against Clifton. “Vlad’s our leader,’’ Bashon said.
6. CBA (9-6). Preseason rank: 9. Week One: 10. Week Two: 10. Week Three: 9. Last week: 9. The Colts have slipped a little with middle Steve Santangelo out with an ankle injury, but all the losses except a week-one three setter against Williamstown have come against ranked teams. Most recent loss was Thursday against No. 3 Old Bridge.
7. Don Bosco Prep (12-0). Preseason rank: unranked. Week One: unranked. Week Two: unranked. Week Three: 10. Last week: 10. The Ironmen continued to cruise with a 25-11, 25-14 win over Belleview on Wednesday. Setter Matt Oczkowski had 6 blocks in the win.
8. Lakeland (11-2). Preseason rank: unranked (teams to watch). Week One: unranked. Week Two: unranked. Week Three: unranked. Last week: unranked. The Lancers are on a 9-match winning streak, including a victory over Wayne Valley, which beat them in the first week of the season. They play Wayne Hills in a Passaic County Tournament match on Monday.
9. Eastern (14-3). Preseason rank: 7. Week One: 4. Week Two: 4. Week Three: 4. Last week: 5. The Vikings had a tough quad on April 29, losing to Clifton and East Brunswick. They did beat Livingston, however.
10. St. Peter’s Prep (14-2). Preseason rank: Not ranked (teams to watch). Week One: 9. Week Two 9. Week Three: 8. Last week 8. The Marauders slip a bit because of Eastern’s drop. They lost to Eastern the first day of the season, but continue to roll along in Hudson County matches.
Teams to watch: Clifton (loss to Passaic is holding them back); Williamstown (slips out of the top 10 after losing to Clearview on Friday, and also falls some because of Eastern’s drop); Bloomfield (cruised to 25-13, 25-13 win over Hackensack on Thursday); West Windsor South (improved to 9-4 with a win over Bridgewater on Thursday); North Bergen (15-3, with losses to St. Joes and St. Peter’s).
NOTES
SOUTHERN TOURNAMENT: One of the few tournaments where the playoffs count against teams records (they’ll play actual 2 of 3 matches starting with the quarterfinals) takes place at Southern on Saturday.
Old Bridge, West Windsor South, Collingswood, and a second team from Southern will be in one pool, while Southern, Williamstown, West Windsor North, and Washington Township will be in the second.
Crossover playoffs should start around 2:15 p.m., with the second-and-third place teams from the opposite pools facing each other. The winners of those matches will face the first-place teams from the pools in the semifinals, with the winners then meeting for the championship. “The teams are going to get a lot of volleyball,’’ Southern coach Eric Maxwell said.
TOUGH CUT: With the cutoff looming for qualification into the state tournament (teams must have a .500 or better record after games played on Tuesday, May 16), there are a number of teams that will be fighting for playoff berths.
Tops among them: Last year’s state tournament winner, Bridgewater-Raritan. The Panthers’ loss to East Brunswick on Friday dropped their record to 8-9. They have four matches remaining (vs. Hillsborough on Tuesday, at CBA on Thursday, then against Livingston on Monday, May 14, and against Watchung Hills on the cutoff day.
The Panthers will have to go 3-1 in those four matches to earn a chance to defend their title. “We’ve got some winning to do,’’ coach Corey Romanak said. “It’s pretty simple, we can’t lose twice.’’
Bridgewater has played the last week without junior Chris Metzger, the team’s second option after Chris Allen. Metzger has bronchitis and Romanak is hoping he’ll return in time for the match with CBA
Fred Siegle is the communications editor and reporter for powerzonevb.com. <fsiegle@powerzonevb.com>
- St. Josephs.
- Southern
- Old Bridge.
- East Brunswick.
- Fair Lawn.
- CBA
- Don Bosco
- Lakeland
- Eastern.
- St. Peter’s Prep
1. St. Josephs (19-1). Preseason rank: 2. Week One: 1. Week Two: 1. Week Three: 1. Last week: 1. The Falcons went 4-0 at their Super Six, beating Southern, Bridgewater-Raritan, Fair Lawn and Cherry Hill East.
2. Southern (19-3). Preseason rank: 1. Week One: 6. Week Two: 6. Week Three: 6. Last week: 6. The Rams move closer to where they started the season after a super showing at the Super Six Showcase on April 29. They beat Old Bridge, Fair Lawn, and Cherry Hill East there, and lost a close one to No. 1 St. Joes.
3. Old Bridge (14-3). Preseason rank: 6. Week One: 5. Week Two: 5. Week Three: 5. Last week: 2. Libero Scott Behnke had 13 digs and middle Lance Rogers registered 7 blocks in a 25-23, 25-14 win over J.P. Stevens on Wednesday. Rise to the top was thwarted a bit with a loss to Southern at the Super Six Showcase on April 29.
4. East Brunswick (14-2). Preseason rank: 3. Week One: 2. Week Two: 2. Week Three: 2. Last week: 3. Southern’s win over Old Bridge knocks the Bears down another spot, but they could move to the top on Monday with a victory at St. Joes, which beat them earlier in the season. Won three matches at the Eastern quad on April 29.
5. Fair Lawn (14-3). Preseason rank: 5. Week One: 3. Week Two: 3. Week Three: 3. Last week: 4. Had a tough day at the Super Six, but rebounded Tuesday with an emotional victory over Clifton. Setter Jon Bashon knows where to go when he’s in trouble – leftside Vlad Livshits had 21 kills against Clifton. “Vlad’s our leader,’’ Bashon said.
6. CBA (9-6). Preseason rank: 9. Week One: 10. Week Two: 10. Week Three: 9. Last week: 9. The Colts have slipped a little with middle Steve Santangelo out with an ankle injury, but all the losses except a week-one three setter against Williamstown have come against ranked teams. Most recent loss was Thursday against No. 3 Old Bridge.
7. Don Bosco Prep (12-0). Preseason rank: unranked. Week One: unranked. Week Two: unranked. Week Three: 10. Last week: 10. The Ironmen continued to cruise with a 25-11, 25-14 win over Belleview on Wednesday. Setter Matt Oczkowski had 6 blocks in the win.
8. Lakeland (11-2). Preseason rank: unranked (teams to watch). Week One: unranked. Week Two: unranked. Week Three: unranked. Last week: unranked. The Lancers are on a 9-match winning streak, including a victory over Wayne Valley, which beat them in the first week of the season. They play Wayne Hills in a Passaic County Tournament match on Monday.
9. Eastern (14-3). Preseason rank: 7. Week One: 4. Week Two: 4. Week Three: 4. Last week: 5. The Vikings had a tough quad on April 29, losing to Clifton and East Brunswick. They did beat Livingston, however.
10. St. Peter’s Prep (14-2). Preseason rank: Not ranked (teams to watch). Week One: 9. Week Two 9. Week Three: 8. Last week 8. The Marauders slip a bit because of Eastern’s drop. They lost to Eastern the first day of the season, but continue to roll along in Hudson County matches.
Teams to watch: Clifton (loss to Passaic is holding them back); Williamstown (slips out of the top 10 after losing to Clearview on Friday, and also falls some because of Eastern’s drop); Bloomfield (cruised to 25-13, 25-13 win over Hackensack on Thursday); West Windsor South (improved to 9-4 with a win over Bridgewater on Thursday); North Bergen (15-3, with losses to St. Joes and St. Peter’s).
NOTES
SOUTHERN TOURNAMENT: One of the few tournaments where the playoffs count against teams records (they’ll play actual 2 of 3 matches starting with the quarterfinals) takes place at Southern on Saturday.
Old Bridge, West Windsor South, Collingswood, and a second team from Southern will be in one pool, while Southern, Williamstown, West Windsor North, and Washington Township will be in the second.
Crossover playoffs should start around 2:15 p.m., with the second-and-third place teams from the opposite pools facing each other. The winners of those matches will face the first-place teams from the pools in the semifinals, with the winners then meeting for the championship. “The teams are going to get a lot of volleyball,’’ Southern coach Eric Maxwell said.
TOUGH CUT: With the cutoff looming for qualification into the state tournament (teams must have a .500 or better record after games played on Tuesday, May 16), there are a number of teams that will be fighting for playoff berths.
Tops among them: Last year’s state tournament winner, Bridgewater-Raritan. The Panthers’ loss to East Brunswick on Friday dropped their record to 8-9. They have four matches remaining (vs. Hillsborough on Tuesday, at CBA on Thursday, then against Livingston on Monday, May 14, and against Watchung Hills on the cutoff day.
The Panthers will have to go 3-1 in those four matches to earn a chance to defend their title. “We’ve got some winning to do,’’ coach Corey Romanak said. “It’s pretty simple, we can’t lose twice.’’
Bridgewater has played the last week without junior Chris Metzger, the team’s second option after Chris Allen. Metzger has bronchitis and Romanak is hoping he’ll return in time for the match with CBA
Fred Siegle is the communications editor and reporter for powerzonevb.com. <fsiegle@powerzonevb.com>
Friday, April 28, 2006
Week 4 Top 10 Rankings
Powerzonevb.com Week 4 Top 10 Rankings
- St. Josephs.
- Old Bridge.
- East Brunswick.
- Fair Lawn.
- Eastern.
- Southern
- Williamstown
- St. Peter’s Prep .
- CBA.
- Don Bosco
1. St. Josephs (13-1). Preseason rank: 2. Week One: 1. Week Two: 1. Last week: 1. The Falcons continue to roll, having captured the title at the Rhody Invitational on April 22. They host the Super Six Tournament on Saturday, and will play Cherry Hill East, Bridgewater-Raritan, No. 6 Southern, and No. 4 Fair Lawn there.
2. Old Bridge (8-2). Preseason rank: 6. Week One: 5. Week Two: 5. Last week: 5. The fastest rising team in the state. First, the Knights gave a scare to No. 1 St. Josephs on April 18, then they went three games before losing to East Brunswick in the final of the Bears Invitational on April 22. The Knights proved they are a legit contender on Wednesday with a three-game victory over East Brunswick. The Knights will try to solidify their spot at the Super Six on Saturday.
3. East Brunswick (8-2). Preseason rank: 3. Week One: 2. Week Two: 2. Last week: 2. The Bears slip a spot after losing to Old Bridge. They rebounded with a victory over Bridgewater-Raritan on Thursday. The play at the Eastern quad on Saturday.
4. Fair Lawn (10-0). Preseason rank: 5. Week One: 3. Week Two: 3. Last week: 3. Vlad Livshits had 10 kills as the Cutters beat Livingston on Thursday to move closer to clinching the North Jersey Boys Volleyball League Division 1 title. Will face three other top 10 teams - Old Bridge, Southern and St. Joes – along with Cherry Hill East today at the Super Six.
5. Eastern (10-0). Preseason rank: 7. Week One: 4. Week Two: 4. Last week: 4. The Vikings rolled past Cherry Hill West on Wednesday and won their South Jersey showdown with Williamstown on Monday, 25-21, 18-25, 25-20. They’ll host a quad match that will include East Brunswick, Clifton and Livingston today.
6. Southern (13-2). Preseason rank: 1. Week One: 6. Week Two: 6. Last week: 6. The Rams made the semifinals at the Bears Invitational before losing to East Brunswick. They’ll compete at the Super Six on Saturday.
7. Williamstown (10-2). Preseason rank: Not ranked. Week One: 8. Week Two: 8. Last week: 7. Braves beat Cherry Hill East on Monday and remain second behind Eastern in the Olympic Conference American Division.
8. St. Peter’s Prep (11-2). Preseason rank: Not ranked (teams to watch). Week One: 9. Week Two 9. Last week: 8. The Marauders took 9th at the Rhody Invitational in Rhode Island, capturing the Silver Division title.
9. CBA (8-4). Preseason rank: 9. Week One: 10. Week Two: 10. Last week: 9. The Colts lost to St. Joes on Tuesday, but beat Marlboro on Wednesday. Middle Steve Santangelo suffered a sprained ankle at practice on Monday but should return this week.
10. Don Bosco Prep (10-0). Preseason rank: unranked. Week One: unranked. Week Two: unranked: Last week: 10. Chris Anderson had 10 kills as the Ironmen won their Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League showdown with Passaic on Thursday. The win completed the first half of the team’s schedule.
Teams to watch: Collingswood (9-1, with only loss to Southern); Cherry Hill West (beat Washington Twp. and Cherry Hill East this week); Lakeland (on a 6-match winning streak); J.P. Stevens (won rematch with South Brunswick this week); Hackensack (beat Montclair on Wednesday).
NOTES
Strong signal: Don Bosco setter Matt Oczkowski calls out plays loud enough for everyone to hear during the Ironmen’s games, but he’s not worried about teams knowing what he’s calling for. “I use nicknames and what the set will be,’’ the senior said. “We can’t tell you what they mean, because then our opponents will know.’’
Oczkowski likes to spread the ball around while setting from the 5-1 alignment. “We tried a 6-2 in the preseason, but it didn’t work out,’’ he said. “With the 5-1, we just have so many options, including 10 balls and back sets.’’ When his team found itself in a little trouble in the first game against Passaic on Thursday, Oczkowski just sped up the offense. By the end of the second game, the Bosco hitters weren’t facing much of a block at all. “They were reading us well in the first game,’’ Oczkowski said. “So we just went with more trick plays and quick sets.’’
Halftime: The Ironmen have virtually clinched a spot in the state tournament after having finished the first half of their regular-season schedule unbeaten. But coach Mark Mako doesn’t want his team thinking about the post-season yet. “We’re just trying to take it game-by-game,’’ Mako said. “We’re playing well, and we just want to keep that going.’’
“This is the halfway point and we’ve beaten everyone,’’ senior Chris Anderson said. “The main thing is to keep playing like a team like we’ve been doing.’’
College try: CBA middle Steve Santangelo and Don Bosco’s Chris Anderson are both being recruited by Ramapo College. Anderson visited Ramapo on Friday.
Bergen County Tournament: As of now, the event won’t be held, but Mako said Ramapo college coach Don Vanderbeck has offered the school’s facility if it can be revived. Bosco won the county tournament last year, when it was brought back after a year without one.
“I would love to have it if we can set it up,’’ Mako said. “Don offered the school's gym, we could have it over one or two days, whatever is needed. We just have to find the day(s) when everyone is available.’’
Fred Siegle is the communications editor and reporter for powerzonevb.com. <fsiegle@powerzonevb.com>