By Fred Siegle
METUCHEN - When the games were on the line, St. Joseph's volleyball team was unfazed by the pressure.
In both games against Fair Lawn on Monday, the teams battled back and forth until the score was 18-18. And in both games, the Falcons came through with strings of points to emerge with a 25-19, 25-21 victory.
Senior middle Drew Colon, who finished the match with a solo block, his second in three points, said it was simply a matter of figuring out the opponents.
"Their whole team hits angle, none of them ever hit line,'' Colon said. "It's easy to block when you know where they're going.''
Fair Lawn had a 21-20 lead in game two, but a service error tied the score. Then, Colon had a dig that enabled setter Steve Korbos to feed Marcin Midura (5 kills, 2 blocks) for a kill, Colon put up a block for a point, Keith MacDonald earned his 7th kill of the match, and Colon blocked for the match. He finished with 3 kills and 3 blocks in the two games.
"When it comes down to the crucial points, we have to learn to play the way we've played in the rest of the game,'' Fair Lawn coach Pete Zisa said. "It's all about playing those big points, we need all cylinders firing.''
"We gained momentum from our hitting as the games went on,'' MacDonald said. "I thought Fair Lawn played well, and our passing got a little shaky at one point. We have to work on that. But we kept swinging and stayed aggressive.''
Middle Paul Konapacki had 6 kills and 3 blocks for the Falcons, who are ranked third in the Powerzonevb.com top 10 and improved to 9-1.
The Falcons will be tested again on Tuesday when they visit No. 1 East Brunswick in a makeup match from last week.
"It's obviously a big game and it'll be intense, we'll be in their place and I'm sure it will be loud,'' Colon said. "But we know the most important thing will be how well we're playing when we get to the state tournament.''
Artem Makarenko led Fair Lawn, now 7-1 and No. 5 in the Powerzonevb.com rankings, with 7 kills. Alex Bylinkin had 5 kills, and Matt Agnew contributed 3. Setter Jon Bashan had 15 assists.
"We still haven't played our best yet,'' Zisa said. "But I saw some good things today. St. Joes
is a real good team with no weak points.''
Monday, April 23, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
EB keeps BI Jug
Thanks to Charlie Ginex for the photo (East Brunswick's Kyle Barry sets John McLaughlin in a game against Old Bridge during the Bears Invitational.)By Fred Siegle
EAST BRUNSWICK - John McLaughlin warmed up his jump serve in East Brunswick's last pool play game at the Bears Invitational. By the time the Bears were in the final, it was on fire.
East Brunswick beat St. Josephs 25-14 in the final on Saturday to keep the B.I. Jug that goes to the tournament winner and remain the only team to capture the title in the event's three-year history. McLaughlin played a huge role in the victory with two aces and nine service points, with most of those coming because of St. Joes errors or off easy defensive plays for the Bears because of the pressure McLaughlin's tough serves put on the Falcons' offense.
"It started working for me in the second Bayonne game (the Bears' last pool-play game), and I just started getting more and more confident in it,'' McLaughlin said. "Once it started working for me, I just kept ripping it.''
McLaughlin, a senior middle blocker, also started for the Bears last year. But he didn't jump serve then.
"I would try it once in a while in practice, but I always hit it out of bounds,'' McLaughlin said. "It would sail all over the place, most of the time into the wall.''
But he stuck with it at practice this year.
"I've been working on it,'' he said. "Today, it started working in that one game. I start out with just a float, and if we get a point off that I'll go with a harder jumper.''
In the final, McLaughlin's first flurry of jump serves came at the start of the game. His fifth point came on an ace that hit the net and trickled over for his second ace and gave the Bears a 7-1 lead. It also forced the Falcons to take a time out, after which they were able to side out on a kill by Keith MacDonald.
McLaughlin also had a four-point streak at the end of the game, all St. Joes' errors, that made the score 24-13. The Bears, who went 11-1 in pool play in the 7-team event, went on to finish the game with a block by Alex Rigley and retain the jug. Senior Sameer Sood of the Bears was named the tournament MVP.
Since the final was only one game, it won't count on either team's record. But the two teams , ranked first and third in the Powerzonevb.com top 10, will meet with even more on the line on Tuesday in a match postponed from last week.
"Playing them (St. Joes) today gives us a chance to see what they have,'' McLaughlin said. "We know they're a good team and won't lay down. We have to come out just as hard on Tuesday.''
St. Joes was erratic all day, going 7-5 in pool play, which was still good enough for the second seed in the playoffs.
"We were kind of chippy all day,'' coach Miguel Cabrita said. "This really doesn't mean anything, win or lose. It was more about feeling each other out to see what each team can do. ''
The Falcons have a tough week, with a home match against No. 5 Fair Lawn on Monday, the match vs. East Brunswick on Tuesday, a meeting with perennial state power Bridgewater-Raritan on Wednesday, and then a quad match involving the Bears (again), No. 2 Southern, and No. 9 Moorestown on Saturday at Southern.
East Brunswick beat Bayonne (6-6 in pool play, including wins over the Bears and Falcons) in the semifinals, while St. Joes beat Old Bridge (7-5 in pool play). Bayonne beat Bridgewater (5-7) in the quarterfinals, while Old Bridge beat Hillsborough (4-8). West Windsor-Plainsboro South went 3-9 in pool play.
But he stuck with it at practice this year.
"I've been working on it,'' he said. "Today, it started working in that one game. I start out with just a float, and if we get a point off that I'll go with a harder jumper.''
In the final, McLaughlin's first flurry of jump serves came at the start of the game. His fifth point came on an ace that hit the net and trickled over for his second ace and gave the Bears a 7-1 lead. It also forced the Falcons to take a time out, after which they were able to side out on a kill by Keith MacDonald.
McLaughlin also had a four-point streak at the end of the game, all St. Joes' errors, that made the score 24-13. The Bears, who went 11-1 in pool play in the 7-team event, went on to finish the game with a block by Alex Rigley and retain the jug. Senior Sameer Sood of the Bears was named the tournament MVP.
Since the final was only one game, it won't count on either team's record. But the two teams , ranked first and third in the Powerzonevb.com top 10, will meet with even more on the line on Tuesday in a match postponed from last week.
"Playing them (St. Joes) today gives us a chance to see what they have,'' McLaughlin said. "We know they're a good team and won't lay down. We have to come out just as hard on Tuesday.''
St. Joes was erratic all day, going 7-5 in pool play, which was still good enough for the second seed in the playoffs.
"We were kind of chippy all day,'' coach Miguel Cabrita said. "This really doesn't mean anything, win or lose. It was more about feeling each other out to see what each team can do. ''
The Falcons have a tough week, with a home match against No. 5 Fair Lawn on Monday, the match vs. East Brunswick on Tuesday, a meeting with perennial state power Bridgewater-Raritan on Wednesday, and then a quad match involving the Bears (again), No. 2 Southern, and No. 9 Moorestown on Saturday at Southern.
East Brunswick beat Bayonne (6-6 in pool play, including wins over the Bears and Falcons) in the semifinals, while St. Joes beat Old Bridge (7-5 in pool play). Bayonne beat Bridgewater (5-7) in the quarterfinals, while Old Bridge beat Hillsborough (4-8). West Windsor-Plainsboro South went 3-9 in pool play.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
No. 8 Bayonne edges No. 7 St. Peters
By Fred Siegle
Bayonne - Round One of the battle for supremacy in Hudson County, and maybe North Jersey, went to Bayonne.
The Bees earned a 25-18, 19-25, 26-24 victory over St. Peters on Thursday in the first of at least two, and possibly four or more, meetings.
Sophomore Patrick Rusznica and junior Coco Ostorga combined for a block for the match-winning play in the third game. Rusznica finished with a team-high 7 blocks and also had 4 kills. Danny Kochanski (5 blocks) and Justin Beaumont each had 12 kills to lead the Bees' attack.
"It was 18-18 in the third game, and to me it just came down to desire and mental toughness,'' said Bayonne coach Pat Longo, who's team remained unbeaten. "I think it was a great match, it's unfortunate someone had to lose.''
Kochinski and Ostorga combined for a block that gave Bayonne a 23-19 lead in the third game, but St. Peters battled back with five straight points - a great save by libero Kevin McNerney (21 digs), who had a bump-kill from a harsh angle that Bayonne's defense couldn't play, a Bayonne error, an ace by Nick DeBenedictis, a kill by Matt Whitford (15 kills in the match), and a triple block as Kochinski hit out of the middle.
But Bayonne took a time out and stared down the possible game point at 24-23 as Kochanski powered the ball through the block from the right side. A St. Peters error gave Bayonne game point before the block of Whitford by Rusznica and Ostorga.
"We knew they'd set Matt a lot, and he hits hard angle and tries to go around the block,'' Kochinski said.
"We knew where they were going to go, hitting-wise, and they knew where we were going to go,'' Longo said. "Those were two teams that really know each other well.''
Bayonne's passing broke down a bit in the second game, especially against a flurry of floaters by the Marauders. Stan Gasiewski sparked St. Peters with two aces in that game, and also had two more in Game 3. But Bayonne's serve-receive was more consistent in the finale.
"Our passers, especially James (Capello, the Bees' libero) stepped up in the third game,'' Kochanski said. "But we have to work on passing floaters, we're used to balls being pounded at us.''
"We knew if we got back to our style - passing well and aggressive hitting, we'd be fine,'' Longo said. "
Ostorga finished with 7 kills and 11 digs, Krystoph Bogdan chipped in 3 kills, 14 digs and 3 blocks, Capello had 24 digs, and setter Mark Gacki had 27 assists, 18 digs, and 3 blocks.
"I thought we underperformed, we weren't executing,'' St. Peters coach Don Guide said. "We can't let them (Bayonne) lay back and dig balls, and for their size, they put up a good block.''
"The level of play was so high, the balls both teams kept in play were amazing,'' Longo said.
The two teams will meet again on May 10 at St. Peters, will likely face each other again in the Hudson County Tournament, and also could meet in the NJSIAA playoffs at the end of the season.
"I'm happy Bayonne has a good team,'' Guide said. "That's the kind of competition we need here in Hudson County.''
"It was a great game,'' Longo said. "It's the kind we need to see here.''
Bayonne - Round One of the battle for supremacy in Hudson County, and maybe North Jersey, went to Bayonne.
The Bees earned a 25-18, 19-25, 26-24 victory over St. Peters on Thursday in the first of at least two, and possibly four or more, meetings.
Sophomore Patrick Rusznica and junior Coco Ostorga combined for a block for the match-winning play in the third game. Rusznica finished with a team-high 7 blocks and also had 4 kills. Danny Kochanski (5 blocks) and Justin Beaumont each had 12 kills to lead the Bees' attack.
"It was 18-18 in the third game, and to me it just came down to desire and mental toughness,'' said Bayonne coach Pat Longo, who's team remained unbeaten. "I think it was a great match, it's unfortunate someone had to lose.''
Kochinski and Ostorga combined for a block that gave Bayonne a 23-19 lead in the third game, but St. Peters battled back with five straight points - a great save by libero Kevin McNerney (21 digs), who had a bump-kill from a harsh angle that Bayonne's defense couldn't play, a Bayonne error, an ace by Nick DeBenedictis, a kill by Matt Whitford (15 kills in the match), and a triple block as Kochinski hit out of the middle.
But Bayonne took a time out and stared down the possible game point at 24-23 as Kochanski powered the ball through the block from the right side. A St. Peters error gave Bayonne game point before the block of Whitford by Rusznica and Ostorga.
"We knew they'd set Matt a lot, and he hits hard angle and tries to go around the block,'' Kochinski said.
"We knew where they were going to go, hitting-wise, and they knew where we were going to go,'' Longo said. "Those were two teams that really know each other well.''
Bayonne's passing broke down a bit in the second game, especially against a flurry of floaters by the Marauders. Stan Gasiewski sparked St. Peters with two aces in that game, and also had two more in Game 3. But Bayonne's serve-receive was more consistent in the finale.
"Our passers, especially James (Capello, the Bees' libero) stepped up in the third game,'' Kochanski said. "But we have to work on passing floaters, we're used to balls being pounded at us.''
"We knew if we got back to our style - passing well and aggressive hitting, we'd be fine,'' Longo said. "
Ostorga finished with 7 kills and 11 digs, Krystoph Bogdan chipped in 3 kills, 14 digs and 3 blocks, Capello had 24 digs, and setter Mark Gacki had 27 assists, 18 digs, and 3 blocks.
"I thought we underperformed, we weren't executing,'' St. Peters coach Don Guide said. "We can't let them (Bayonne) lay back and dig balls, and for their size, they put up a good block.''
"The level of play was so high, the balls both teams kept in play were amazing,'' Longo said.
The two teams will meet again on May 10 at St. Peters, will likely face each other again in the Hudson County Tournament, and also could meet in the NJSIAA playoffs at the end of the season.
"I'm happy Bayonne has a good team,'' Guide said. "That's the kind of competition we need here in Hudson County.''
"It was a great game,'' Longo said. "It's the kind we need to see here.''
Sunday, April 15, 2007
NEW TOP 10
By Fred Siegle
Here's the new top 10! Don't count on it staying the same, with some big matches this week including St. Joseph at East Brunswick and Fair Lawn at Old Bridge on Monday April 16.
1. East Brunswick (5-0). Preseason ranking: 2. The reasoning - I just can't jump Southern over the Bears unless they either have a head-to-head or common-opponent victory. That said, the Bears have only been tested by Old Bridge so far, while other teams have been getting better competition. They did win the Eastern Tournament on Saturday with a one-game victory over the hosts. While the Eastern event has always been top notch, its quality took a hit this year with most of the state's best teams going to Bloomfield. The Bears step it up a notch this week with matches against St. Joes, Bridgewater and South Brunswick.
2. Southern (9-0). Preseason ranking: 3. The Rams have the most significant win of the season so far after beating previous No. 1 St. Joes on April 10. They also beat ranked teams CBA and St. Peters that day, and also have a win over Williamstown, which is doing well in South Jersey. They lost, 27-25, to St. Joes in the final at Bloomfield on Saturday, but went undefeated against the rest of the high-quality competition. They host a quad with East Brunswick, St. Joes and Moorestown on April 28, another high-quality day that could shake up the rankings.
3. St. Josephs (5-1). Preseason ranking: 1. The victory over Southern in the final at Bloomfield on Saturday can't erase the match loss to the Rams on Tuesday, but it does show the Falcons haven't let it affect them, either. The truth is, any of the top 3 teams can win when they meet, it's simply a matter of who's more at the top of their game. Junior middle Paul Konopacki led St. Joes at Bloomfield with 23 kills for the day. The Falcons also have already beaten top 10 teams Old Bridge, CBA, and St. Peters.
4. Old Bridge (2-2). Preseason ranking: 4. The Knights opened with a brutal schedule, losing to East Brunswick and St. Joes. But they rebounded with two straight victories since, including a
moved star Lance Rogers to left side, and switched junior Eddie quality win over South Brunswick on Friday. After the two losses, coach Andrew HopmanBucior to right side. Bucior responded with 5 kills in the 25-17, 25-14 win over South Brunswick.
5. Fair Lawn (5-0). Preseason ranking: 5. The favorite in the NJSIAA's North Jersey section has already beaten rivals Lakeland and Wayne Hills. The Cutters were the only top 10 team that was inactive on Saturday (it was their prom weekend), but they jump right into the fire on Monday with a visit to No. 4. Old Bridge. Junior right side Matt Agnew had 6 blocks in the 25-20, 25-18 victory over Wayne Hills.
6. CBA (6-2). Preseason ranking: 7. The Colts move up a spot after jumping into the fire at the St. Joes quad on Tuesday and coming out with a victory over the previous No. 6, St. Peters. They lost to St. Joes and Southern that day. CBA takes another shot at Southern today when the Rams visit in Lincroft. Most of the Colts' players participated in a prom (Colts Neck High School) on Friday night, but they still went 4-1 in pool play at the Bloomfield Tournament on Saturday. They were eliminated in a hotly contested playoff game with St. Peters.
7. St. Peters (4-3). Preseason ranking: 6. The Marauders came out on the short end of the quality quad against CBA, St. Joes and Southern, but rebounded with an easy victory over Lincoln on Friday and a strong showing (4-1 in pool play, advancing to the semifinals before losing to St. Joes) at the Bloomfield Tournament. They visit Bayonne in Hudson County's version of St. Joes vs. East Brunswick on Thursday.
8. Bayonne (6-0). Preseason ranking: 8. The Bees have feasted on the weaker teams in Hudson County so far, but face their moment of truth on Thursday when they host St. Peters. They had a strong showing at Bloomfield on Saturday, going 3-2 in pool play and then beating Livingston in the playoffs before being knocked out by St. Joes. They should get a boost this week with the return of right side Coco Ostorga, who missed their games last week and the tournament at Bloomfield while away on a trip.
9. Moorestown (3-0). Preseason ranking: 9. The Quakers squeaked by Clearview on Thursday with an 18-25, 25-23, 26-24 victory. According to a story by Kevin Callahan of the Cherry Hill Courier-Post, the turning point came with the third game tied 23-23. Ryan Tuck had a kill and Christian DePew finished the match with an ace. In yet another big match this week, the Quakers host unbeaten Eastern on Thursday.
10. South Brunswick (5-1). Preseason rank: unranked (teams to watch). The Vikings take the spot of Hillsborough, which they beat 25-17, 23-25, 25-22 on Thursday. Their only loss is to Old Bridge. They also captured the Hillsborough Tournament title with a victory over Vernon in the final. The Vikings get another big test on Thursday when they visit East Brunswick.
Teams to watch: Eastern (still unbeaten and battled their way to the final at its tournament); Clifton (also still unbeaten); Bridgewater-Raritan (went 3-2 in pool play and advanced to the Gold Division playoffs at the Bloomfield Tournament despite playing without regular setter Andrew Conkin); Vernon (5-0 after beating Wayne Valley on Friday); Wayne Valley (tough day in a tough pool (1-4) at Bloomfield Tournament, 4-1 in matches after losing to Vernon on Friday); Don Bosco (the Silver Division champs at Bloomfield, also still unbeaten in matches).
(Thanks to Coach DeYoung for the correction involving the Vernon-Wayne Valley result).
Also, feel free to email me (fsiegle@powerzonevb.com) with any corrections/questions/comments. You can also post comments on the blog.
Here's the new top 10! Don't count on it staying the same, with some big matches this week including St. Joseph at East Brunswick and Fair Lawn at Old Bridge on Monday April 16.
1. East Brunswick (5-0). Preseason ranking: 2. The reasoning - I just can't jump Southern over the Bears unless they either have a head-to-head or common-opponent victory. That said, the Bears have only been tested by Old Bridge so far, while other teams have been getting better competition. They did win the Eastern Tournament on Saturday with a one-game victory over the hosts. While the Eastern event has always been top notch, its quality took a hit this year with most of the state's best teams going to Bloomfield. The Bears step it up a notch this week with matches against St. Joes, Bridgewater and South Brunswick.
2. Southern (9-0). Preseason ranking: 3. The Rams have the most significant win of the season so far after beating previous No. 1 St. Joes on April 10. They also beat ranked teams CBA and St. Peters that day, and also have a win over Williamstown, which is doing well in South Jersey. They lost, 27-25, to St. Joes in the final at Bloomfield on Saturday, but went undefeated against the rest of the high-quality competition. They host a quad with East Brunswick, St. Joes and Moorestown on April 28, another high-quality day that could shake up the rankings.
3. St. Josephs (5-1). Preseason ranking: 1. The victory over Southern in the final at Bloomfield on Saturday can't erase the match loss to the Rams on Tuesday, but it does show the Falcons haven't let it affect them, either. The truth is, any of the top 3 teams can win when they meet, it's simply a matter of who's more at the top of their game. Junior middle Paul Konopacki led St. Joes at Bloomfield with 23 kills for the day. The Falcons also have already beaten top 10 teams Old Bridge, CBA, and St. Peters.
4. Old Bridge (2-2). Preseason ranking: 4. The Knights opened with a brutal schedule, losing to East Brunswick and St. Joes. But they rebounded with two straight victories since, including a
moved star Lance Rogers to left side, and switched junior Eddie quality win over South Brunswick on Friday. After the two losses, coach Andrew HopmanBucior to right side. Bucior responded with 5 kills in the 25-17, 25-14 win over South Brunswick.
5. Fair Lawn (5-0). Preseason ranking: 5. The favorite in the NJSIAA's North Jersey section has already beaten rivals Lakeland and Wayne Hills. The Cutters were the only top 10 team that was inactive on Saturday (it was their prom weekend), but they jump right into the fire on Monday with a visit to No. 4. Old Bridge. Junior right side Matt Agnew had 6 blocks in the 25-20, 25-18 victory over Wayne Hills.
6. CBA (6-2). Preseason ranking: 7. The Colts move up a spot after jumping into the fire at the St. Joes quad on Tuesday and coming out with a victory over the previous No. 6, St. Peters. They lost to St. Joes and Southern that day. CBA takes another shot at Southern today when the Rams visit in Lincroft. Most of the Colts' players participated in a prom (Colts Neck High School) on Friday night, but they still went 4-1 in pool play at the Bloomfield Tournament on Saturday. They were eliminated in a hotly contested playoff game with St. Peters.
7. St. Peters (4-3). Preseason ranking: 6. The Marauders came out on the short end of the quality quad against CBA, St. Joes and Southern, but rebounded with an easy victory over Lincoln on Friday and a strong showing (4-1 in pool play, advancing to the semifinals before losing to St. Joes) at the Bloomfield Tournament. They visit Bayonne in Hudson County's version of St. Joes vs. East Brunswick on Thursday.
8. Bayonne (6-0). Preseason ranking: 8. The Bees have feasted on the weaker teams in Hudson County so far, but face their moment of truth on Thursday when they host St. Peters. They had a strong showing at Bloomfield on Saturday, going 3-2 in pool play and then beating Livingston in the playoffs before being knocked out by St. Joes. They should get a boost this week with the return of right side Coco Ostorga, who missed their games last week and the tournament at Bloomfield while away on a trip.
9. Moorestown (3-0). Preseason ranking: 9. The Quakers squeaked by Clearview on Thursday with an 18-25, 25-23, 26-24 victory. According to a story by Kevin Callahan of the Cherry Hill Courier-Post, the turning point came with the third game tied 23-23. Ryan Tuck had a kill and Christian DePew finished the match with an ace. In yet another big match this week, the Quakers host unbeaten Eastern on Thursday.
10. South Brunswick (5-1). Preseason rank: unranked (teams to watch). The Vikings take the spot of Hillsborough, which they beat 25-17, 23-25, 25-22 on Thursday. Their only loss is to Old Bridge. They also captured the Hillsborough Tournament title with a victory over Vernon in the final. The Vikings get another big test on Thursday when they visit East Brunswick.
Teams to watch: Eastern (still unbeaten and battled their way to the final at its tournament); Clifton (also still unbeaten); Bridgewater-Raritan (went 3-2 in pool play and advanced to the Gold Division playoffs at the Bloomfield Tournament despite playing without regular setter Andrew Conkin); Vernon (5-0 after beating Wayne Valley on Friday); Wayne Valley (tough day in a tough pool (1-4) at Bloomfield Tournament, 4-1 in matches after losing to Vernon on Friday); Don Bosco (the Silver Division champs at Bloomfield, also still unbeaten in matches).
(Thanks to Coach DeYoung for the correction involving the Vernon-Wayne Valley result).
Also, feel free to email me (fsiegle@powerzonevb.com) with any corrections/questions/comments. You can also post comments on the blog.
Pictures from 2006
Check out the website www.sjtphotos.com, there are pictures there from the 2006 East Brunswick Tournament.
om
om
Saturday, April 14, 2007
ST JOES WINS AT BLOOMFIELD
By Fred Siegle
BLOOMFIELD - It doesn't completely erase the sting of a 25-8 loss in the second game on Tuesday, but St. Joseph's 27-25 victory over Southern in the final at the Bloomfield Tournament on Saturday definitely helps.
"We played a lot better this time,'' setter Richie McCobb said. "We came together as a team and stuck it out until the end.''
"We know this really means nothing, its just one game and not a match, but they're still a great team and we won this time,'' said middle blocker Drew Colon, who provided the game-winning point with a solo block.
Southern seemed to have momentum in the back-and-fourth final when the Rams took a 23-22 lead on a serve by Nate Lee that hit the top of the net then trickled over for an ace. But Falcons' coach Miguel Cabrita called time out and the Falcons went back to the court and tied the game on a kill by Keith MacDonald.
After the team traded side outs twice, junior Kyle Ditmars ended a long rally with a powerful hit from the left side to end a long rally, then Colon registered his block against Southern senior right side Nolan King, who ran a play in the middle off serve receive.
"I knew Nolan runs middle in that rotation,'' Colon said. "It was basically a guess on my part on where he would be swinging. I won the lottery.''
Most of the St. Joes and Southern players have been friends for several years since they play on the same club teams in the offseason, and they enjoyed the chance to play each other in the final of the 18-team tournament. Both teams went undefeated in pool play (5-0), then beat the other top teams from the 3-pool event on their way to the final.
"It's a fun rivalry between us,'' Colon said. "It's obviously intense, both teams are playing at a high level. But when we play, there's a lot of smiles out there, too. It's fun to play them. There was a play where someone had a big hit and a player on the other team got hit, and I just looked over at Nolan, and we both just laughed.''
St. Joseph beat Bayonne, 25-19, and St. Peters, 25-19, in the playoff quarterfinals and semis. Southern beat Bridgewater-Raritan 25-19 in the quarterfinals and Old Bridge 25-19 in the semis.
The Falcons had a balanced offense throughout the day, with middle Paul Konopacki leading the way with 23 kills, 4 blocks and 4 aces. Ditmars had 19 kills, 5 aces and 14 digs, Colon contributed 19 kills, 2 aces and 20 digs, MacDonald had 17 kills, 5 aces and 22 digs, Eddie Rossiter had 10 kills, 5 aces and 20 digs, and libero Aidan Nemergut had 17 digs.
BLOOMFIELD - It doesn't completely erase the sting of a 25-8 loss in the second game on Tuesday, but St. Joseph's 27-25 victory over Southern in the final at the Bloomfield Tournament on Saturday definitely helps.
"We played a lot better this time,'' setter Richie McCobb said. "We came together as a team and stuck it out until the end.''
"We know this really means nothing, its just one game and not a match, but they're still a great team and we won this time,'' said middle blocker Drew Colon, who provided the game-winning point with a solo block.
Southern seemed to have momentum in the back-and-fourth final when the Rams took a 23-22 lead on a serve by Nate Lee that hit the top of the net then trickled over for an ace. But Falcons' coach Miguel Cabrita called time out and the Falcons went back to the court and tied the game on a kill by Keith MacDonald.
After the team traded side outs twice, junior Kyle Ditmars ended a long rally with a powerful hit from the left side to end a long rally, then Colon registered his block against Southern senior right side Nolan King, who ran a play in the middle off serve receive.
"I knew Nolan runs middle in that rotation,'' Colon said. "It was basically a guess on my part on where he would be swinging. I won the lottery.''
Most of the St. Joes and Southern players have been friends for several years since they play on the same club teams in the offseason, and they enjoyed the chance to play each other in the final of the 18-team tournament. Both teams went undefeated in pool play (5-0), then beat the other top teams from the 3-pool event on their way to the final.
"It's a fun rivalry between us,'' Colon said. "It's obviously intense, both teams are playing at a high level. But when we play, there's a lot of smiles out there, too. It's fun to play them. There was a play where someone had a big hit and a player on the other team got hit, and I just looked over at Nolan, and we both just laughed.''
St. Joseph beat Bayonne, 25-19, and St. Peters, 25-19, in the playoff quarterfinals and semis. Southern beat Bridgewater-Raritan 25-19 in the quarterfinals and Old Bridge 25-19 in the semis.
The Falcons had a balanced offense throughout the day, with middle Paul Konopacki leading the way with 23 kills, 4 blocks and 4 aces. Ditmars had 19 kills, 5 aces and 14 digs, Colon contributed 19 kills, 2 aces and 20 digs, MacDonald had 17 kills, 5 aces and 22 digs, Eddie Rossiter had 10 kills, 5 aces and 20 digs, and libero Aidan Nemergut had 17 digs.
BLOOMFIELD TOURNAMENT GOLD PLAYOFF AND POOL PLAY RESULTS
GOLD PLAYOFFS
Final: St. Joseph d. Southern, 27-25.
Semifinals: St. Joseph d. St. Peters, 25-21; Southern d. Old Bridge 25-19.
Quarterfinals: St. Joseph d. Bayonne 25-19; St. Peters d. CBA 25-21; Southern d. Bridgewater 25-19; Old Bridge d. Newark Eastside.
Preliminary: Bayonne d. Livingston 25-23.
SILVER PLAYOFF CHAMPION: Don Bosco Prep.
POOL PLAY RESULTS
St. Josephs (5-0): d. Don Bosco 25-17, Newark East Side 25-8, Williamstown 25-13, Bayonne 25-17, Watchung Hills 25-10.
Don Bosco (2-3): lost to St. Joes 17-25, lost to Newark East Side 25-22, d. Williamstown 27-25, lost to Bayonne, 23-25, d. Watchung Hills 25-15.
Newark Eastside (3-2): lost to St. Joes 8-25, d. Don Bosco 25-22, lost to Williamstown 19-25, d. Bayonne, 25-21, d. Watchung Hills 25-12.
Williamstown (1-4): lost to St. Joes, 13-25, lost to Don Bosco 25-27, d. Newark Eastside 25-19, lost to Bayonne 21-25, lost to Watchung Hills 23-25.
Bayonne (3-2): lost to St. Joes, 17-25, d. Don Bosco 25-23, lost to Newark Eastside 21-25, d. Williamstown 25-21, d. Watchung Hills 25-8.
Watchung Hills (1-4): lost to St. Joes 10-25, lost to Don Bosco 15-25, lost to Newark Eastside 12-25, d. Williamstown 25-23, lost to Bayonne 8-25.
Bridgewater-Raritan (3-2): lost to Old Bridge 21-25, lost to St. Peters 16-25, d. Memorial 25-20, d. Bloomfield 25-17, d. Millburn 25-13.
Old Bridge (5-0): d. Bridgewater 25-21, d. St. Peters 25-18, d. Memorial 25-17, d. Bloomfield 25-13, d. Millburn 25-13.
St. Peters (4-1): d. Bridgewater 25-16, lost to Old Bridge 18-25, d. Memorial 25-13, d. Bloomfield 25-18, d. Millburn 25-8.
Memorial (1-4): lost to Bridgewater 20-25, lost to Old Bridge 17-25, lost to St. Peters 13-25, lost to Bloomfield 16-25, d. Millburn 25-22.
Bloomfield (2-3): lost to Bridgewater 17-25, lost to Old Bridge 13-25, lost to St. Peters 18-25, d. Memorial 25-16, d. Millburn 25-15.
Millburn (0-5): lost to Bridgewater 13-25, lost to Old Bridge 13-25, lost to St. Peters 8-25, lost to Memorial 22-25, lost to Bloomfield 15-25.
Southern (5-0): d. Livingston 25-16, d. CBA 25-17, d. J.P. Stevens 25-23, d. Roselle Catholic 25-16, d. Wayne Valley 25-20.
Livingston (3-2): lost to Southern 16-25, lost to CBA 20-25, d. J.P. Stevens 25-20, d. Roselle Catholic 25-13, d. Wayne Valley 27-25.
CBA (4-1): lost to Southern 17-25, d. Livingston 25-20, d. J.P. Stevens 25-20, d. Roselle Catholic 25-17, d. Wayne Valley 27-25.
J.P. Stevens (2-3): lost to Southern 23-25, lost to Livingston 20-25, lost to CBA 20-25, d. Roselle Catholic 25-19, d. Wayne Valley 25-21.
Roselle Catholic (0-5): lost to Southern 16-25, lost to Livingston 13-25, lost to CBA 17-25, lost to J.P. Stevens 19-25, lost to Wayne Valley 19-25.
Wayne Valley (1-4): lost to Southern 20-25, lost to Livingston 25-27, lost to CBA 15-25, lost to J.P. Stevens 21-25, d. Roselle Catholic 25-19.
Final: St. Joseph d. Southern, 27-25.
Semifinals: St. Joseph d. St. Peters, 25-21; Southern d. Old Bridge 25-19.
Quarterfinals: St. Joseph d. Bayonne 25-19; St. Peters d. CBA 25-21; Southern d. Bridgewater 25-19; Old Bridge d. Newark Eastside.
Preliminary: Bayonne d. Livingston 25-23.
SILVER PLAYOFF CHAMPION: Don Bosco Prep.
POOL PLAY RESULTS
St. Josephs (5-0): d. Don Bosco 25-17, Newark East Side 25-8, Williamstown 25-13, Bayonne 25-17, Watchung Hills 25-10.
Don Bosco (2-3): lost to St. Joes 17-25, lost to Newark East Side 25-22, d. Williamstown 27-25, lost to Bayonne, 23-25, d. Watchung Hills 25-15.
Newark Eastside (3-2): lost to St. Joes 8-25, d. Don Bosco 25-22, lost to Williamstown 19-25, d. Bayonne, 25-21, d. Watchung Hills 25-12.
Williamstown (1-4): lost to St. Joes, 13-25, lost to Don Bosco 25-27, d. Newark Eastside 25-19, lost to Bayonne 21-25, lost to Watchung Hills 23-25.
Bayonne (3-2): lost to St. Joes, 17-25, d. Don Bosco 25-23, lost to Newark Eastside 21-25, d. Williamstown 25-21, d. Watchung Hills 25-8.
Watchung Hills (1-4): lost to St. Joes 10-25, lost to Don Bosco 15-25, lost to Newark Eastside 12-25, d. Williamstown 25-23, lost to Bayonne 8-25.
Bridgewater-Raritan (3-2): lost to Old Bridge 21-25, lost to St. Peters 16-25, d. Memorial 25-20, d. Bloomfield 25-17, d. Millburn 25-13.
Old Bridge (5-0): d. Bridgewater 25-21, d. St. Peters 25-18, d. Memorial 25-17, d. Bloomfield 25-13, d. Millburn 25-13.
St. Peters (4-1): d. Bridgewater 25-16, lost to Old Bridge 18-25, d. Memorial 25-13, d. Bloomfield 25-18, d. Millburn 25-8.
Memorial (1-4): lost to Bridgewater 20-25, lost to Old Bridge 17-25, lost to St. Peters 13-25, lost to Bloomfield 16-25, d. Millburn 25-22.
Bloomfield (2-3): lost to Bridgewater 17-25, lost to Old Bridge 13-25, lost to St. Peters 18-25, d. Memorial 25-16, d. Millburn 25-15.
Millburn (0-5): lost to Bridgewater 13-25, lost to Old Bridge 13-25, lost to St. Peters 8-25, lost to Memorial 22-25, lost to Bloomfield 15-25.
Southern (5-0): d. Livingston 25-16, d. CBA 25-17, d. J.P. Stevens 25-23, d. Roselle Catholic 25-16, d. Wayne Valley 25-20.
Livingston (3-2): lost to Southern 16-25, lost to CBA 20-25, d. J.P. Stevens 25-20, d. Roselle Catholic 25-13, d. Wayne Valley 27-25.
CBA (4-1): lost to Southern 17-25, d. Livingston 25-20, d. J.P. Stevens 25-20, d. Roselle Catholic 25-17, d. Wayne Valley 27-25.
J.P. Stevens (2-3): lost to Southern 23-25, lost to Livingston 20-25, lost to CBA 20-25, d. Roselle Catholic 25-19, d. Wayne Valley 25-21.
Roselle Catholic (0-5): lost to Southern 16-25, lost to Livingston 13-25, lost to CBA 17-25, lost to J.P. Stevens 19-25, lost to Wayne Valley 19-25.
Wayne Valley (1-4): lost to Southern 20-25, lost to Livingston 25-27, lost to CBA 15-25, lost to J.P. Stevens 21-25, d. Roselle Catholic 25-19.