Donofrio leads Smithtown East netters past West
Smithtown East's Steven Tarquinio (15) with the kill between West defenders Ryan Mahoney (12) and Ryan Adler (5). Suffolk High School Boys Volleyball game between Smithtown West and Smithtown East. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
The bad omen came early when Smithtown West junior Mike Whittendale collapsed during warm-ups, clutching his right knee and writhing in pain.
Whittendale's aggravation of an old baseball injury occurred 15 minutes before West had to play crosstown rival Smithtown East in League II boys volleyball.
With Whittendale on the end of the bench icing his knee, his teammates carried on with a spirit and vigor that nearly got the better of mighty Smithtown East (6-0). But East would regroup and prevail in the crosstown battle, 14-25, 25-21, 25-18, 25-21.
"It's a disappointing loss, but we tried our hardest," West outside hitter Ryan Mahoney said. "We stuck with them. I just can't wait until we play them again."
West (3-3) controlled the first game from the jump, establishing an early lead on the strength of precision passing and timely kills. Up 16-8, Mahoney stuffed East's Sean Baxley on two consecutive kill attempts on the same point.
That gave West a nine-point lead and the early momentum, and East never threatened.
However, the 11-point first-game loss ignited what appeared to be a flat East squad.
"We really just took them for granted, and then they came out there firing, and we were on our heels," said Baxley, who led the team with 52 assists.
"We definitely came out flat," senior outside hitter Tyler Donofrio said. "We have a history of doing that in tournaments, but it feels good to come back from a hole and win."
East lost only its second game in six conference matches, and the shaky start served as a "wake-up call," according to Donofrio.
After winning a tight second game, the efficient East machine reloaded. Donofrio and Baxley reasserted their control on the way to an early 12-4 third-game cushion.
In the fourth game, West held a 16-13 lead. But it was time for Donofrio, who had 19 kills, to put things away.
He would add two of those kills with his team down 19-18 and 20-19 in the fourth game. After tying the game at 20, West would only muster one more point.
East, content with the win, realizes it must patch up some holes. "This game shows that we have a lot to work on," Donofrio said. "We have to learn how to come out strong right off the bat."
