Anthony Ferraro, Adam Gorgone propel Hauppauge to volleyball title
Hauppauge players celebrate their win in the Suffolk Class B boys volleyball final against Sayville on Nov. 7, 2017 at Suffolk CCC-Brentwood. Credit: Bob Sorensen
Even though Hauppauge had won its boys volleyball semifinal match against East Hampton on Saturday, Adam Gorgone wasn’t happy. “We didn’t pass well. I talked to the team about it. It was something we had to improve,” Gorgone said.
The Eagles not only passed the ball better, but they passed another test. No. 1 Hauppauge dispatched No. 2 Sayville, 3-0, Tuesday night in the Suffolk Division II championship at Suffolk CCC-Brentwood. Hauppauge will face the Nassau winner for the Long Island Division II championship on Saturday at LIU Post.
Anthony Ferraro exemplified an improved passing game with 28 assists. He also had two blocks. Gorgone benefitted from those setups with 11 kills and added five digs and four aces. John Boudreau also served well, with eight aces. Nick Crociata made seven blocks and had four kills.
“Adam, Nick and Anthony are our captains and the team leaders,” coach Chris Varthalamis said after Hauppauge swept the match by scores of 25-18, 25-17 and 25-19 to improve to 11-6. Sayville finished 9-7 and stayed close in each game.
Hauppauge took control of Game 2 with a 7-1 run for a 21-12 lead that included an ace by Ryan Mackey. Mike Knopf closed out that game with a kill.
Game 3 was also tight until the Eagles went on a 9-1 run for an insurmountable 22-14 lead. Knopf had another ace during that streak. “We started hot and got on roll,” Gorgone said. “We couldn’t’ be stopped. It was our passing that won it.”
Crociata, resplendent in horizontally striped multi-colored socks, said the Eagles, “did passing drills in practice and it paid off. Everyone did what they had to do.”
Crociata, a senior, was a sophomore on the Hauppauge team that won the Suffolk and LIC in 2015 and lost in the state finals. He was also on last year’s team that lost to Eastport-South Manor in the Suffolk Division II final.
“There’s definitely a vengeance on my part to get back to states,” Crociata said. “Once we got off to a fast start, we had momentum. The chemistry on this team is so great. Once one guy gets going, everyone gets going. We feed off each other. It’s a tremendous feeling.”
