Sachem North, defending champ, comes up short in state volleyball final
Sachem North's Neil Tufano (22) with the spike for the kill against Shenendehowa's Tyler Schnaible (15) and Matt Straney (16) during the New York State Boys Volleyball Championships on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 at Suffolk Community College. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Saturday marked the end of Sachem North's season, but also offered an opportunity to reflect on one of the best runs a Long Island boys volleyball team has had.
Sachem North fell to McQuaid Jesuit in three games in the state Class A title match at Suffolk CC-Brentwood, losing 25-23, 25-13, 25-18.
The contest was a rematch of last year's state championship in Glens Falls won by Sachem North, which became the first team from Long Island to win a state Class A title.
"I'm proud of the way they fought and competed," Sachem North coach Matt Rivera said. "The end result wasn't what we were looking for, but we're proud of the way they battled, all the way to the last point."
Saturday, this was literally the case, as McQuaid led 24-15 in the third game, but the Flaming Arrows (19-1) continued to play hard, and won three straight points, before McQuaid closed the match.
Sachem North saw its 37-match winning streak snapped, but since the start of the 2013 season, Sachem North has gone 52-2, a stretch that includes two Suffolk County and Long Island titles. The Flaming Arrows have also won 119 of 128 games, dating back to the start of last season.
This year's senior class has been an integral part of this recent success, and this season saw captains Matt Grace, Paul Curaro and Rob Nolan come to the forefront. Adam Bloomfield also emerged as a strong option in the middle, and Neil Tufano and Ralph Lunati were also key components to the team's run to the state final.
"That group is a special, special group," Rivera said. "They were critical. It was their last game in Sachem uniform. A lot of them will go on to play at other places, but there's something special about playing high school ball, playing with your boys. That meant a lot to them and it showed."
Sachem North advanced to the title match by going 4-2 in pool play, sweeping Shenendehowa and Cicero-North Syracuse, and losing two games to McQuaid.
"Until the very end they stuck together," Rivera said. "For that group of seniors, this is the first time they've lost in a long time. It hurts because they cared so much, but at the end of they day, they leave behind quite a legacy."
