Even as the Chittenango girls volleyball team winds toward the end of its successful regular season, the boys Bears are just getting into the heart of its season, finding similar success to be a bit elusive.
Still, the Chittenango boys could not prevail in last Tuesday’s showdown with fellow unbeaten Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, falling in three sets to the Red Devils.
The opening set proved vital. Chittenango took a 10-7 lead, only to have VVS go on an 8-1 run and then lead by as much as seven in that set.
Somehow, the Bears fought back and, having beat off two set points, got even, 25-25, only to see the Red Devils’ Henry Cleveland, with back-to-back kills, give VVS the set 27-25.
During the second set, Chittenango, who trailed by as much as five points, rallied again and got even, 23-23. And again, VVS, thanks to kills by Cleveland and Don Coffin, got the last two points to claim that set by a 25-23 margin.
They went back and forth in the third set, tied as late as 17-17, before the Bears fell away and VVS, by a 25-20 margin, completed the sweep.
Tyler Howard, in defeat, produced 22 assists, his passes going to Brad Markowski, who had nine kills and seven blocks, and Zane Garvey and Connor Martin, who had seven kills apiece. Robbie Howard added four kills and Jeremiah Burns six digs.
Up front, VVS saw Cleveland earn 13 kills, with Kyle Chandler getting seven kills and Timmy Beal and Dan Thayer six kills apiece. Austin Lynch had six kills to go with his 19 assists as Coffin finished with 14 assists and five kills.
Two nights later, Chittenango was back in the win column. Canastota, after losing the opening set 25-12, stole the second set 27-25, but that only seemed to anger the Bears, who dominated the next two sets by 25-9 and 25-15 margins.
For this match, Tyler Howard put together 17 assists, eight kills and eight digs, with Seamus St. Leger adding 10 assists, four digs, two aces and two kills. Up front, Garvey and Martin both had seven kills and Rob Howard matched Garvey’s six aces while also getting six kills and seven digs. Andrew Clark added five kills as Kyle Brazell and Holden Lalor each produced four digs.
But the Bears’ week ended with a 1-2 mark when, trying to end Oneida’s 27-match unbeaten streak on Saturday, it just could not get the points late in sets in a 25-23, 25-21, 25-23 defeat to the Indians.
Chittenango did not have Markowski or Garvey available for the match, yet were in each set until the late going, tied 21-21 in the opener, leading 21-19 at one point in the second set and starting out 5-0 in the third set, but not able to get the win on any of those occasions.
In defeat, Tyler Howard had 11 assists, four blocks, three kills and five digs. Seamus St. Ledger added six assists, with Rob Howard, forced into a much larger role, getting five kills, three aces, three assists and 12 digs.
Clark and Martin each had four kills and three assists, with Martin contributing six digs. Oneida’s Dylan Ano, with 37 assists, fed it to Derek Connelly (15 kills), Brandon Dibble and Thomas George (10 kills each) on the front line.
Meanwhile, the Chittenango girls, fresh off handing Tully its first defeat of the season on Jan. 15, did not have a letdown last Tuesday night, beating East Syracuse Minoa in four sets.
After dominating the first two sets by margins of 25-12 and 25-15, the Bears let up a bit, having ESM take the third set 25-16, before roaring back to take the fourth set 25-21 and ending the match.
Emily Wood, with 12 kills and six digs, and Corrin Stelakis, with 11 kills, led the front line, while Allie Cerio got seven aces to go with her 11 assists, three kills and four digs.
Hannah Bailey had 13 assists, three aces and four digs, while Ashley Young managed 10 digs, Lauren Malloy five digs and Mackenzie Stevens four digs. Leslie Choi and Nikki Pellman had three kills apiece.
Chittenango (14-2) also won in four sets over CBA on Thursday night, splitting the first two before giving up just 23 total points in the last two sets of a 25-26, 22-25, 25-13, 25-10 decision.
Stelakis posted 14 kills, with Wood adding six kills and four aces. Cerio did a bit of everything with 16 assists, six kills, five digs and two aces, while Choi grabbed five kills. Young defended well, with 15 digs, as Bailey managed 10 assists and Malloy improved to eight assists.
