CENTRAL NEW YORK – Just as an undefeated Chittenango girls volleyball team returned to the court after the holiday break, the boys Bears got underway in 2023, hosting Sauquoit Valley and going to Mount Markham on back-to-back nights.

The Bears would roll past Sauquoit, taking the first set 25-11 and the second set 25-13 before a closer third set that went 25-18, Cole Thomas leading the way thanks to his 24 assists.

Up front, Landon Parks managed nine kills, with Trevor Cole getting eight kills and Micah Alpuerto adding seven kills. Rodger Mulholland and Lawson Pagorek had four aces apiece and combined for 12 digs, Kia Streeter adding three kills.

Now facing Mount Markham, Chittenango wasted little time here, either, with 25-12 wins in the first and third sets and a 25-10 blitz in the second to complete another sweep.

Thomas piled up seven aces to go with his 23 assists. Cole got five digs as he and Parks both earned seven kills, with Alpuerto adding five kills, Pagorek five digs and Streeter three kills.

Meanwhile, the Chittenango girls had gone 4-0 in December, this despite a pair of weather postponements, and had played Dec. 29 in a tournament at Watertown.

Now the Bears aimed at two high-quality opponents, starting last Tuesday against Fabius-Pompey, who carried a 5-0 record but was overwhelmed by Chittenango in a 25-16, 25-21, 25-18 defeat.

Taylor Streiff led the way with 19 digs, four aces and five kills. Rachel Gilbert backed up her six kills with six digs as Julia Spencer got seven kills. Cara Kielbasa earned 15 digs as Anna Spencer (nine assists) and Alex Sylstra (seven assists, four kills) split back-line duties, Spencer adding nine digs.

Faith Heritage was next on Thursday night, and Chittenango roared out 25-11 in the opening set, going on to take the next two sets 25-17 and 25-21 to put away the Saints.

Stephanie Huckabee’s 18 assists served as a foundation for the Bears, who got 10 assists from Sylstra, six assists from Anna Spencer and five assists from Sydney Martin. Julia Spencer had a team-best six kills, though Gilbert (five kills) and Huckabee (four kills) weren’t far behind.