CENTRAL NEW YORK – Everyone in area high school boys volleyball was fired up Thursday night when two neighbors, rivals and champions squared off.
It was Jamesville-DeWitt against Fayetteville-Manlius, a showdown of the area’s top two sides – but when it was done, it was clear who still had the upper hand.
Once the Red Rams got in front in the first set, it never let the Hornets catch up, prevailing 25-20 and then going on to cruise in the second set to a 25-15 margin.
Though the Hornets got close to extending the match in the third, J-D completed the sweep 25-22, with the duo of Tim Cooper and Luke McQuaid in particularly fine form.
Cooper’s 38 assists accounted for a role in more than half the Rams’ points, and the passes often went to McQuaid, who accumulated 16 kills.
Cam Moynihan (eight kills), Aaron Ko (seven kills), Avery Kielbasinski (six kills) and Phoenix McBride (four kills) all helped McQuaid on the front line as Nevin Cosbery emerged with eight blocks.
As for F-M, no one up front had more than Chris Cleary’s seven kills. Charles Addonizio had four kills and Charlie Schroeder three kills as Connor Sugar finished with 17 assists.
F-M had tuned up last Monday with an impressive performance against Living Word Academy, able to get the sweep as it beat the Lions 25-17, 25-21, 25-14.
Earning 24 assists, Sugar passed to a front line led by Cleary’s nine kills and five blocks. Schroeder had six kills as Addonizio got five kills and matched Jared Duggal’s six digs. Guy Juran got four kills and four blocks, Sean Kellish managing six digs.
Then, in Tuesday’s 25-17, 25-14, 25-15 win over Central Square, F-M gave Axel Chalmot more of a chance on the back line and he responded with 15 assists, complementing Sugar’s 10 assists. Cleary led with 10 kills, Addonizio and Mike McAndrew each getting seven kills and Juran adding three blocks.
As that went on, J-D was challenged by Syracuse City early, especially in an elongated second set, but was able to win those sets and go on to a 25-20, 26-24, 25-14 victory.
Moynihan stood out, his 14 kills topping McQuaid’s 13 kills as McBride got seven kills and Kielbasinski six kills, plus four blocks. Cooper managed 37 assists and six digs, just behind Ko and Kielbasinski each earning eight digs.
After a busy stretch the previous week where it played four times in five days and went 3-1 in that stretch, East Syracuse Minoa got some rest, then returned Thursday to sweep Central Square 25-16, 25-12, 25-20 and improve its overall record to 6-2.
Earning 24 assists, Donovan Randall passed to a Spartans front line where Ryan Sullivan managed nine kills and Jacob McGuigan six kills, with Tyler Quarry and Austin Betts getting five kills apiece.
