Get ready for a crazy week of boys volleyball. Last year, the Bergen and Passaic County semis/finals were played in two separate weeks. This season, they’re both in the same week, and oh by the way, Harrison plays in the Hudson County quarterfinals tonight as well.
First, a quick glance at where Taglines will be to cover all the action:
TODAY (May 13): Bergen County semifinals at Hackensack, starting at 5:30 p.m.
WEDS. (May 14): Passaic County semifinals at Clifton, starting at 5 p.m.
THURS. (May 15): Bergen County final at Hackensack, 7 p.m.
SAT. (May 17): Passaic County final at Wayne Hills, 5 p.m.
And now, a closer look at the Bergen semifinalists preparing for action this evening…
2-seed Don Bosco (13-2) vs. 3-seed Hackensack (16-7), 5:30 p.m. — Don Bosco is making its fourth straight semifinal appearance and going for its third straight trip to the final. The Ironmen won the county title in 2012 over Fair Lawn, 2-1, but fell in straight sets in last year’s title match. Senior OH Connor Mack is the team’s top hitter, but the past few matches, the Park Ridge resident also has been leading the team in digs. Junior setter Tom Wisniewski is tops in assists but can do a little bit of everything, as evidenced by Tuesday’s 5-kill, 14-assist, 7-dig, 3-block performance against Bergen Tech. In the back row, Dylan Amador, Tommy Alessandro and Anthony Gonnello have made a habit of digging up just about everything that comes their way.
Hackensack has not been to the Bergen final since 2003, when the tournament was a one-day event that featured pool play. The Comets already surpassed last spring’s win total (12) and are enjoying their best season since going 20-8 in 2004 (one of a few years that there was no Bergen tournament). Senior Marco Fontana (266 kills) and sophomore Edward Emedoh (203) are a formidable hitting duo, as they rank 2-3 in North Jersey in kills. Sophomore setter Mac DiTomasso is No. 1 in North Jersey in assists (574), and senior middle Ian Baker excels at blocking and serving.
1-seed Fair Lawn (22-10) vs. 4-seed Bergen Catholic (9-10), 7 p.m. — Fair Lawn is not only the 2013 champ, it is a 13-time county champ, counting all the various iterations of “Bergen tournaments†over the years. Since the Bergen County Coaches Association began sponsoring the tourney in 2002, the Cutters have been to every final, and Don Bosco is the only team to beat them in that situation (2005 and 2012). Their roster is loaded with do-it-all players, led by juniors Ryan Healy and Mike Erushalimski. Setter Dan Sela is not far behind DiTomasso in the assist category with 449 of his own, and 6-foot-2 junior middle Max Kostin is a fierce blocker, as evidenced by his North Jersey-leading 66 on the season.
With all that being said, Bergen Catholic might be the most intriguing entry in this tournament — at least, it provides some of the most compelling storylines. Today just happens to be the state cutoff day, and to get back to .500 and qualify for the postseason, the Crusaders will have to go through an opponent which has not lost to a North Jersey team in two years… and, they have no seniors… and, their head coach is going up against his mentor/former high school coach (as you may have read on northjersey.com). The front line of sophomores Mike Babikian (6-5), Kevin Kim (6-2) and Kyle Warnock (6-3) is well on its way to being for BC what the so-called “Crash Line†was for the New Jersey Devils back in the day… well, they’ll make a lot of shots crash to the floor, anyhow. Also keep an eye on juniors Thomas Lynch (setter), Ethan Nouhan (libero) and Anthony Persico (opposite).
PREDICTIONS: I definitely see a team in red emerging from that second semifinal. And I’m willing to guarantee that the first semifinal winner will be a team still vying for the Big North Freedom Division title. Other safe bets: There will be tweeting on Varsity Aces… the forecast inside Hackensack’s Bollerman Gym will be nice and dry… and, of course, Taglines hates predictions.
—GT