May 15, 2010
Prep sweeps way to HCT title
(From left to right) Parker Kolodka, Alex Cogott and John Armstrong celebrate.
Click Here for photos from Bayonne vs St. Peter's Prep.
By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director
JERSEY CITY – St. Peter’s Prep may have won state sectional titles in each of the past three seasons. As impressive as the Marauders have been in recent years, the ultimate prize in their own backyard – a county championship, had eluded them.
This core of Prep seniors filled one the few voids left in an already stellar resume as they defeated Bayonne 25-13, 25-16 in the championship game of the Hudson County Volleyball Tournament last night at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on the campus of NJCU.
“It’s about time,” said senior John Armstrong. “It’s taken four years. The past four years Bayonne has won it and finally it was our year to win it.
“It’s been extremely frustrating. The last two years we had good teams. This was the year to win it.”
For Armstrong and fellow three-year starters Parker Kolodka, Mike Blicharz and Alex Cogott, the experience of the past tournament experience proved vital in ending Bayonne’s four-year run as county champions.
“It’s great to have a team that’s been through everything together,” Kolodka said. “Everyone’s been in this situation before, everyone knows what it’s like and everyone wants to win it that much more.”
“I think they are going to represent the North in the North-South Championship Game,” Bayonne coach Pat Longo said. “I truly mean that. They’re a very tough team.”
After a tight start between the two rivals, the experience and talent of the top-seeded Marauders (19-2) proved too much for the second-seeded Bees (16-7). Tied at seven in the first game, Prep took eight of the next 10 points behind a trio of kills from senior Kenny Walter. The Marauders closed out the opening game with an 18-6 run.
Prep wouldn’t let up in the second game. Bayonne took an early 5-3 lead, but the Marauders responded with a 9-1 run to put the Bees’ lead and reign on top of Hudson County to rest.
Blicharz ended the match with kill which dropped in between a pair of Bayonne defenders, clinching Prep’s first county title since 2005 and sixth in the past 10 years.
“It was difficult,” St. Peter’s Prep coach Don Guide said about losing in the finals the previous four years. “It’s been pretty cool to see Bayonne come up and play the way they have. I feel that we have somewhat of a hand in challenging Bayonne. They took the challenge and beat us at our own game.”
Armstrong took home MVP honors for the Marauders, finishing with six kills, five blocks and two digs. Cogott anchored the defense with 13 digs to go along with four aces. Blicharz had 18 assists and three digs. Walter had eight kills and four digs and Kolodka added four kills. Alex Perez notched four digs and Lorenzo Samin had four blocks.
Richie Boyle was named MVP for Bayonne, after racking up three kills and two digs. Sophomores Konrad Budny (11 assists) and Kris Kucza (five kills) had strong showings in their first tournament final.
“We have a lot of sophomores and freshmen so we’re going to be back here,” Longo said. “I look for good things to come back out of Bayonne. I look at this as an experience. We learned from it, take this game today and build on it for the future.”
Now that St. Peter’s Prep has achieved one goal of a county championship, they now turn their attention towards another title that has eluded them. The Marauders have won the North section title in each of the past three seasons before being turned away in the NJSIAA State Final.
“There’s nothing that’s going to hold us back now,” Armstrong said. “We’ve got this tournament out of our way and now we can go out and play our best.”
“Everyone will know this is what it feels like to win a championship,” said Kolodka. “Let’s go get another one.”
Sophomore Konrad Budny had 11 asssits for Bayonne.
1st |
2nd |
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| Bayonne Bees (16-7) | 13 |
16 |
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| St. Peter's Prep Marauders (19-2) | 25 |
25 |
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