Round 8 - Hawks Stun Purple to Nab Playoff Spot
5/28/23
Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Thank you to all the men and women who served and made the ultimate sacrifice!
The Bishop Hendricken Hawks had seen a tough year to date. The original dynasty of boys’ volleyball certainly had down years before, as all programs do, but snake bitten years…this was a new animal all together. The situation was certainly dire as the Hendricken lads stepped off the bus onto the Classical High School campus. This was a literal win or go home situation, and one that the Hawks have rarely, if ever, found themselves in…at least this early in the campaign.
The snake bit year started with losing the top weapon from last year, Matt Brock as Brock opted for surgery on his knee which would take him from the year. Meanwhile, Brian Garrepy would be sidelined as he was recovering from a broken foot and wouldn’t be on the floor till week three. Ben Warr and Cooper Wier were shuffled into different positions as the Hawks tried to find their footing. As Devin Lynch would emerge as a weapon on the left, the team as a whole would continue to make too many errors and struggle to find wins in a solid lineup of first Division programs. Taking lump after lump, the Hawks found themselves further and further down the road without a signature win and their playoff opportunity shrinking.
Then, the snake bit again…Lynch injured at practice with a match to go…a match that they must win to secure the playoff berth and the last one on their regular season schedule. So, with Lynch, and 60% of their offense, on crutches the Hawks travelled to Classical to meet their fate. It’s also worth noting that it has been a long time, if ever, since Hendricken has not been in the playoffs. Coach Mike Harrington has guided the Hawks since almost the beginning, and again, I can’t recall when they’ve not qualified for the tournament.
From there, the Purple and Hawks did battle, with Hendricken coming out of the shadows to take set one. Set two was all Purple. However, the next two sets belonged to Brian Garrepy and Ben Warr as both did damage to secure the Hawks first signature victory and a ride to the playoffs. Garrepy would finish with 22 kills, 22 assists, and 6 digs, while Warr would amass 17 kills, 28 assists, and 7 digs. The cathartic cheer from the Bishop Hendricken faithful and the team could be felt across the league. What happens from here is all icing on the cake as this particular Hawk team, who battled through as much adversity as any Hawk team in the past, was able to stamp their legacy as a playoff contender…which is all any team really wants.
Big Stat Games of the Week…
Matt Tiernan (Chariho) - 33 kills, 14 digs, and 4 blocks vs. Coventry : 20 kills, 13 digs vs. La Salle
Jack Johnson (La Salle) - 30 kills, 6 digs, and 3 blocks vs. Cranston East : 22 kills, 10 digs vs. East Greenwich
Brian Garrepy (Hendricken) - 22 kills, 22 assists, 6 digs, and 2 aces (hit a .400) vs. Classical
Ben Warr (Hendricken) - 17 kills, 28 assists, 7 digs (hit a .615) vs. Classical
Michael Dobrzanski (East Greenwich) - 15 kills, 6 digs, and 5 aces vs. Coventry
Ryan Harrington (North Kingstown) - 17 kills, 18 digs, and 3 aces vs. East Greenwich
Tyler Yang (North Kingstown) - 41 assists, 10 digs vs. East Greenwich
Brayden Stanger (East Greenwich) - 16 kills, 12 digs vs. North Kingstown
Maddox Godwin (Barrington) - 17 kills, 10 digs vs. East Providence
ResV Player of the Week (8) - Brian Garrepy (Hendricken) - Garrepy’s performance against Classical with his team’s future on the line catapults him to player of the week. With 22 kills, 22 assists vs. a Classical side that had the opportunity to end the Hawks season at their barn…equals a huge performance. Certainly, Matt Tiernan, Jack Johnson, Ryan Harrington, Ben Warr (and Ben’s is a similar situation to Brian’s), and others had strong performances to be in the conversation, however the situation and the journey by the player secured Garrepy’s achievement.
Mount Saint Charles / North Smithfield (14 - 5) - The Hybrid appear to be the complete package. Big middles, ball control is top tier with DeSousa and Sousa, fire power on the pins, and a setter who orchestrates well and is not a liability at the net. Finished the third seed, so their path to Rhode Island College goes through the Mountain Top of La Salle. They’ve beaten them there before but have to get by Classical first. Could a date with the Skippers at RIC be on the menu? The Hybrid already had a week where they dispatched both NK and La Salle…that would be an amazing duplication!
North Kingstown (16 - 2) - Top seed and rightfully so. The emergence of Quinlan Fahy as a top middle sort of changed the game for them. No longer are they just relying on Cody Tow and Ryan Harrington to be monsters on the pin. Having Fahy, Samson (whose been solid all season) and Ryan Murphy gives them scoring power all over the place. Hosting throughout, and as long as NK doesn’t go into a prolonged error cluster, they should finish their 2023 journey on a Saturday afternoon, on a college campus, in a neutral court with a chance to three-peat.
La Salle Academy (14 - 3) - Rams secure the second seed, though it doesn’t feel as great as it should. The Hybrid is on their side of the bracket and are coming. Certainly, La Salle has the horses to handle all who step foot on the Mountain Top, but this Hybrid team isn’t just anyone. Regardless, they’ll need to get by Cranston East first, which may pose some issues. Reducing errors will be key for the playoffs as well as dominating the net, which they normally do. Should it roll right, the Rams / Hybrid semi-final will be the match of the tournament.
Chariho (13 - 5) - The Chargers get to defend the Cave for one and that’s a positive. Should they get by the Avengers (who have done some things to improve their puzzle) a journey to the Forge is next. North Kingstown is not a great match-up for Chariho as their ball control is better and their serving is tougher, however if there is an issue that can be exploited it’s on the blocking side of the house. Skippers are smaller at the net, so Tiernan may be able to blast through…but passing is where it will start, and NK serves bullets.
Barrington (16 - 2) - The Eagles have the top seed in the tournament and get a bye in the first round. D2 was so wild and top heavy that not enough teams met the measure for playoffs so only six are in. Eagles need the time off as they’ve been without Cam Kelley for some time now. Kelley fell to injury at the upset of Cranston West and hasn’t been seen since. Barrington is going to need him if they’re going to do this. Maddox Godwin has played well in Kelley’s absence, but it’s go time. Gut says they’ll see Lincoln in the semis, and the Lions would love a Kelley-less Eagle cuisine.
Cranston West (15 - 2) - The Falcons secure the second seed, though probably still surprised to be the #2. The bye helps the CW as well as they’re hoping to have Lucian Spremullo back in the fold as he fell to injury rather recently. Spremullo is a key cog in the machine, as Christian Mak and Chris Harvey bring the offense but the ball control side is run by Lucian. Good bet they’ll see Westerly again in the semis and that will be a rocking match at the Falcon Nest as this time the Bulldogs should have their full line-up. With all of that being said, one has to think that the CW only has eyes for Barrington as a third match is necessary in their mind.
[↑ 1] East Greenwich (10 - 8) - The Avengers took all this “simple puzzle” talk to heart and revamped everything they were doing. Takes guts to change things up completely at this stage of the game, so kudos to Coach Porter! EG will still rely on Stanger and Dobrzanski on the left, but now will also lean on Max Silverman to score as the switch to a 6/2 with Spencer Warburton is complete. No longer can teams just sit on the left. Avengers have run it twice, with a loss to NK and win over Coventry. Can in work in the Cave? We’re gonna find out…
[↓ 1] Classical (10 - 10) - Tough week for the Purple. Losing to the Hybrid in three hurt, but isn’t entirely surprising. However, with the opportunity to end the playoff hopes of the Hawks, and instead losing in four at home…that one stings. Classical is still talented with a top tier setter and a lot of arms that can cause discomfort. They just need to clean up their act a little. Too many costly errors when it matters, and they find themselves in the “death by a thousand cuts” land. Certainly, they’re trending in the wrong direction, and they have to face the Hybrid out the gate…however, they are still very dangerous, and the Hybrid should tread cautious here.
Westerly (12 - 5) - Summing up the Bulldogs in one interaction…”We shouldn’t have lost like that (talking about the match to Cranston West upon it’s conclusion) …though, we were down four starters” “Four starters! Wow! Change the thought process…that’s exactly how you should lose that match. Now those guys think they got you…they’re in for a surprise when they see you in the playoffs should everyone be healthy.” “Yeah, good point! Thanks!” Bulldogs at Cranston West could be the best match of the tournament…that is if Westerly can wrangle Jet and the Knights in the first round…
[↑ 3] Lincoln (9 - 7) - The Lions exploded onto the scene last week and now have jumped up three spots on the big board. Lincoln has won eight of their last nine, with the lone loss to Barrington in a five set brawl that finished 15 - 12 for the Eagles. Nobody wants to see this team right now and the Townies have picked the short straw for the quarters. Built more like Barrington then the CW or Westerly, the Lions can give you fits at the net and have a hammer in McNamara who can bang. A Barrington rematch feels likely, but the Townies won’t go away easily.
[↓ 1] East Providence (12 - 8) - Well, the Townies did their best to hold them off, but in the end, Lincoln surpassed them. Now they have to see said Lions in the quarters on the road. Nobody said it'd be easy. EP does have some things in their favor, however. Both teams have ball control issues, but the Townies are a little cleaner in serve receive. DJ Lepine is a little more effective on the left then Wayne McNamara, though close, as the errors made ratio sits in the positive for DJ. To survive the surging Lions, Lepine’s going to need 20 plus kills at least and some help from the rest of the cast…on the road. Piece of cake!
[↓ 1] Cranston East (7 - 12) - Jethro Vargas returned to the lineup this past week, though was grounded and only played in the back row. Until we know he can bounce and get some rips, it’ll be tough to see if his return moves the needle at all. Certainly, it’s good to see him back and it must be a morale boost to the club going into the playoffs. They’ve drawn the Rams, arguably the top blocking team in the state, so if Vargas is going to get some swings, it’s going to be tough landscape. Regardless, the Bolts are going to need huge matches from Charlie Pincince, Jackson Rennick, and Hunter Maloney to keep pace with La Salle.
[↓ 1] Central (11 - 9) - The Knights dropped two of three this week and end up getting the sixth seed in the D2 tournament. Led by Jet Nascimento, Central has pieces to the puzzle and can cause some discomfort. One would think that ball control could be an issue, but it really isn’t. It’s hitting errors. Central hits a lot of balls out of bounds. Nascimento puts up huge numbers and generally keeps the ball in play, but the rest of the cast has a hard time finding the floor on swings. They’d be better off doing more roll shots, tips, and chops off the block, or at least attempting more of those and let the defense do its work. They’re on the road to Westerly in the first round, but certainly have the talent to upset should they play clean.
Johnston (13 - 0) - Panthers hold the fort and finish the regular season with a clean sheet. Losing only one set the entire season says everything and you have to believe that Johnston is ready to finish the job. There will be some pitfalls to avoid though. The semis will feature either Woonsocket or St. Raphael’s and both teams have the potential to cause discomfort. Should things unfold the way the seeds have laid out, Tolman will be their opponent in the finals, but many things can happen before then. No matter the situation however, the D3 championship once again runs through Johnston.
Tolman / Shea (11 - 4) - The Pawtucket Tigers got the big win over Juanita Sanchez and secured the second seed in the D3 playoffs. Their reward? Just a match-up with Scituate who features one of the top five players in D3 in Declan Morrison. This opener feels like a trap game for the Tigers. They’re going to need to figure out a way to slow down Morrison while also getting big numbers from Dembo Konte and Helmer Ramos to move on to the semis. From there, a future matchup with Juanita Sanchez again feels likely. So, not a fun run to meet the Panthers in the finals, but a run that should prep them well to unseat the defending D3 champs…should they get the opportunity.
Getting Votes… Hendricken, Juanita Sanchez, St. Raphael’s, Woonsocket, Central Falls
ResV Player of the week…
Week 1 - Matt Tiernan (Chariho)
Week 2 - Brayden Stanger (East Greenwich)
Week 3 - Jet Nascimento (Central)
Week 4 - Matt Tiernan (Chariho)
Week 5 - Matt Tiernan (Chariho)
Week 6 - Thomas Matchett (Mount Saint Charles / North Smithfield)
Week 7 - Connor DeSousa (Mount Saint Charles / North Smithfield)
Week 8 - Brian Garrepy (Hendricken)
Playoff Races through Week Eight…
Division 1 :
Mount Saint Charles / North Smithfield - Arguably the toughest #3 seed in recent history. Classical first and then back to the Mountain Top for the Rams.
North Kingstown - Hosting the Hawks to start and then potentially see the winner of Chariho / EG. Should the Skips keep their moments of cluster errors at bay, good bet we’ll see them at RIC.
La Salle - Opening round is against the Bolts which could prove pressing. Should they get by, solid bet they see the Hybrid and that match will be a war.
Chariho - Hosting at the cave to start, and from there they’ll have to be road warriors. Going to the Forge isn’t fun, however, there will be moments for the Chargers to succeed…assuming they pass the Avengers which isn’t certain.
East Greenwich - Traveling to the Cave…and nothing good happens at the Cave. Tough opening draw, but at least it’s not the Hybrid. Will need to get massive games from the pins and have a brilliant day from the service line.
Division 2 :
Barrington - Eagles have the top seed. Will see either Lincoln or EP in the semis. Must have their squad healthy to make the ultimate run to glory.
Cranston West - Second seeded Falcons will most likely see Westerly. If both teams are healthy, should be a good one.
Westerly - Bulldogs weren’t able to put their starters on the floor this past week…hopefully they can for the playoffs. Going to need all hands on deck to get past Central and then the CW.
Lincoln - Lions are the hottest team in D2 (“That’s the Lincoln Lions, they’re so hot right now”)… Zoolander jokes aside, they’re winning games and taking names. EP is next with the hope to see Barrington after.
East Providence - Drew the small straw and now have to go to the Lion’s den.
Division 3 :
Johnston - Flawless victories…ok, except for that Scituate match, but details. Going to take a lot to knock off the Panthers.
Tolman / Shea - Tigers have their work cut out for them, but the line to the top should prep them for the final.
Juanita Sanchez - Dangerous and not a fun team to play. Once out of the quarters, anything can happen.
Woonsocket - One of three teams with the physicality to upend the Panthers…problem is they’re playing one of the other two in the quarters.
St. Raphael’s - The Saints have played Cinderella before and with this exact crew. Get the feeling you don’t want to let them get out of the first round or they could snowball.
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