BELLEVILLE – The Belleville High School boys’ varsity volleyball team, under head coach John Spina, arguably had its best season ever last year, beating rival Livingston to win the Essex County Tournament championship and reaching the state North Jersey Section 1 tournament final where it lost to Fair Lawn to finish with a magnificent 27-3 record.
But the Bucs graduated several key players from last year’s team, such as PJ Gencarelli, Marlon Rodriguez, Edward Edghill, Ammar Rahim, Kevin Vicente. Douglas Fonseca, and Joseph Almasri.
Despite the heavy graduation toll, this year’s Bucs hope to make progress.
The young, but energetic Bucs have enviable height, said Spina, entering his fourth year at the helm and 12th overall.
Fidel Barraza, last year’s defensive specialist, returns as the team’s libero.
The Bucs have several juniors who are first-year varsity players. They are 5-foot-9 outside hitter Alcides Dos Reis; 5-10 outside hitter Christoff Marquez; 6-3 middle hitter Andy Jiang, 6-4 middle hitter Mohammed Youssef; and 5-7 setter Michael Feneque.
The first-year senior varsity players are 5-5 setter/defensive specialist Joe Murante, 6-2 oppositie hitter Gabriel Diaz, and defensive specialists Marcus Kodare and Bart Cagandahan.
Dos Reis and Barraza are expected to be the go-to players, Spina.
The Bucs hope to improve as the season progresses. To achieve that goal, Spina cited good listening, group cohesion and 100 percent effort as key factors.
“We’re hoping to jell and make some noise later in the season,”said Spina, whose assistant coach is Ryan Sheridan.
The Bucs open the season April 1 at home against North 13th Street.
BHS schedule
April 1, North 13th Street Tech
April 5, at Barringer
April 6, Harrison
April 7, Bloomfield
April 8, Orange
April 9, at Bloomfield Invitational, 8:30 a.m.
April 11, at Montclair
April 13, Golda Och Academy
April 14, Don Bosco
April 15, SciencePark
April 18, at Livingston
April 19, at North 13th Street Tech
April 20, Union City
April 21, at Millburn
April 25, Barringer
April 28, at Bloomfield
May 3, Livinsgston
May 5, Bloomfield Tech
May 9, Montclair
May 11, at Golda Och Academy
May 13, at Jefferson Township
May 17, Lyndhurst
May 18, at Hackensack
all times are at 4 p.m.
About the Author
