BELLEVILLE, NJ — With a relatively young roster, the Belleville High School girls volleyball team understandably went through some ups and downs during the season.
But the Buccaneers made tremendous growth, much to the delight of longtime head coach John Spina. The Buccaneers’ hard work paid dividends, as they captured the inaugural Essex County Invitational tournament championship and made a deep run in the state sectional tournament.
After falling in the Essex County Tournament preliminary round to Cedar Grove on Oct. 18, the Buccaneers were placed in the Essex County Invitational. Belleville won all four of its matches in the invitational, as it defeated University (Newark) 25-9, 25-12 on Oct. 22; Newark Tech 25-9, 25-16 in the quarterfinals Oct. 24; St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark) 27-25, 25-22 in the semifinals Oct. 28; and Bard High School Early College (Newark) 25-11, 25-7 in the final Oct. 29.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the team,” longtime BHS head coach John Spina said in email on Oct. 30. ”The girls are playing at a level that I always knew was possible, but didn’t show early in the season. We are a very young team that is mainly composed of sophomores. Early in the season, we had moments of greatness, followed by moments of inexperience, driven by bad runs that cost us a lot of matches early. We went punch-for-punch with everyone we faced, but always found a way to fall a little short when faced with a pressure situation. Our midseason focus in the practice room focused on building confidence and not being afraid to take risks during pressure situations. The emphasis in practice moved to giving the girls as many repetitions as possible, which would eventually be used to build confidence, trust and rapport on the court.
“Needless to say, in early October, the switch had flipped. I saw a more confident team that was hungry to win, instead of being afraid to lose. The girls started beating teams they lost to earlier in the year and doing it in decisive fashion.
“I mainly credit my athletes for trusting the process, but I also credit my athletic director, Mr. (Marcellino) Marra, who would reassure me that I could turn this team around. I also thank my assistant coach, Ryan Sheridan, who I have coached with for the last 15 seasons. Coach Sheridan helped develop every athlete on my current varsity team. He has also been my second set of eyes that guides me through difficult moments. I would also like to thank coach David Browne for his countless hours of dedication to our freshman program. A few other people I can’t leave out include our excellent trainer, Jenna Bidoglio, volunteer assistant coach Gary Anderson, our awesome parents and our dedicated fans and supporters.”
The starters on the team are sophomore setter Briana Sinchire, sophomore outside hitters Emily Anuscavage and Oriana Davies, sophomore middle hitter Sara Dusic, and senior middle hitters Janamae Paguio and Emma Estrada. Other contributing players are senior middle hitters Mya Estrict and Darril Rowe, junior opposite hitter Ruby Perez, sophomore libero Juliana Ramirez and senior defensive specialist Martina Lopez. The rest of the team are senior Juliana Gonzalez, freshman Gredmary Sinchire and sophomore Johan Paguio.
Belleville enjoys historic run to state sectional semifinals
What began as a season of uncertainty turned into one of the most remarkable turnarounds in BHS sports history. The Bucs, once sitting at just four wins, caught fire late in the year — stringing together nine consecutive victories to reach the school’s first-ever state sectional semifinal.
In the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 state tournament, the 11th-seeded Bucs defeated No. 6 seed Newark Central 16-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-17 in the first round at home on Nov. 4 and defeated No. 14 seed Summit 25-21, 25-12, 25-18 in the quarterfinals, before falling at 10th-seeded Scotch Plains–Fanwood 25-19, 25-12, 25-9 in the semifinals to end its incredible run. BHS finished with a 13-14 record.
Leading the charge was Sinchire, whose growth, on and off the court, proved instrumental to the team’s success.
“Brianna really matured and guided the team through the win streak,” Spina said. “Her communication skills developed tremendously throughout the season. That leadership was essential for us to have the run that we did.”
Sinchire’s steady hands set the tone for a dynamic offense that thrived during the team’s hot streak. Among the biggest offensive sparks was Anuscavage, who delivered MVP-caliber performances throughout the final stretch. Known for her powerful hitting and confident serve-receive, Anuscavage became a consistent threat on the front line.
The Buccaneers also benefited from a key midseason adjustment, when Davies stepped into the lineup to an injured Perez. Davies brought a new level of excitement and precision to the rotation. “What stood out immediately was her ability to place the ball exactly where she wanted it,” said Spina. “That opened up our offense in ways we hadn’t seen before.”
When Perez returned, the team moved her to the opposite-side hitter position — a change that paid dividends. Perez’s power, consistency and defense strengthened the right side of the court, an area that had been a weakness early in the season. Her serving proved clutch, carrying Belleville through several tight matches.
On the defensive end, Ramirez anchored the back row with poise and precision. “Her serve-receive was second to none,” Spina said. “She was amazing defensively and also came up big in key moments from the service line.”
Adding depth was Lopez, who returned from an early-season injury in October and immediately made an impact with her strong serve-reception and steady play.
The middle hitter position became a true team effort down the stretch, with Estrict, Estrada, Dusic, Janamae Paguio and Rowe all sharing time and contributing valuable minutes. Supporting defenders Juliana Gonzalez, Gredmary Sinchire, Gabriella Moscoso and setter Johan Paguio also rotated in to solidify the Buccaneers’ defense.
Despite falling short of a state title, the run to the sectional semifinal marked a defining moment for a team composed mostly of underclassmen. Spina believes the experience will pay dividends in the seasons ahead.
“When I reflect on this season, I’ll always remember a group of kids that had heart, determination and dedication,” Spina said. “They believed great things could be done when no one else did. It’s hard to give everything you have, fall short and still maintain confidence, but that’s exactly what this team did.”
With nearly the entire roster eligible to return next year, the future looks bright for Belleville volleyball. If this season proved anything, it’s that belief and perseverance can turn even the most unlikely story into school history.
Photos Courtesy of Belleville High School head girls volleyball coach John Spina
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