Week Six…Returning From the Fever Dream
5/12/25
When are things real, and when are things fantasy?
I think of the parable of the cave by Plato. If one is shackled inside the cave and can only see the shadows on the walls…to them, that’s reality. They’ll have no concept of anything else that occurs outside the cave. Only what they see is real and thus their reactions are genuine to what they see. This then poses the obvious question…
What if what you see is wrong? Or more to the point…what if your understandable ignorance is what you’re judging your argument on?
I talk to a lot of coaches and officials during the high school season. This campaign is no different. One of the main topics this year is that players and coaches are really complaining a lot about calls, or non calls, by officials. Apparently, it’s really bad this year.
Now, there are many variables here…is it just an unlucky year? Are the officials struggling? Are the players just more entitled? Do the coaches know the rules? Are the parents more involved?
As with all things, it’s probably a combination of all of it. What I do know, is that from time to time, I watch the matches when someone brings up a pain point that “everyone” is talking about.
Here are my findings to date…
The most common thing being complained about this season, apparently, are the center line infractions. Here is what I can tell you on that. The center line belongs to all players in the front row on both sides of the net. Players will land on each other from time to time (I often wonder how it doesn’t happen more). The only time it is a violation is when the entire foot is past the center line. That’s it. Nothing else to talk about it. So, if you are a player and your foot is on the line as you come down from the block and the attacker on the other side comes down and lands on your foot on the line…this is not a violation. Play on and remember, as long as any part of the foot is on the center line, it is not a violation.
Ball handling. It’s common knowledge in the volleyball world that “doubles” are going away in both men’s and women’s volleyball. This has not officially happened in RI high school ball, but most refs are being pretty lenient with it. The only time a double must be called is when a player tries to send the ball over with a set, most likely with scoring a point in mind. This is a violation and must be called. If the ball comes out poorly from a set from one player to another, it’s currently, in RI HS volleyball, a violation…but at the discretion of the official. Coaches or players cannot argue a judgement call. You can argue in or out, touch or no touch, on the line or over the line…but you can’t argue what the official feels is a ball handling error. It’s like telling someone how they should feel. You don’t know and could never know.
Screening. I have news for everyone. Screening is happening all throughout volleyball. From the professionals to the club level. Screening is as basic as creating a wall with your front row players and serving over top of those players to give the opposition less time to see the ball and play it. It can also be as aggressive as making movements purposefully to obstruct the view. The former is kind of ok. The later is not nice and should be warned and then given an unsportsmanlike conduct if continued. At the international level, screening is part of the game. Set up the wall and serve over top. It’s in the rule book for college, but no one calls it. Club is pretty similar to college. Just don’t do anything extra and you’ll be fine. Coaches, don’t lose your mind over the wall and over top as it’s part of the game. The one to be upset about is when you have front row players jumping, waving hands, doing anything to obstruct the view that isn’t just standing there.
Talking to Officials. Good, bad, or indifferent, the officials to a game are going to have a say as to how the story goes. We can argue all day about how an official actually does that… I like my officials like I like my air conditioning…cold, effective, and not noisy. If I barely know it’s there, it’s doing it’s job well. Now, with that said, I’ll tell you what officials are…human. So, if you snap at them, yell at them, complain at them, whine at them…there will be a response. It’s paired with the old adage…you get more flies with honey than vinegar. Coaches should know when it’s a good time to be upset with an official versus when to focus on their team. It’s a 95% team focus, 5% official focus ratio.
Players, honestly, nothing good can come from you yelling at an official. You are allowed to be frustrated in a match, of course, but if you start yelling, arguing, whining, cursing, or grumbling under your breath loud enough for the official to hear…the rest of the night may not go so well. Listen, just be respectful regardless of who is at your match. Ask questions, follow the protocol, and remember that these people are just human beings. Let the coaches worry about the nonsense. You work hard, ball out, be a good teammate, and fight for every point until the match is over.
News!!!
It is looking like the 4th Annual ResV All-Star Matches will be held on June 15th at East Greenwich High School on Father’s Day!
First, start your celebration of everyone’s Dad with ResV!
Second, this most likely will be the last time the ResV will be held at East Greenwich High School as I’ll be moving it to Wheaton College for future events. There are a couple of reasons for this, but the main one is cost.
So, hope to see everyone there to celebrate the day, but to also close out EGHS with a bang!
Note: If you are an athlete on the ResV Board, your invitation to the match will be coming out as early as this week. Please respond quickly so we can get all the planning, alternates if needed, and shirts ordered in a timely fashion. Thank you!
Big Stat Games of the Week…
Jack Casey - Portsmouth - Middle - 24 kills, 12 blocks at Mt. Hope
Sean Wilkey - Portsmouth - Pin - 23 kills, 25 digs at Mt. Hope
Nate Fisher - Mt. Hope - Pin - 16 kills, 17 digs vs. Portsmouth
Dylan DeOliveira - Mt. Hope - Setter - 39 assists, 21 digs vs. Portsmouth
Jackson Colton - Lincoln - Middle - 14 kills, 6 blocks vs. Pilgrim : 11 kills, 3 aces at South Kingstown
Henry Kenyon - Westerly - Middle - 12 kills 2 blocks at Woonsocket
Nate Paciga - Westerly - Middle - 8 kills, 2 blocks at Woonsocket
Santiago Saucedo - West Warwick - Libero - 20 digs, 3 aces against Central
Angel Cruz - Central - Pin - 10 kills, 6 digs, 3 aces against West Warwick
Caleb Xum - Cranston East - Setter - 36 assists, 2 kills at Classical
Charles Pincince - Cranston East - Pin - 14 kills, 3 blocks, 2 aces, 5 digs at Classical
Hayson Ortiz - Pawtucket - Pin - 13 kills, 3 blocks, 8 digs at Central Falls : 18 kills 16 digs at Johnston
Jean Lucas Barroso - Pawtucket - Setter - 35 assists, 4 digs, 2 blocks at Central Falls : 52 assists, 5 digs, 4 blocks at Johnston
Corbin Agresti - North Providence - Pin - 15 kills against Davies
Chris Bennell - La Salle Academy - Middle - 9 kills, 8 blocks vs. East Greenwich
Cam Gates - East Greenwich - Pin - 16 kills, 3 aces at La Salle Academy : 15 kills, 4 aces vs. Classical
Ty Cotta - La Salle Academy - Libero - 22 digs, 3 aces vs. East Greenwich
Flavio Tavares - La Salle Academy - Pin - 11 kills, 2 blocks vs. East Greenwich
Landon Marland - Chariho - Pin - 12 kills, 8 digs at Classical
Sean Peters - North Kingstown - Middle - 8 kills, 4 blocks vs. Cranston West : 7 kills, 4 blocks vs. Barrington
Dylan DeOliveira - Mt. Hope - Setter - 38 assists, 14 digs against Hope
Jacob Betres - Mt. Hope - Pin - 10 kills, 13 digs against Hope
Nate Fisher - Mt. Hope - Pin - 12 kills, 11 digs against Hope
Anthony Berroa - Mt. Pleasant - 18 kills, 7 digs against Exeter-West Greenwich
Amare Harley - Mt. Pleasant - 29 assists against Exeter-West Greenwich
Cam Marcotte - Coventry - Middle - 9 kills, 8 blocks, 2 aces, 3 digs at Cranston West
Masiah Prak-Preaster - Coventry - Pin - 23 kills, 4 aces, 4 digs at Cranston West
Jackson Colton - Lincoln - Middle - 11 kills, 3 aces at South Kingstown
Brian Gugel - Lincoln - Pin - 14 kills at South Kingstown
Ben Wright - South Kingstown - 9 kills, 5 aces, 10 digs vs. Lincoln
Bryan Leon - Pawtucket - Pin - 14 kills, 2 blocks, 8 digs at Johnston
Balla Marone - Johnston - Middle - 21 kills, 4 blocks, 4 digs vs. Pawtucket
EQ Chan - Central - Setter - 26 assists, 4 aces, 3 kills at Westerly
Jamilson Almeida - Central Falls - Pin - 26 kills, 16 digs against West Warwick
Jovanny Lopez - Central Falls - Setter - 49 assists, 4 blocks, 2 kills against West Warwick
Keandro Pinto - Central Falls - Pin - 14 kills, 20 digs against West Warwick
Colin Kelley - West Warwick - Middle - 13 kills, 6 blocks against Central Falls : 9 kills, 6 blocks against South Kingstown
Santi Saucedo - West Warwick - Libero - 24 digs, 3 assists against South Kingstown
Brandon Mimande - East Providence - Pin - 13 kills, 12 digs vs. Chariho
Jacob Agramonte - Classical - Setter - 33 assists, 6 blocks, 13 digs, 2 aces at East Greenwich
Ian Nascimento - Classical - Pin - 15 kills, 18 digs at East Greenwich
Owen Clarkin - Classical - Pin - 19 kills, 8 digs, 2 blocks, 2 aces at East Greenwich
Jeraldy Santos - Classical - Libero - 35 digs, 3 assists at East Greenwich
Stephen Buco - La Salle Academy - Setter - 32 assists, 4 digs vs. Bishop Hendricken
Jahmir Evans - La Salle Academy - Pin - 13 kills, 2 aces vs. Bishop Hendricken
Matt Rosemark - East Greenwich - Middle - 7 kills, 6 blocks vs. Classical
Zion Sun - East Greenwich - Libero - 18 digs vs. Classical
Rainen Paquet - East Greenwich - Setter - 35 assists, 3 kills vs. Classical
Ryan Harrington - North Kingstown - Pin - 16 kills, 10 digs vs. Cranston East
Cody Tow - North Kingstown - Pin - 14 kills, 10 digs vs. Cranston East
Stephen Dufour - North Kingstown - Libero - 14 digs, 4 assists vs. Cranston East
ResV Team of the Week…
Pin - Owen Clarkin - Classical
Pin - Jamilson Almeida - Central Falls
Middle - Colin Kelly - West Warwick
Middle - Jack Casey - Portsmouth
Pin - Sean Wilkey - Portsmouth
Setter - Jean-Lucas Barroso - Pawtucket
Libero - Jeraldy Santos - Classical
Utility - Balla Marone - Johnston
ResV Top 15…
North Kingstown (13 - 0) - Hate to put this kind of journalistic pressure on the lads from NK, but not sure what else to say… Ok, let’s put it another way… The Skippers have battled the #2 on the board three times. They’ve won all three matches. Two of the three were kind of blow outs. They’ve dropped sets now, here and there, but the fact remains that they have five of the top 30 players in the state on their side. They have three of the top five pins on the state on their side. They have arguably the top Libero and two of the top setters in the state on their side. They serve tough, they pass well, they dig everything, and they’re annoyed about last year. Ryan Harrington and Cody Tow are both player of the year candidates. Evan Shea is a very good setter in this league…his back up, Jayden Yang is also a very good setter in this league. Stephen Dufour is a top tier Libero. If he’s not around, Tim Harrington is a real good substitute for him. Funny enough, the one concern I had was on the blocking side, and that’s just not been a problem. Ryan Rathbun is stout as a blocker on the right and both Shea and Yang have been plenty solid this year in this department. So, these guys are tested, talented, and are running a nice system that includes back row attacking with BICs and D’s. I watched the most recent match versus Cranston East, and Shea set Connor Valois on a stack. I was so excited! Finally, an NK setter sets the first option instead of the second on the free ball piggy back play! Yeah, not sure if there is a team out there that beat this Skipper side three sets in a match.
Cranston East (9 - 5) - Well, there were three shots taken from Cranston East on the Skippers and none of them landed. The middle match of the series was the closest. Those scores looked good and it was probably the only time this year that North Kingstown felt uncomfortable. Still, 0 - 3 against the team that is projected to be in the finals. I watched the most recent match…there are things I like and things I don’t. What was most striking is that in all three sets they would end up losing, the Bolts were neck and neck with the Skippers. Big rallies, solid kills, the whole thing. Then, once the set got into the 20s, the errors came in waves. Can’t do it generally, let alone in the 20s of a set. I do think there are still moves that can be made to upgrade the level a tic, however, it’s always just an opinion from a coach who is not in the gym on a daily basis. Another thing is that this CE team has yet to find it’s personality from the service line. They have guys jump serving out of bounds a lot. You are arguably the top blocking team in the state…have to serve in (at a minimum) to let that feature stretch out and run. As with most teams, it’s in there…The Bolts probably need just one thing to pull it all together. Get that Goldilocks serving level and lightening will strike.
+2 La Salle Academy (7 - 5) - The defending champs are still dangerous and they’re doing a lot of their prep against teams from outside of RI. It’s an interesting strategy and I’m trying to decide how effective it could be. Seeing different teams gives your squad more diverse looks to mold your style of play. However, there is a case for seeing the teams you have to beat as many times as you can to figure it out. Beating a team from MA is nice, but does it mean anything when you bow out in the semis? Two ways of looking at it. Rams want to see as many styles of volleyball as possible…Cranston East wants to see NK as much as possible. Neither are wrong. I do like this Rams team this year in terms of style of play. As per usual, they are unique, but I have a sneaking suspicion the defending champs may find themselves in the finals again…especially if they can dial up their serving prowess. La Salle has three lefty terminators in Jahmir Evans, David Green, and Flavio Tavares that are very tough to stop. Currently they run a 6/2, with Jahmir running all 6 rotations, but what if you could keep all three out there? Food for thought…especially when it’s playoff time and termination is king for survival.
+2 Lincoln (12 - 0) - Lincoln is running the same campaign that North Kingstown is running in their division. The Lions have yet to taste defeat…though unlike North Kingstown, there have been some real close matches. Lincoln is like the tightrope walker at the Circus. One step, then another…slow and steady…oh no, the wind creates the wobble that leads to what could be loss of balance…crowd holds their breath… … … …He’s good, ladies and gentlemen! The Lions have had a five set thriller with Pawtucket and a couple of dodgy four set victories…the one I’m thinking of at the moment was with Westerly. They don’t see the Bulldogs again this season, unless they get matched in the playoffs, but Pawtucket is coming round again. They also get to see the Wizards of West Warwick soon. The Wizards have been giving everyone fits this year, so that should be a good one! Still, my money is on Lincoln here in D2. They’re the most complete team in the division. Sebastian DeCubellis is arguably the top setter in the division and he is able to run Jackson Colton, Tyler Biddle, and Brian Gugel to large success. They serve tough, block well, and are far scrappier on the floor then you think. Pawtucket, Westerly, and Central Falls will be the teams to beat, but I see the Lions figuring it out…at least thus far anyway.
—1 Classical (10 - 4) - Tough loss aside this week, how about this Classical team! I know I wouldn’t want to play them these days. Kudos to East Greenwich for finding a way, but this new vamped Purple side with guys in new places is a very tough out, indeed. The two main moves, Jacob Agramonte to the setter position and Jeraldy Santos to the Libero positions have opened up everything. All of sudden, Ian Nascimento is just scoring at will while Owen Clarkin has come out of the shadows to be a top point scorer as well. Jasper Hoefferle is back in the middle where he’s comfortable and the rest of the pieces have just fallen into place. I love it when a plan comes together…someone cue the A-Team music. It should be a pretty easy going week for them as they see Barrington, North Smithfield, and Cranston West, as all three teams are in more of rebuilding mode. It is an opportunity to sure up the system and get some players on roster some bigger moments, I’m guessing. However, you never know with Classical…which is why I always look forward to seeing them play.
+2 East Providence (8 - 6) - Turn the volume up! Not talking sound here. I’m talking about pumping the ball to your guns and getting it done. The Townies have two, if not three, solid terminating pins. They have have decent middles, pretty good overall play, the whole works… So, why six losses? Well, NK has more weapons. Cranston East has more physicality, La Salle is the defending champs? Classical is a color? Chariho has a tiny gym? What?!? Yeah, those last three teams with their explanations make zero sense…which is the point. I don’t think La Salle, Classical, Chariho, or anyone below NK and Cranston East, are massively better then this EP team. They have the pieces…go punch the ticket. Could it be that simple? Yeah, it could. Sometimes teams get caught looking at other teams or programs and wishing or wanting what others have. This is the on-paper scenario. Why do some teams look great on paper, but can’t seem to get in done? There are always theories, but the one I subscribe to often is…they just are not looking at what they actually have. “We’re missing X. Y doesn’t do this. Z…nobody likes Z.” It’s nonsensical truth. Sure it may be true, but who cares? It doesn’t matter. What matters is bringing everyone together and each part of the team doing their job to the best of their ability with the idea that they do not want to let their teammates down. Live it, believe it. Townies have all the parts…go punch the ticket!
—4 Chariho (8 - 5) - I loved my alliteration line I used for Chariho for week five, thus I am deeply disappointed in their performance this past week. Guys, do you realize how hard it is to come up with alliteration like that? I sat at my desk for at least fifteen minutes trying to put that all together… With the exception of North Kingstown, the league has plenty of parity and the level of said parity is pretty darn good. Chariho had themselves a monster week a couple stones back, but this past one did not pan out. Losses to Classical and East Providence hurt the cause, especially after the big win over La Salle. Listen, this is one of the pitfalls of a big win. You get this big vic that many didn’t see coming. Now, you’re riding this wave of excitement. However, with this wave, there can be this idea that creeps into the team consciousness that it’s smooth sailing from here. The story narrator will always tell you that it was not actually smooth sailing from there…my story narrator is always Morgan Freeman. Coventry, East Greenwich, and Westerly on the docket next and none of those teams are push-overs! Key the music! Back to Life, Back to Reality!
—1 Bishop Hendricken (6 - 6) - Well, we have a new Pope…so that’s something. Big guy is from Chicago! Kind of cool. Do you think he’s a Bears fan? I hope so, because this will mean this whole Lions vs. Bears public trash talking thing going on is kicking it to the next level. “The Bears will always stink!!! Ha Ha Ha!!!” “The heavenly Father will smite the Lions.” Ummmm. See what I mean, next level! I kid of course. … … … … … Ok, let’s talk volleyball. Injuries and inconsistent play have taken the Hawks by the talon. Not much you can do when you’re hurt, and often times being hurt is the single reason you’re inconsistent in play. I get all that. However, Hendricken has fallen into a hole. Losing to Chariho twice, almost back to back, may be the moment this campaign went off the rails. Question now is can the train get back rolling? They host Cranston East tonight (and by the time this comes out, it may be already over) and from there they see CE on their floor, then EP, and then NK. Schedule is brutal! All the Hawks can do at this point is perhaps rest guys against some of these teams and hope that taking some lumps now will not matter when everyone is healthy again. Not sure that strategy works when all of sudden it feels like you’re fighting for a playoff spot. Thus, Hendricken is officially an enigma at this point in the season…though a dangerous enigma at that, especially if they get healthy again.
Coventry (5 - 8) - This is probably not fair, but I kind of see Coventry as Cicadas. They’re missing in action for some of the year and then all of sudden they are everywhere and making noise. Dick Vitale used to call teams like this the Stock Market Clubs…sometimes they’re up, sometimes they’re down, just like the stock market. The facts are this, Coventry has beaten Cranston East and La Salle. Only NK can say that as well. Now, they’ve earned some bad losses that are hard to forgive, but when this team gets rolling…very tough to stop. Masiah Prak-Preaster is a baller and Cam Marcotte is one of the top utility guys in the state. This one two combo does work. Also, good things happen when Masiah gets north of 20 swings, as he is a true volume guy. This Coventry team needs to win the last three of the four matches they have to give them roughly a .500 record and some sort of springboard heading into the playoffs. It’s certainly possible, but The Purple and the Chargers are in the way…so we’ll see.
+2 East Greenwich (6 - 7) - The Avengers surprised last week as they upended The Purple in five sets at a real fun match at the Avenger’s castle. It’s a signature win that EG has been hoping for as they’ve been able to take care of business against teams with worse records, but haven’t exactly threatened any of the top teams in the state. Cam Gates has come alive and is doing real work in the league. Moving Zion Sun to the Libero spot has helped as well, allowing Luke Moio to do what he does best which is serve absolute darts at the opposition. Zach Gessman is playing good ball and Aidan Huff is the watch that never stops…both guys are huge to the success of the club. Lastly, when Milo Sy is going, EG can be real tough to handle. I also want to mention that Rainen Paquet is playing his best volleyball of the year at the setter position. So, that’s a good overview as to where the Avengers are at. They have a tough one tonight with NK, but then the intriguing re-match with Chariho to follow. All in all, EG has done their part to be a team no one is particularly interested in playing come playoff time.
Westerly (10 - 3) - The Bulldogs have won eight of their last ten matches this season. They’ve dropped games to Lincoln, Chariho, and Pawtucket…and that’s really it. Not bad stuff from Westerly here. They’re unorthodox, but effective. The key word is effective. To deal with them, you have to stop Henry Kenyon. If, and it’s a pretty big if, you can slow him down at the net…you have a shot. Trouble is, not many have been able to do so. Also, if the ball is even remotely on the tape, Kenyon will beat you to it and score. It’s that simple. When he’s in the front row, the Bulldogs score a significant amount of points and that generally leads to the margin of victory in the later part of the set. Surrounding Kenyon are guys who play the game hard. They’ll make plays you don’t think they’ll make and they’ll push your mental toughness to the brink. As I’ve said multiple times, I like this Westerly side. Sometimes I have zero idea what they’re tying to do, but that’s ok. There are many ways to be successful in this game. My one concern is will this style be effective in the playoffs? Playoffs, mean more pressure, more scrutiny… I don’t know, just a thought. I know for certain I wouldn’t want to play them.
—2 Pawtucket (12 - 3) - Yes, I know…Pawtucket has the win over Westerly. They’ve beaten Barrington and Central Falls as well. I get it. However, that Johnston loss hurts the cause a little. I watched that match. My take aways were Johnston’s middle went off and Pawtucket hit a ton of balls out of bounds. Call it a bad day. They did go on to win three more matches, so there is that. Look, Pawtucket is going to be in the thick of it, no matter where they are on this top fifteen list. They have a legit bomber on the left in Hayson Ortiz. Jean-Lucas Barroso has become a real solid set of hands since leaving the Libero position too. Those two alone can cause issues for everyone in D2. The rest of the crew are guys that can grind, so there is a lot to like with this side. Playoff wise, in my mind regardless of how it figures out, I think they’re the top threat to Lincoln. Both teams will see each other again…three days from now to be exact, and this time Lincoln will be on Pawtucket’s turf. It’ll be an interesting match to say the least. Should that match not go Pawtucket’s way, I don’t think it really moves the needle too too much. The Tigers will still have plenty of fuel for the playoffs and anything can happen on a Saturday on a college campus in June.
+1 Portsmouth (12 - 1) - Well, the D3 championship match preview, in may opinion anyway, occurred this week with Portsmouth and Mt. Hope doing battle. The Patriots were on the road and they escaped in five sets. Jack Casey and Sean Wilkey had to put up herculean numbers for this. I think Casey is the real difference between Portsmouth and the rest of the D3 pack. Nobody has a big middle who can fly and score like Casey. He’s the weapon that no one has an answer for. Wilkey provides plenty of firepower, but he and say, Nate Fisher, from Mt. Hope sort of cancel each other out in the head to head. Nobody has a Jack Casey. Mt. Hope is certainly the threat to Portsmouth’s claim on the crown and I have zero doubt that when they meet again there will be more fireworks. Still, for my money, I have the Patriots and Casey in four.
(New) Central Falls (10 - 3) - The Warriors are on the board! Welcome! Not a surprise here…more just a matter of time. Freshly signed by American International College, Jamilson Almeida leads this crew to win after win. The big fella is 6’5, skilled, and has an arm. He’s also hitting shots that most guys are not doing at the D2 level. He’s the top pin in D2 and when he gets volume and sets in the right zone…he’s very tough to stop. Central Falls also has a very good setter in Jovanny Lopez. Lopez has the task of keeping everyone happy while also making sure he pumps the ball to Almeida…especially when it matters. It’s not an easy gig, but Lopez does it well. CF’s supporting cast is solid and as you can see by their record, this crew wins. Now, how do they match up against the cream of the D2 crop? Well, they lost to Lincoln and Pawtucket in four…but tough fours. They see Westerly this week. Still when the chips are pushed to the center of the table, I’m not sure you want to deal with Jamilson and his level.
(New) West Warwick (10 - 4) - The Wizards are on the board! Welcome! I have West Warwick as the surprise of the state. I don’t think anyone predicted that going to West Warwick High School to play volleyball would be hazardous to your record at the beginning of the season. It sure is, though. Ask Cranston West, whose slide began when they were stunned by the Wizards. Central Falls and Westerly escaped with their lives in five against this gritty West Warwick side, while Lincoln handled them in four, but it was a rough ride. For West Warwick, it begins with Colin Kelly. He and the rest of his crew are just guys that will not let the balloon hit the floor. They play more to Westerly’s style of play, with chaotic frenzy at the net and just not letting teams score. It’s a fascinating level and it’s beaten a lot of teams already. It’ll be interesting to see if they can knock off Johnston in the final weeks of the regular season to get the bounce for the playoffs.
Receiving Votes… Cranston West, Mt. Hope, Hope, Barrington
ResV Player of the Week…
Week One - Ben Warr - Bishop Hendricken
Week Two – Henry Kenyon – Westerly
Week Three – Ryan Harrington – North Kingstown
Week Four – Cody Tow – North Kingstown
Week Five —Kody Poplaski — Chariho
Week Six - Cam Gates - East Greenwich - Gates was huge on the week averaging 14 kills a night and being electric from the service line. Cam has played a couple different positions on the year, but I like him on the opposite for the Avengers. The upset of Classical, showcased how dangerous EG can be and Gates was a premier part of it all.
ResV Honorable Baller of the Week…
Week One – Nate Paciga — Westerly
Week Two – Zach Gessman — East Greenwich
Week Three — Jeremy Thao — West Warwick
Week Four — Masiah Prak-Preaster — Coventry
Week Five — Aidan Huff — East Greenwich
Week Six - Jovanny Lopez - Central Falls - As anyone can tell you, when you play West Warwick this year…it’s going to be a ride! Lopez helped navigate his CF side by the Wizards, putting up 49 assists! His solid play this week has allowed Central Falls to bounce back after a tough set back to Pawtucket.
Playoff Races Through Week Six…
Division One:
North Kingstown - The town of Kings is occupied by Knights
Cranston East – Back to the drawing board. Serving and errors are the major hiccup.
La Salle Academy - Feels like the Rams are about to make their run.
Classical - The EG setback aside, this Purple team feels like a state title contender.
East Providence - Given the edge over Chariho, Townies feel like a night that can very easily go poorly for you.
Division Two:
Lincoln – The tightrope walkers are almost to the other side…
Pawtucket – The Johnston upset aside, this crew can ball and will cause pressure on anyone they face.
Westerly – The Westerly project continues it’s tour. Get your tickets now.
Central Falls – Have the top arm in the division and he’s not slowing down.
West Warwick - Along with root canals and the DMV…playing West Warwick in their barn.
Division Three:
Portsmouth – Survived Mt. Hope and it took huge numbers from their guns.
Mt. Hope – Put the scare Portsmouth that was needed. I’m sure they’d be stoked to see Portsmouth again.
Hope – Running third, but feels like they may be in position to upset either of the top two.
Achievement First – Having a great year and certainly a playoff year to boot!
St. Rays - On the outside looking in, but don’t count them out.
ResV Coaching Tip of the Week:
Always have your assistant coach check your lineup before you hand it in…trust me!
ResV Player Tip of the Week:
Good things happen when you hit the ball hard! Take the rip and make something cool happen!
To send updates, stories, and players college decisions…or inquire about coffee beans that Coach roasts himself, to Coach Reslow - Scott.Reslow@protonmail.com
Coaches! Please feel free to reach out if interested in scheduling some time to talk shop! I’d love to help your program out!
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