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Sports

2011 Preview: Sachem East Boys Volleyball

Returns some talented players in 2011 but is looking to integrate new players into the starting lineup while competing in Suffolk counties tough League I.

Sachem East boys volleyball program has been in a funk. While the program improved its win total in 2010 the team did not make the playoffs. This year’s squad brings in a bunch of new players and a new system and is a work in progress according to head coach Bill Kropp.

Head coach: Bill Kropp (23rd year)

'10 Record: 6-9

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'10 Playoffs: None

Key losses:  OH Brendan Jones, S Tim Doherty, RS Michael Moynihan

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Top players: Sr. OH Tim Raftice, Sr. MB Randall Colson

Expectations: Coach Kropp was obviously not happy with his team’s performance in a loss to rival Sachem North in its first game of the season on September 12 and spoke candidly about his squad’s chances this year.

“I think there’s more growing – I wish I had a month before the first game,” he said. “I think we need that much work and I think there’s talent and there’s performance. I think we have the talent but we need to come up with performance.”

Key matches: vs. Half Hollow Hills West, Sept. 20, 5:45 p.m.; at Lindenhurst, Oct. 4, 6 p.m;. at Sachem North, Oct. 12, 5:45 p.m.; at. Half Hollow Hills West, Oct. 21, 5:45 p.m.

Learning to compete

Sachem East only returns two of its starters in 2011. The new group is going to need to learn how to work together and perform on the varsity stage. “It’s to get all the pieces to fit as quick as possible,” Kropp said.

With teams like Lindenhurst, Half Hollow Hills West and Sachem North littering the schedule early the team might not have as much time as they’d like to get prepared.

East will count heavily on its two returning starters, Tim Raftice and Randall Colson. Colson has been named to pre-season watch lists and is one of the more talented players in Suffolk county, according to Kropp.

“We’ll be ok once we get used to it but we have to learn how to compete,” Kropp said. And I think that’s more than play volleyball. When a team like North that’s very good pushes, we need to learn to push back.”

The young Sachem squad is still talented and should be competitive during the long season and Kropp will be pushing them every step of the way.

“We have to get in the gym and practice,” he said. “We have to make practices more competitive so when it comes time to perform we’ll be there.”

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