A Look at John Jay Fall Sports

John Jay Volleyball Sweeps Yorktown in Three Straight

John Jay and its 16-4 record will likely enter the sectionals as the one or two seed and last Thursday night’s three game sweep of Yorktown should provide a good lift for the upcoming post season. But the October 17 match up was far from a late season tune up against an easy team, according to Coach Tom Rizzotti.

“We did beyond expectations,” said Rizzoti. “They’’re 12-4 and will probably be seeded three or four in the sectionals”.

The first set proved the most competitive and had Yorktown taking an early 3-1 lead. But Lily Preis’ first kill in front of her own bench showed what the visitors were up against.

There wasn’t much respite when the hitter rotated back either. Kira McMann wound her windmill pretty tight en route to 9 kills and her first chance put John Jay ahead 6-5.

The back and forth ensued but John Jay got a little separation when setter Allie Driesen cued up Bella Garcia in the middle for a 20-16 lead. Still, Yorktown would not go away and pulled to 21-19 on Olivia Waschenko’s kill.

Annie Rutherford had no problem with the hard wood to regain the momentum, though. Her diving dig set up another Preis slam and John Jay didn’t look back in taking the first 25-22.

Maybe suffering a let down, Yorktown was unable to keep pace in the second set. John Jay jumped out to a 10-3 lead and coasted to a 25-14 second set win.

The third set had John Jay leading all the way also. But hanging tight was the best Yorktown could do in the face of John Jay’s all around play. Driesen side stepping her setting duties, made it 4-1 on a perfectly place spike in the corner and then Preis showed she could go low too.

Diving for the save in the front line, her effort was only rewarded with a redo after the referees conferred. So Madigan Flynn’s kill spoke for the volleyball gods on the next play and kept John Jay ahead 13-10.

Of course, the flexibility that the Indians so seamlessly achieve doesn’t go unnoticed by a grateful coach. “They’re all well rounded athletes, make it work and come together,” Rizzotti said.

But John Jay settled into their strength and went on the power play to close the match out. McCann crushed four slams to open the lead to 19-15 and Preis finished off Yorktown at 25-19 with her 18th kill.

Afterwards, Preis and her over the top effort was willing to spread the wealth nonetheless. “It’s heart we all have and a will to win,” the junior concluded.

Click for Slideshow : https://rmonetti.blogspot.com/2020/03/john-jay-volleyball-slideshow-versus.html

John Jay Falls Short in 20-7 Semifinal loss to Yorktown

Top seeded John Jay rode an eight game winning streak into the section semifinals against fifth seeded Yorktown on November 1. But the Indians’ roll could not keep up with with the 4-5 Huskers in Cross River, and largely ended on the heels a 200 yard, two touchdown performance by Yorktown RB Dylan Smith

“He runs downhill and hits the holes,” Head Coach Jimmy Clark praised Smith after the 20-7 loss.

The evening, though, began as a field position game, and had John Jay hemming Yorktown in at the four and the one. But Smith ran Yorktown out of the hole the first time, and punter John Bowen got off two good kicks to move John Jay back past midfield.

Unable to capitalize, John Jay surrendered the advantage when Dean Patierno returned Luke Mercer’s bouncing punt to the 50 and then left it to Smith. The senior turned the corner 40 yards to the John Jay ten, and three plays later, he ran the ball in from the two.

In the unfamiliar position of trailing at 10:18 of the second, the disadvantage doubled down on the next play. Max Miraglia was stripped on the return and Patierno took the fumble 38 yards for the touchdown. John Jay could not answer back, and were fortunate to hold at 13 when Josh Leffel missed a 20 yard field goal at the buzzer.

Even so, the Indians came out fired up. But Smith quickly doused John Jay’s hopes and led off with two runs to the John Jay 39. He then broke twelve yards on third and six to put the Huskers at the 25 and finished the drive with a four yard touchdown run on third and three.

6:41 left in the third, the 20-0 lead didn’t have the top seed going quietly however. Miraglia returned to the 37, and Mercer struck Henry DeGrasse over the middle for 13 more.

Stalled momentarily, Mercer snuck the drive alive on 4th and two and hit DeGrasse again for a 23 yard gain to the 16. Two plays later, Mercer and DeGrasse finished the drive off, and John Jay was within 13 with 2:07 remaining in the third.

The defense took the cue and gave Yorktown Quarterback Trevvon Johnson nothing but a wall to run into on 3rd and two. So the stage was set for another John Jay big play. Unfortunately, the drive stalled at the 45, and a miracle would have to begin with the defense.

Set poised at third and eight, John Jay’s moment of truth lay in the hands of Smith. Ten more yards through the line for Smith, and the rest was only a matter of time.

But Clark made sure his team held their heads high. “Yorktown did a great job. But our guys fought until the end, I’m proud of their effort and I hope that they still see themselves as champions,” said Clark.

That was less of the point for Ian Gallagher. “I’m sad because I’ll never play a snap with these guys again,” the senior lamented, and the closeness lost is where his tears were situated.

Click for slideshow : https://rmonetti.blogspot.com/2020/03/john-jay-vs-yorktown-fb.html

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