Francis Lewis was only supposed to lose one regular from last year’s lineup: Paulina Jobczyk, who now plays at Hunter College. The other starting senior, Alexandra Persaud, tore her ACL in October and missed the remainder of the season.
All the pieces were in place for the Patriots to be a favorite for their fourth PSAL Class A city title in five years. But libero Nathalie Cabrera, the team’s sparkplug, and middle hitter Anibela Kolenovic have both left the squad for jobs so they can make money to help pay for college, coach Arnie Rosenbaum said.
There are still pieces in place for Lewis to be successful, though. Ragina Anthony, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, returns after a stellar freshman season. The Patriots will be very much her team and Rosenbaum said she has already taken some of the younger players under her wing.
“I think she’s ready to lead the team now,” Rosenbaum said. “Last year, as a freshman, she didn’t have to. She didn’t have to be the stud. Now she’s ready. … No one who’s a junior or senior is jealous of her being a sophomore and a star. They all get along.”
Anthony won’t be alone. Senior setter Jessica Chung is back, along with senior right side/middle hitter Lisa Camargo. Those two have the most experience. Junior Sandra Arcabascio will likely play libero and three players – Naya Harris, Tennese Gardner and JV callup Annalise Fee – figure to see time in the middle.
Rosenbaum said he’s still figuring out a place for junior Stacy Paickattu, who was one of the team’s best servers last year, and Melissa Chu will be a defensive specialist. The battle for the other outside hitter spot – either Rivka Ambramova or JV callup Michelle Gomez – will be one of the keys to the season, according to the longtime coach.
This Lewis team is no longer the powerhouse it was from 2007 to 2009 when it won three straight PSAL Class A city titles. But Rosenbaum thinks the Patriots will still be strong in the PSAL. Another semifinals appearance, at least, is the hope.
“There’s enough experience there,” Rosenbaum said. “There are 10 kids I can put on the court against most teams, which isn’t bad.”
Rosenbaum, who was MAAC Coach of the Year at LaSalle in 1990, won’t be the only former Division I head coach in Queens A6. Steve Hagenlocher, the former women’s coach at St. Francis College, takes over at Townsend Harris for the retired Wanda Nix. Hagenlocher, the longtime Bryant boys coach, spent time as an assistant at Manhattan and Fordham, before leaving the Rams prior to last season.
He didn’t coach volleyball of any kind last fall. And he said coming to Townsend Harris, an established former city championship program near his Queens home, was a no-brainer.
“It was too good not to do – even though it’s in a division with Francis Lewis and Cardozo,” Hagenlocher joked.
On Wednesday, Hagenlocher, who guided Bryant to its second boys PSAL city championship in the spring, was just meeting his players for the first time after being away for the summer. He’s anxious to get going.
“This is probably the hardest division in the PSAL in all sports, I think,” he said. “I have my work cut out for me, that’s for sure.”
Bayside should also be in the mix in the loaded division. Setter Yamile Rose, outside hitter Andrea Santiago, libero Ester Rim and middles Lia Briffa and Ching Tan all played JV under current varsity coach Sharon Ribera. Only the latter two are seniors.
“I believe this is a playoff team,” Ribera said. “We’ll be a bit younger than the rest of the teams in our division, but I think that’s OK.”
QUEENS A7
After making the second round in her first year with the program, Grover Cleveland coach Anna Dawidowska is excited about this year’s potential. Four of her players competed with the All-Starr volleyball club in the spring: libero/right side Jessica Lu, setter Menajda Mezini, outside hitter Carolina Alfonso Reyes and right side/middle Angelica Aquino. Kimberly Vazquez, who recently arrived from Puerto Rico, will be the other outside on an athletic team.
“I don’t have size, but I have speed and a little bit of experience now,” Dawidowska said.
Newcomers won the division last year and star outside hitter Magda Golonko returns. Coach Kert Fernandez will take a leave of absence later this month to be with his wife, who is expected to give birth within the next two weeks.
Long Island City also made the playoffs from Queens A7 and coach Tom Lehman has back club player Patricia Grippi.
QUEENS A8
Forest Hills won the division title and had one of its best years in a long time, but the Rangers failed to win a playoff match – one of their goals. Setter Naomi Weinblatt returns to try and help accomplish that, but third-year coach Gisele Ruiz’s team lost three critical players to graduation.
Always formidable Bryant will likely tie its hopes to junior middle Jasmina Hamza. Flushing and Van Buren were also playoff teams in 2010.
