East Hampton Motivated in Win Over Westhampton To Prove People Wrong

On the eve of their match against Westhampton Beach, the East Hampton boys volleyball team tuned into The Long Island Volleyball Podcast and were shocked by what they heard.

“I’m going to say No. 1 right now is probably Eastport-South Manor. They’re 3-3. Westhampton is up there, too, I would say. They’re 3-3 as well. That’ll probably be the championship matchup again.”

At 4-2 at the top in the small school standings, the Bonackers were stunned that the hosts counted them out, but they used those words as fuel to fire a 25-22, 25-21, 25-23 sweep of the Hurricanes last Thursday.

“We heard that, and it lit a spark for us,” said senior captain and outside hitter Calum Anderson. “Even if others don’t see it, I feel very confident in the team at this point. We’ve been working hard, and right now, I think we made a statement.”

Anderson finished the match with seven kills and four blocks, senior middle blocker Hunter Eberbart had seven kills and three blocks, junior middle blocker Cash Muse racked up four kills and six blocks and senior setter Alex Lombardo added 10 assists, five digs, five blocks, three kills and two aces to lead East Hampton (5-2).

“The guys are getting better with every game we play, which is pretty amazing,” head coach Josh Brussell said. “We played very, very well, and for the first time, we played more as a team, which is what I’ve been teaching the guys — that no one has to carry the team on their back.”

And with Muse unable to give 100 percent after hurting himself during practice two days prior, the Bonackers were going to have to figure out how to bring it home. They did just that.

A total of eight guys got on the score sheet, with more than half picking up three or more blocks.

“We had to work our offense from a new point when he was hurting, but that’s what being a team is about … helping the ones who help you,” Eberhart said. “We came out of the gate with a sense of urgency, and knowing where that game puts us for playoffs, everyone knew the importance of a win, and we played to it.”

Brussell said Kim Valverde, his assistant and the former girls junior varsity coach, whom he called “a defensive guru,” is credited for building the Bonackers’ blocking abilities.

“Blocking was an issue in some games for us earlier in the season, so we’ve been working on that,” the coach said. “The practices are getting more intense, and the boys are starting to hone in and realize we could do something special.”

Anderson said the home crowd added some extra motivation to get the job done, especially when it roared after each block or kill.

“The support from our fans was a huge factor for us,” he said. “Our team has been a force at the net this year, and I think that’s one of the most important parts of our team because when you start blocking, the other team loses its confidence and it lets you run your offense even easier.”

The captain said he and his teammates have also been up against some solid obstructions, and said the fact that he and others can spike around them has been reassuring. Eberhart agreed.

“Coach Brussell emphasized that we would be running our offense through the middle this season, and a big middle hit is a tempo change in the game,” the senior said. “If I can get the energy to swing our way with a big spike, I’ll always take advantage of that.”

Lombardo, he added, has been “keeping us happy” by divvying up his sets.

“Alex Lombardo is out of this world right now,” Brussell said. “He’s making great choices and distributing the ball. It’s cool to watch.”

What’s also worked to the Bonackers’ advantage is everyone is a contributor. When facing the Hurricanes, East Hampton knew to key in on junior outside hitter Alec Kelly. Westhampton couldn’t do the same.

“They didn’t know who to stop on our side, and it made a big difference,” Brussell said. “Having a well-balanced team is definitely working in our favor.”

But the match against Westhampton wasn’t the only time East Hampton showed signs of being a championship-caliber team. During a tournament in Smithtown earlier this month, up against larger schools, the Bonackers bested Connetquot’s (6-1) starters by eight points and took a game from undefeated West Islip (7-0).

But following that showing, what Brussell realized is that his student-athletes have the skills, they just need to work on their mental game.

“We need to be consistent and stick to the plan — not get cocky when we get up — and that’s what we’ve been doing,” Brussell said. “I tell them it doesn’t matter who we play, we just have to play our game.”

Eberhart said that conviction is certainly there.

“Coming off the huge win versus Westhampton, we went into a film study day on Friday and the vibe in the room was the best it’s been since the first day,” he said. “The team has come together so well and everyone plays a role — even if it’s not on the court — and that’s what builds that championship environment. It’s now up to us to execute and take that motivation all the way to the county final.”

With the way the schedule is laid out, the Bonackers have one of the toughest schedules down the stretch, facing Half Hollow Hills (4-3) Thursday, September 29, before traveling to Connetquot, hosting Bay Shore (5-2) and Sachem East (3-4), and capping off the regular season with a match at Walt Whitman (4-3). But the boys are also relishing in the opportunity to earn a No. 1 seed due to that level of difficulty in a power points-driven division.

“What we’re doing is beyond expectations,” Brussell said. “They’re starting to get a taste of the fact that they could be very successful this year, and being that people are counting us out, we’re kind of counting on that to prove people wrong. Being in East Hampton, people tune us out because we’re all the way out here and we don’t have any club players, but we’re coming in and shocking people.”