Since opening its doors in 1929, Sewanhaka High School has had its share of excellence on its athletic fields and courts. The lacrosse program holds a national record with 91 consecutive victories that spanned nearly a decade, and Indians have gone on to have careers in the NFL, NBA, and MLB.
The boys’ volleyball program hasn’t had a lot of success on the court throughout the years, but the Indians have staged an uprising of sorts over the past few seasons, and in 2019 the boys have claimed their stake as the most accomplished team in program history.
Sewanhaka (16-1) went undefeated in Nassau Conference B2, captured its first league championship, and earned its first-ever playoff berth. And, the Indians showed they belonged when the postseason began.
In last Friday night’s home match with No. 10 Mepham, the Tribe got 25 kills, six service aces, and five blocks from senior Ryan Oommen, and a team-high 30 kills and six blocks from junior Andrew Mancharil to lead No. 7 Sewanhaka to a 25-19, 25-20, and 25-21 sweep. Shawn Matthew added 37 assists. The Indians advanced to the quarterfinals where they will meet Bethpage.
“We came into the season with a goal of making the playoffs,” third-year coach Frank Nuara said. “The guys came in back in August working toward that goal, and it just kept building. The leadership from the veteran players has been incredible. We really jelled as a team.”