West Hempstead rolls into playoffs

After falling one set short of making a trip to the Nassau County Class B Final Four in 2016, West Hempstead boys’ volleyball coach Andrew Wilson was faced with the task of replacing six seniors who rarely left the floor.

However, as is often the case with solid programs, the Rams didn’t go into any type of rebuilding phase. Wilson has seen his team, which is mainly composed of underclassmen, rise to the occasion in 2017. 

After seeing its five-match winning streak come to a halt with a loss to Clarke last Saturday, West Hempstead is 12-4 in Conference B2, good enough for second place in the league. The Rams had won nine of their previous ten matches. 

Despite the loss, Wilson is more than pleased with his team’s progress. “The veteran guys have taken their games to another level, and the newcomers have stepped in and been very impressive,” Wilson said. “We don’t have a big roster, but everyone on the team is committed to volleyball. The guys love the game. They’re always in the gym looking to get better.”

Veteran leadership from the team’s few seniors has been a big reason for West Hempstead’s success. Senior outside hitter Tom Cardillo is the team’s most versatile player. While he hits well and racks up his share of kills, Cardillo’s defense and passing are equally as impressive.

While you won’t see his name in every box score, senior Ross Schimmenti has done an outstanding job at libero. Wilson made note of Schimmenti’s terrific performance in the team’s thrilling five-set victory over visiting Syosset on October 23.

Junior Joe Chambers, who leads the team in kills, blocks, and hitting percentage, is another highly versatile performer. Chambers had 18 kills in back-to-back victories over Calhoun and Syosset. 

Like a quarterback on the football field, success on the volleyball court relies heavily on the performance of the setter. Junior Teddy Kim has been terrific running the West Hempstead offense. Kim had 55 assists in the Syosset match.

One of the team’s most improved is junior Kohei Clark. The athletic outside hitter had a career-high 20 kills against Syosset, and 15 kills in the victory over Calhoun. Wilson sees Clark becoming a force. Junior right side Ryell Walker has been another solid addition to the lineup.

Sophomore Elliot Aramayo, a defensive specialist, is the team’s best from the service area. Aramayo’s jump float serve has resulted in numerous aces and it keeps opponents off balance. 

Freshman middle Dolapo Babalola’s blocking has been terrific and he’s coming into his own as a hitter. Junior Cameron Phillips and senior Jerin Chacko round out the roster.

“I feel real good about this team as we start the playoffs,” Wilson said. “When we’re playing our best, we can be dangerous. There are a lot of good teams out there. If we play our very best, win or lose I’m going to be happy.”