South Side nets instant success

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The South Side boys’ volleyball team is thriving as a first-year program while also laying the groundwork to compete for future championships.

The Cyclones entered the final four matches of the season at 11-3 despite competing with a roster largely new to the sport. The team was born in a matter of months after the school board put funding for the program in the budget approved in May before coach Jerry D’Angelo held summer workouts teaching the fundamentals of the game.

“It’s very unique to truly start from nothing to teach rules to teach just basic things that an average kid who plays volleyball might already know,” said D’Angelo, the longtime South Side boys’ varsity basketball head coach. “We’re really trying to preach that while we're not going to be ever the most experienced team on the floor, we want to try to be the hardest working team.”

After a 1-2 start, South Side captured 10 of its next 11 matches culminating in a straight-sets win against Academy Charter on Monday.  The hot stretch included four-set triumph against previously unbeaten Elmont last Thursday that kept the Cyclones’ playoff hopes alive. 

South Side has been led largely by junior outside hitter Alex Vargas, the lone player on the 16-team roster with previous volleyball experience. Vargas recorded 21 kills in a closely contested 3-2 win versus Hewlett on Oct. 7.

“We build a lot of things around him,” said D’Angelo of the 6-foot Vargas. “He’s one of our captains and I’ve asked him to take on that leadership role during games with organizing kids on servicing and where you are supposed to stand.” 

Senior libero Drew Aromiskis is also a captain who has played a key role in the defensive specialist role. Fellow senior Sean Britt brings additional experience as a captain and at the middle blocker position.

Robert Pericolosi has been a force at the net with Vargas. The 6-3 senior outside hitter recorded 11 kills in a -sweep of Garden City on Oct. 11. 

“He is consistent and doesn't make many errors,” said D’Angelo of Pericolosi. “He is a good server for us and has good size.”

Pericolosi’s younger brother John Pericolosi is also thriving as just a freshman. He earned the starting setter job and has made strides throughout the season recording 13 assists in the Garden City win. 

Junior middle blocker Ryan Kennedy has also shown improvement on the defensive end of the court registering 11 blocks in the Hewlett victory. 

The Cyclones return to the court this Friday at Valley Stream Central at 4:45 p.m. before hosting Uniondale Monday in the final home match of the season, which will honor the program’s seven seniors.

South Side will need to catch Elmont in standings in order to obtain the lone playoff berth in Conference II-C, but D’Angelo stressed either way the school’s inaugural team will always go down as major winners.

“I've told them whether or not we’re going to make the playoffs, we're working on creating a program”, he said. “Everyday we come into practice knowing we want to be better than we were the day before.”