Cole named Suffolk MVP, Co-Player of Year

The Sachem East boys volleyball team had its best season in school history this fall and was honored accordingly at this year’s Suffolk County Boys Volleyball Coaches Association dinner this week.

Ryan Cole, the team’s leader and main force, was named Suffolk County Co-Player of the Year and Suffolk County MVP.

Cole, along with teammate Tyler Jones, was also named to the All-New York State Team this season. They will also be named to Newsday’s All-Long Island team.

Joe Licata earned the Seventh Man Award, while Sachem East JV coach Rob Regan was named Suffolk County JV Coach of the Year.

Sachem East head coach Bill Kropp will be named Newsday’s Long Island Coach of the Year when it’s formally announced in an upcoming issue of the paper.

Their run was magnificent this season. The Arrows lost 3-0 to Fairport (Section V) in the state championship match in Glens Falls, N.Y. last month, but only after running the table as Suffolk County and Long Island champions.

“This has been an amazing run and I couldn’t have asked to share it with a better group of guys,” Sachem East’s Ryan Cole told Newsday. “Even though we came up on the short end, we know that we went out there and played our best the whole season. To be where we are and be the team we said we would be, to make states is something I’ll never forget.”

The Arrows beat Port Washington, 3-0, to win the Long Island championship, beat Lindenhurst, 3-1, to win the Suffolk County title, and also eliminated rival and top-seeded Sachem North in the Suffolk semifinals, 3-1.

Other honors handed out this year to Sachem East volleyball players:

All-Division Honorable Mention

• Matthew Erickson
• Joseph Licata