Eastport-South Manor boys volleyball's Jack Cain, Andrew Dragos guide Sharks to Suffolk II title
Eastport-South Manor after its victory in the Suffolk Division II boys volleyball final against West Islip on Thursday in Manorville. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
The Eastport-South Manor boys volleyball team has done plenty of winning since the start of last season, but this one was special.
Jack Cain and Andrew Dragos led the top-seeded Sharks to a 27-25, 25-22, 25-22 win over No. 2 West Islip to claim their second straight Suffolk Division II title on Thursday.
This time, they did it in their home gym, with hundreds of supporters packing the bleachers.
“It just feels amazing,” Cain said. “Our last home game of senior year. Seeing everyone wearing white and seeing all the seniors standing up in the crowd… All year, we just knew we had to be in the finals.”
“You can’t lose at home in the county finals,” Dragos said.
Cain had 18 kills, three aces and a block and Dragos had 13 kills, an ace and a block as the reigning state champions extended their winning streak to 34 matches since the start of last season. The Sharks have lost four sets in that stretch.
Eastport-South Manor (16-0) advanced to the pool play round of the Division II state tournament, which begins at 9 a.m. Nov. 22 at Finger Lakes Community College.
West Islip erased a four-point deficit and took a 24-23 lead in the first set. Kills by Cain and James Talamini and a block by Dragos gave the Sharks the critical set.
The Sharks led 15-4 in the second set, but West Islip cut the deficit to 23-22 before Mason Gatchalian and Cain had consecutive blocks to end the set
After a 5-0 run gave ESM a 7-4 lead in the third set and forced a West Islip timeout, Dragos went over to the bench and said, “We’ve got to get more.”
“You can’t stop,” Dragos said. “Once you stop, they’re going to come back. They did it in the second set when we were up 7-1.”
“Dragos has been with me on varsity since ninth grade and finally he’s become the leader that I knew he had in him,” coach Bill Kropp said. “He’s always been a great player. To see him develop as a leader, I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
Zach Thomas had 22 kills and an ace for West Islip, which finished 11-6.
“West Islip stayed in there and never gave up,” Kropp said. “They were awesome and Zach Thomas had a game. We game planned around him and he still was amazing.”
The Sharks have continued their outstanding run without the help of reigning Newsday Player of the Year Ayden DesLauriers, who is in his freshman season at Loyola Chicago.
They’re ready to get back on the hunt for another state title next weekend.
Said Dragos: “Without Ayden, it’s all up to us. We’ve just got to play our best no matter who we play.”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
