YHS Boys Volleyball Kicks off Inaugural Season

These Huskers are making history.

For the first time ever this fall, Yorktown High School has a varsity boys volleyball team — and they’re off to a high-flying start.

Led by senior captains James Madden and Josh Baek, the Huskers won the first two games of their inaugural season, including a home-opening straight-set victory over Arlington on Friday, Sept. 9.

“I was really excited when they announced the volleyball team because I always loved the unit in gym,” Madden said. “I think it’s really cool that we get to be part of the first team. I think it’s just a really fun sport and I’m glad we have it now.”

His fellow captain agrees.

“I’ve always loved the sport,” Baek said. “There’s really nowhere around here to play, so we’re really happy that our school finally has a team. So, there are more people like me who actually have a place to play now.”

When it comes to finding success, Baek and Madden said it all comes down to teamwork. Madden credited the team’s chemistry for their Sept. 12 win over Clarkstown South, which has had a boys volleyball team for years.

“We all get along really well, and I think that definitely helps,” Madden said. “We can talk to each other and communicate, and I think that makes us stronger.”

The seniors said they have come to realize that becoming a successful volleyball team requires more than the ability to hit the ball hard.

“There’s a lot of IQ to the game. People don’t really realize that from gym volleyball,” Baek said. “So, you just have to work hard. You can’t really slack off in it. It’s a really fun sport.”

Despite being a first-year team, the senior captains are not tempering expectations.

“Well, obviously we’re going for section champions,” Madden said. “That’s the goal. And if we can go to states, that would be awesome. But really we just want to make it so that this program can continue to be strong in the future so that we can bring attention to it and more resources. So, we just want to have fun and play a good season.”

Other players on the team are Jack Brunner, Dom Bucello, Zevin DaCruz, John Florkowski, Emanuel Gojani, Timothy Joseph, Joseph Kaplan, Pratap Ram Krish, Brady McEnroe, Ryan Murphy, Justin Sek, and Tomasso Vano. The team is coached by Yorktown High School alum Mira Rugova.