Two of East Hampton’s winningest teams this fall found themselves bumped out of playoff contention last week.
Boys volleyball lost three straight sets to the Hurricanes last Thursday in a first-round game. Coach Josh Brussell said Westhampton won the last two sets by only 2 points.
The highly anticipated game started with Bonac in fifth place in Division II. The team entered the postseason with a record of 10-4-0, and had lost to Westhampton earlier in October in a squeaker, going 3-2 in sets.
“Our season wasn’t defined by our wins or losses or how far we made it in the playoffs,” Coach Brussell said on Monday. “I know it sounds cliche, but I hope that my boys got more than just volleyball out of this season, as they had so many opportunities to grow. They fought hard in so many matches, including their last match against Westhampton, where, in all honesty, it could have gone either way. Although they don’t get to continue playing in the playoffs, they can take everything they’ve done and keep playing, whether it be in volleyball or any other aspect of their life, and apply what they’ve accomplished to push them towards everything they want to be successful in.”
About another playoff stunner, Bonac soccer’s 2-1 loss in a hard-fought second-round match at Amityville on Oct. 27, Coach Don McGovern said there was more at stake than a win.
“It was a good season that created tremendous memories for all of us . . . but time will determine that. My hope right now is when any of the boys from this group meet each other formally or informally while living in or visiting East Hampton or somewhere in the world in five, 10, 15, or 20 or more years, that they will share their experiences of this season.”
The Bonackers finished the season 10-2-2.
