New Ram volleyballers drop their first game against New Ro

Coach considers 'L' a win because of how well the brand new team played

September 11, 2024 at 10:39 p.m.

Coach Jhonattan Cortez supervises senior captain Gabriel Franco and junior Jake Vazquez doing a walking overhead passing drill during a practice session in the Port Chester High School gym before the boys’ volleyball season began. (Joseph DeCarlo/Westmore News)

When is a loss a win? When it is the first game ever played by the new Rams volleyball team because "even though we lost, it was a win for me," said new Port Chester boys’ VB coach Jhonattan Cortez.

Cortez was describing the Rams’ fall opening season three-set loss away to New Rochelle last Friday (9/6) by scores of 25-5, 25-8 and 25-11.

Set by set progress

The reason he felt the loss was a win was "because the amount of progress the team made between the first and last set was amazing," he said. "It was everything a coach would want from a new team."

Why? he was asked.

"We were blocking receiving spikes and spiking against New Rochelle, and we gained so much experience...and the New Ro coach and his kids were very supportive and kept telling our boys variations on "next year you guys are going to be a solid team."

He mentioned the solid game play of several of his first time starters that included two lineups: juniors and seniors for the first set, freshmen and sophomores for the second set with the third set a mix of both lineups.

Wolf game changer

He said Nick Wolf was a game changer up front with his blocks in the first set and Andrew Abraham was the standout in the second. Felix Perez and Gabriel Franco are the captains with Perez playing all three sets.

"Perez is our senior setter, and he is the voice and the heart and soul of our team," Cortez said.

The coach and the team are looking forward to even more improvement—and hopefully actual wins—in their next game Saturday (9/14) at 11 a.m. away against Brewster and next Tuesday (9/17) away against Somers at 4:30 p.m. and their home game next Friday (9/20) at 4:30 p.m. against Ossining. But whatever happens, W or L, real or unreal, the Ram VBallers are happy they are getting a chance to play the game they love on a varsity level with a shot at setting the standards for years to come.