Still going strong – Young Patriots remain one of the best in borough

Francis Lewis has dominated Queens public school girls volleyball over the last four years for many reasons - they always seem to have talent throughout their roster, from setters and servers who control play to outside hitters that can take over a match.
But look beneath the surface, over at the bench during games, to the calm and collected athletic director of the school and coach of the team, Arnie Rosenbaum. He's as good a reason as any for the team's success.
Sure, they have their star power and their roles players. But even when the Patriots experience a down year, they have still somehow finished at the apex of Queens and near the top of the entire city. Over the last four years - one city championship, one third-place finish, one fourth place finish and three division titles - Rosenbaum has developed a culture of winning.
&#8220It's starting to be a tradition,” he said. &#8220I always have some players remaining from the year before and they pass it down to the other kids.”
So even in a year when they start three freshmen and a sophomore, when they don't have the talented hitter who can rise above the opposition, the Patriots still finished near the top of the division, losing out in a tiebreaker to Cardozo. &#8220I had no idea what was going to happen,” he said. &#8220I have six freshmen on this team.”
The three first-year starters - middle hitter Alicia Pawelec and outside hitters Cherees Sheen and Eugenia Anthony - and sophomore Isamar Colorado have all grown as the year has progressed. &#8220They've just improved immensely,” setter Jen Dortch said.
Dortch was the one rock Rosenbaum leaned on - &#8220she's our stud,” he said. - but the other seniors, such as middle hitter Jessica Smith and setter Porcha Hallandar, have really come into their own.
&#8220Just unbelievable,” he said of the team's reformation.
After a shaky early-season loss to the Judges, Rosenbaum adjusted his lineup, as all good coaches do, instituting a librero, Colorado, a defensive player who never approaches net to help with digs.
The team's serving has progressed rapidly; it helped them to a late-season win over Cardozo. &#8220We work on serving a lot,” Dortch said. &#8220If you don't have serving, you don't have anything.”
So, why all the success, the 9-2 league mark, even after graduating seven seniors? &#8220The girls work really hard,” Rosenbaum said. &#8220We put in so many hours, every day two and a half, three hours. We start in August. They work hard and I'm hard on them.”