By Joseph Staszewski
Seniors Kelly Flynn, Kiara Pierre and Kendra McCalla have known nothing but winning during their three years at St. Francis Prep. Still, the trio never expects a coronation each season despite the Terriers’ abundance of talent.
“We are used to winning,” said Flynn, a middle hitter. “We are used to pushing ourselves very hard. That doesn’t mean that we’re expecting to win. It just means we are going to keep driving and keep the tradition going.”
St. Francis Prep had one of its most successful seasons a year ago, winning its fifth-straight CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens girls’ volleyball title and advancing to it’s first CHSAA Class AA state final since 1999. For this group, finishing what it started and adding a state crown to their collection of accomplishments, would be the perfect ending to their stellar careers.
“It was heartbreaking that we didn’t win last year,” Pierre said. “I want to go back and I want to win so badly just so I can have that.”
None of what they accomplished would have happened without scrapping past rival Archbishop Molloy, which handed SFP its first league loss since 2005. The Terriers trailed 2-1 in the final, only to claw their way back. The Stanners will stand in their way again, but this is a battle-tested group that knows they have a fight ahead of them.
“It’s not too nerve-wracking because we have been through it already,” said McCalla, the team’s setter.
The Terriers lost three seniors from last year’s team, the biggest being outside hitter Talia Colasante. Even so, SFP’s biggest strength will still be up front with a plethora of potential hitters around Flynn and Pierre, who can also set. Flynn is healthy again after dealing with an ankle injury and a concussion late last season.
A lot is expected of junior outside hitter Jaclyn LaForgia. She showed promise a year ago and is also in the mix for the libero job. She will be joined by returnees Kaitlyn Sluyk and Johairy Rivadeneira, who played a big roll off the bench in the final against Molloy. Caroline Gorecki returns in the middle.
“I think [depth] was our biggest reason for being successful last year and taking it past Molloy,” SFP Coach Kevin Colucci said. “I was able to take girls out that were struggling and take chances. Girls stepped up.”
Libero was a position that was in flux at times for St. Francis Prep last season. Passing is an area they felt it could improve in. Tara O’Rourke and Caroline Vallone will be in the mix with LaForgia. They could see time, at least early, based on who is playing the best at that moment. Putting that together with an array of hitters could mean plenty of problems for opposing defenses.
“It’s going to be lethal,” McCalla said. “It’s going to be deadly. We are going to have a crazy front row and a crazy back row.”
The Terriers hope it all adds up to another Diocesan crown and a crack at bringing back that elusive state title, the first by a city team since 2000.
“We would love it,” Flynn said. “We plan on going all the way. That’s what we want.”
