C-NS boys volleyball stays classy despite state pool play exit: ‘May have lost the match, but you won the day’

Cicero-North Syracuse boys volleyball’s season came to an end in the state pool play round on Saturday, but pride lingered in the air despite the defeat.

The Northstars went 2-4 against their three opponents, finishing third in Pool 1 and ultimately being eliminated from the Division I state tournament at Roberts Wesleyan University.

C-NS was grouped with Section I’s Scarsdale, Section V’s Penfield and Section XI’s Connetquot in Pool 1. The Northstars swept the Raiders but struggled to an 0-4 record against Penfield and Connetquot.

C-NS coach Mike Lucia said his players “hung together” and remained honest even while trailing. The Northstars went a step further by making two “honor calls,” with players admitting to touches the officials never saw.

“I was really proud of them,” Lucia said. “A Connetquot parent came up to me afterwards and said, ‘You may have lost the match, but you won the day.’”

The season still stands as a clear success for C-NS, even with the state roadblock. The Northstars bounced back from last year’s 6-15 record to put together a 16-5 campaign before Saturday. C-NS clinched its second Section III title in three years thanks to upsets of No. 2 Fayetteville-Manlius and No. 1 Liverpool.

The Northstars graduate a small but strong senior class, including standouts such as outside hitter Jack Copeland and middle blocker Ryan Leahey.

“I told the seniors after it was done that they re-established the standard,” Lucia said. “They played in the second-to-last day that New York State has boys volleyball... I would have loved to coach the seniors for one more day.”

The Patriots (6-0) and T-Birds (4-2) advance to the state semifinals on Sunday, where they’ll take teams from Pool 2 for the chance to play in the final.

Lucia said the responsibility now falls on the Northstars’ returners to fill the gaps left by the seniors and push the program back to the state tournament.

“They have big leadership shoes to fill,” Lucia said. “I think that’ll be the biggest void, and it can’t be forced. It’s something that they have to do. ‘What can each person do to fill the shoes of the seniors?’ I let that float out there. That’s a question that they have to answer in the next few weeks and months.”