The East Brunswick High School boys volleyball team is on the verge of perfection.
With an impressive win over Bridgewater-Raritan in the NJSIAA state tournament semifinals on Wednesday, the Bears improved to 27-0 on the year, and more importantly, earned a spot in today’s final against Fair Lawn at South Brunswick High School.
East Brunswick handled Bridgewater-Raritan with its usual ease, posting 25-22, 25-17 and 25-21 wins, and was led by the usual suspects — Tyler Yates, Greg Hunter and Tom Kohler. Yates recorded 11 kills and two blocks, while Kohler had 12 kills and Hunter registered an impressive 36 assists.
After the Bears cruised through the first two games, they actually found themselves behind, 21-19, in the third game before a Yates kill and three Bridgewater errors opened the door for East Brunswick to end the match.
PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff East Brunswick’s Jeff Boyarsky (l) and Eric Niwicki (above) earn a couple of kills during the Bears’ NJSIAA tournament semifinal win over Bridgewater-Raritan on Wednesday at South Brunswick High School.
In Fair Lawn, the Bears face a team that comes off a hard-fought 19-25, 27-25, 25-15, 27-25 win over St. Joseph in the other semifinal. In knocking off the second seed, Fair Lawn was the more aggressive team, and surprised the tournament’s second seed with its tenacity and hustle.
East Brunswick enters today’s final as the prohibitive favorite, though the Bears are aware that Fair Lawn is a dangerous team.
With a win today, the Bears will secure their fifth title in the last eight years, and further cement their status as the top volleyball program in the state. They have advanced at least to the state semifinals in each of those eight seasons.
The East Brunswick program has surpassed "dynasty" status. Now, it’s working on "legendary.