Boys Volleyball finalized its place as a back-to-back NJAC championship team, after beating Vernon in two sets on Saturday, May 20, at RHS.

The repeat championship came on the heels of a stellar season for the Rams, enjoying a 22-4 record and going undefeated in their conference, 14-0.

“Making the dream of back-to-back NJAC championships has become a reality, and it feels great for the whole team,” senior captain Jonas Covalesky said. “This is the NJAC’s second year having the tournament, so being the only team with wins means a lot.”

Going in to Saturday’s championship game, Randolph was ranked number one in the NJAC conference, beating out Pope John and Morristown.

During the game, Randolph looked confident in the first set, although the team was met with stiff competition from number two ranked Vernon. The Rams initially went on the offensive in the first set; however, as it continued, the team was forced to take a defensive stance. The Rams pulled it off, winning the first set closely, 25-23.

“First set we just wanted to go up one; that way there was a cushion for us,” senior caption Josh Barrett said. “Second set we just wanted to hold the plaque.”

The second set was much stronger for the Rams, as they took offensive initiative. They were able to quickly win the set, 25-18, securing their place as NJAC champions.

Covalesky and junior Hunter Kasper led the team with three kills each. Senior Aziz Kodirov had six blocks for the game, and sophomore Kevin Tinio had 11 assists. Seniors Daniel Piatek and Christopher Lagomarsino led in digs, with eight and seven respectively.

“The only improvements are little mistakes that we can fix the next play,” Barrett said. “We played our game and had our energy, so I believe we played how we wanted to.”

The team starts a state playoff run tonight against Linden.