New-Look Starpoint Posts Big ECIC II Win At Sweet Home

Harvard University freshman Campbell Schoenfeld stopped by to visit his old friends at Starpoint High School before a big ECIC II match against Sweet Home.

“He said, ‘Coach, I want to play. I want to play,'” Spartans coach Kirk Spitzer said with a laugh. “Well, sorry your eligibility is up. I think Sweet Home would notice.”

Turns out, the current Spartans didn’t need him. Starpoint came out strong and posted a big 25-20, 25-19, 22-25, 25-13 win over the defending division champion Panthers on Thursday evening.

“We just wanted to stay focused and have everyone be a team player,” said junior setter Brad Converse, whose ninth ace of the evening was the match-clincher. “Everyone just had to do their jobs and that’s what we did tonight.”

The Spartans improved to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in the division with the win over the Panthers, the defending Class A Section VI champs who were hit hard by graduation.

“It’s always nice to come in here and win,” Spitzer said. “It’s Sweet Home. Everyone knows SH is always going to be good and Rich (Cicero) is going to coach the heck out of them.”

Starpoint reached the Class A-2 sectional final last year with a young team, led by Schoenfeld. Junior Ian DeWilde steps into Schoenfeld’s middle hitter position but no one player is expected to replace the 6-foot-8 standout.

“It’s a lot of responsibility to come in to take his spot,” DeWilde said after recording a team-high nine kills. “I feel like I’ve filled his shoes a little bit anyway. And I have a lot of support from (Kyle) Lemma and AJ (Moskaluk) on the outside.”

The Spartans start two seniors and four juniors this season.

“We were very young last year so now the question is: Those guys are a year older, how are they going to do?” Spitzer said. “This is a big win. But there’s still a ways to go.”

Converse also had 29 assists and four kills; having “just a super game,” according to Spitzer.

Lemma and Moskaluk also had six kills apiece.

“We had our passes pretty much perfect the whole game,” DeWilde said. “Our defense and our serve receive was real good and that helped our offense thrive.”

The Spartans are off until Wednesday when they host Amherst ahead of next Friday’s match at currently-undefeated West Seneca East.  Starpoint’s lone loss this season came to Monsignor Martin Athletic Association’s powerhouse Canisius.

“I think today showed that we can be a really good team and compete with most of these guys,” Converse said.