SPARTA — Caden Krzyzak had a lot on his mind.
He's been thinking about the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference volleyball finals since the preseason started about six weeks ago. But Krzyzak was determined to help Vernon come out on top this time.
Krzyzak had 14 kills and the Vikings defeated Jefferson to win their third NJAC volleyball championship of the year.
Top-seeded Vernon won 33-31, 18-25, 25-19. The Falcons fought their way to three sets to defeat two-time defending champion Randolph in the semifinals, but were then given about 40 minutes to reset and warm up before the championship match.
“While I was playing, it didn't seem real,” said Krzyzak, a third-year student at Sussex Polytechnic Institute who lives in Vernon. He said, “He would get kills and forget about them until the last moment like it never happened. … He wasn't going to give up. He had to make an impact.”
Randolph Athletic Director Dave Hutchinson presented the plaque to the Vikings. Libero Tristan Santiago passed it on to head coach Jeff DeYoung, a Vernon College graduate who helped launch the men's volleyball program in the spring of 1998.
DeYoung held his shield high in the air as the Vikings (13-4) celebrated around him.
“We proved ourselves here by playing five vintage sets,” said junior Josh Jean, who had seven kills. “We're here to win, we're here to play, and we're hungry. Next up is State.”
Afterwards, Vernon and Jefferson players, who also practice with the Garden State Elite Volleyball Club, posed for photos together. The Falcons also praised junior libero Andrew Mollenhoff, who broke the school record for digs in the second set of the final.
This was also Jefferson's second time playing for the NJAC title in the tournament's three-year history. Senior Jeff Mirkin led the Falcons with 11 kills, two blocks and six digs. Jefferson senior Kyle Kepler added 11 kills and 11 digs.
“We've put in a lot of effort and it's been worth it,” said Mollenhoff, who has done 24 digs. “We had chemistry and kept the energy up, which helped us get to the finals.”
Paving the way for Vernon volleyball, setting the standard
This was another successful chapter in Vernon's long volleyball history.
The Vikings were the first boys' volleyball team in Morris or Sussex counties to compete as a varsity team in the North Jersey League in the spring of 1999, along with Bergen, Essex, and Passaic.
more:Men's volleyball finds home in North Jersey with start of NJAC Tournament
In 2022-2023, New Jersey had 180 men's volleyball teams and 317 women's volleyball teams, according to data from the National Federation of State High School Associations. This would make it the sixth state in the country, following California (1,078), Florida (232), Illinois (229), Pennsylvania (216), and New York (191).
The NJAC, which began sponsoring volleyball in 2018, becomes the ninth conference or county to host a men's volleyball tournament, joining the Greater Middlesex Conference, Passaic County and Hudson County. The NJSIAA has approved the women's volleyball tournament since 1981 and the men's volleyball tournament since 1988, the same year Vernon's team was created.
The number of participating men's volleyball teams in New Jersey doubled from 2005 to 2006, jumping to 202 teams this spring. NJAC newcomer Mount Olive will also make its debut among the 16 NJSIAA member teams.
more:Why isn't men's volleyball more popular in Morris County?
Sean Brock, Dover's athletic director at the time, initially pitched the tournament to his NJAC colleagues after the 2019 season. It was approved unanimously, but had to wait until the coronavirus pandemic was over before it could begin.
“We went into the room and we all talked about our goals and this was the first thing on the list,” said Vernon senior Ben Jurewitz, who had 11 kills in the final. “That's something we've been talking about since last year. At the beginning of the season, we realized we weren't where we were supposed to be. Playing together, building chemistry, being together every day after school… I'll never forget it and I don't want it to end.”