High School Boys Volleyball:
Collingswood Panthers Defeat Pennsauken Tech

Monday, April 26, 1999

By Art Redd
SJSports Staff Writer

On Friday afternoon, the young Collingswood Panthers boy's volleyball team hosted the Pennsauken Tech Tornadoes. The short season gives either team little time to qualify for the state tournament. Both coaches wanted to gain the early edge in the first game by making sure their players were ready for anything. The intensity was present when each coach voiced their opinion on how the game was being called by the referee. After the smoke cleared, Joe Gillespie's Panthers defeated Tech in 3 games.

Things started out closely when neither team could gain a lead more than 3 points. With the seesaw battle knotted at twelve all, the Panthers' Mike Kearse served up an ace to force Coach Randa Rich to call a timeout for the Tornadoes. After that timeout, Jamall JohnsonÕs kill gained a sideout to preserve a 14-13 lead. Johnson continued to come up big when Joe Vandergrift set him outside for the game point victory and a 16-14 victory. But Coach Gillespie began to capitalize on Tech's errors to jump out to a 9-0 lead in the second game. The Panthers went on to a 15-1 victory to tie the match at one all.

As the final game began, Thomas Holdbrook, Dan Brown and Mike Kearse were able to continue their winning ways as Collingswood had an easy game 3 to defeat the Tornadoes.

Photos by Art Redd