Saturday, November 8, 2025
In the span of four years, South Side boys’ volleyball has gone from a newly founded program to a powerhouse in a stout Conference 2A. The Cyclones stand tall with a 7-1 overall record, a rapid improvement that coach Jerry D’Angelo credits to special playmakers and the kids’ dedication to roles within the program.
“It would be awesome to have a conference championship in our fourth year,” D’Angelo said. “It’d be awesome to win a playoff game. Those will be the two major things, but when it’s all said and done, I hope what this team will be remembered for is their effort.”
Most on South Side rosters are counted upon to do one thing well, but this rule does not apply to senior John Pericolosi, who also leads the basketball for D’Angelo in the winter. The multi-sport star was the reigning kills leader as a junior and consistently manages to provide in all aspects on the floor. For example, in a 3-2 victory over Sewanhaka on Sept. 4, he finished with 37 kills, 15 digs, 10 assists, 5 blocks and a pair of aces.
“He's excellent,” D’Angelo said of Pericolosi. “He does so much for us that we really go as he goes.”
While Pericolosi’s senior leadership is loud and immediately apparent, libero Kevin Rodriguez leads the Cyclones in a subtler and equally profound way. His supporting all-around role often only results in digs and aces on the score sheet, but he provides both efficiently while manning the helm.
South Side’s other key kills contributor is junior Jesse Kuo, who is expected to step into a larger role when Pericolosi graduates. Even in his secondary scoring role, the all-conference player has made great strides and seems poised to help the Cyclones sustain momentum in the future.
Most of South Side’s remaining contributors are highly specialized. Freshman Joe Muir is a 6-foot-6 basketball player being taught the finer points of volleyball on the fly. While he picks up other skills, his primary role is to block alongside Pericolosi. Left-handed striker Trevor Walsh joins them in front and has come along quickly since his first volleyball game less than four weeks ago.
There have been several games in which sophomore Jack Bradley has done nothing but earn assists setting up for Pericolosi, a vital role that also pays handsomely in the box score. In eight appearances, he has already made 188 assists, one of the perks of playing alongside one of the best finishers in the county.
D’Angelo described junior Matt Grande as his “most improved player,” one who has expanded his skill set since learning to play volleyball as a sophomore. He is now capable of providing a healthy mix of kills and aces as needed, an increasingly versatile player who once provided in a more narrow scope.
South Side lost its first game to Great Neck North on Sept. 27, snapping a six-game winning streak that began on Sept. 2. The Cyclones remain undefeated in conference play, however, and games against Roslyn and Lawrence in early October will give a true indicator of their staying power as a new contender in the conference.
