By Michael Letendre
BRISTOL – The Bristol Central volleyball team, after a string of good luck against its counterparts from Bristol Eastern in the mid-1980s, fell on hard times in showdowns with the Lancers to end the decade.
Eastern became one of the top programs in Connecticut, scooping up a Class M title in 1987 and the Class L crown in 1991.
All that winning by the Lancers meant a rough ride for the Rams as the 1987 showdowns against Eastern were overwhelming bouts.
In two combined matches versus the Lancers, Central was limited to just twenty total points over six sets.
The Charles C. Marsh Gymnasium was the site for the first city series battle as Eastern won by scores of 15-5, 15-1, 15-5 with the victory leading to immediate state tournament qualification.
The Lancers took advantage from the service line as Lauren Ferrier, Stacy Mills, Cheryl Kaczmarczyk and Chris Adams all sent over serves that were never returned while Lauren and Kathy Ferrier dropped in several kills.
Noreen Foley and Tracy Ross made gains for the Rams during the contest.
And in the rematch from the Thomas M. Monahan Gymnasium at Eastern, the Lancers easily won via scores of 15-3, 15-0, and 15-6.
BE ended the regular season at 15-3 overall and 11-3 in CCC South play while Central fell to 6-12 (3-11).
From 1987-1989, Central dropped 18 straight sets to Eastern.
In the postseason, No. 7 Eastern won its first ever volleyball title as the team downed the reigning Class M champ and CCC South foe Platt – ranked fourth – behind a 3-1 victory (15-9, 11-15, 15-11, and 15-7).
The Lancers were clearly cruising in scholastic play and in 1988, Eastern won the first challenge against Central, 15-1, 15-8, and 15-9.
Kathy Ferrier, Donna Simpkins, Melanie Buchanan, and Chris Adams all did well in the Lancers’ serving game.
The second tilt saw the Rams fall to Eastern in consecutive sets (15-9, 15-4, and 15-7) as the Rams could not slow down Kathy Ferrier, Kaczmarczyk or Adams at the net as the Lancers finished the regular season at 14-3 and were a top-five team in the state.
Central fell to 5-13 off the loss.
One year later, it was more of the same between the squads from Bristol.
The first sweep in 1989 saw Eastern pick up the win over 15-3, 15-3, and 15-8 scores.
Buchanan and Gina Caccamo were tough from the service line while Lisa Drzewiecki, Shonda Brooks, Kim Setter and Tracy Pomerenke all made big kills on the road.
Sue Zimbowski, Traci Dufour, Jodi Serapilla, and Kim Santiago all played well for Central.
And then in the second showdown between the programs, Central fell again to the Lancers, losing 15-2, 15-8, and 15-9.
The victory moved the Lancers to 12-5 overall while the Rams concluded their season at 4-14.
Buchanan and Pomerenke led the Eastern charge once again while Central’s Kim Bonola served well in defeat.
Over a three season stretch, between 1987-1989, Central never tallied a double-figure set score against Eastern.
But when 1990 rolled around, Gary Fleming’s charges at Central closed the gap between his crew and Eastern.
However, both matches went to the Kingstreeters that season for the fourth straight year.
In the first encounter, Central won set one (15-17) before falling by scores of 15-3, 15-2, and 15-11 for a 3-1 setback.
Pomerenke and Setter were big at the net while the serving of Caccamo and Lisa Drzewiecki put the whole package together for the Lancers.
Strong serving from Abby Daniels, Aisha Capers, and Traci Dufour helped Central to the game one victory.
The rematch on Thursday, November 1 saw the teams tied at 1-1 before Eastern won the final two games (15-11, 10-15, 15-11, and 15-12) to take the showdown.
Setter did well on both sides of the ball while Jen Mead, Drzewiecki, and Caccamo all paced the Lancers.
Central’s Melanie Mikel and Janet Kawiecki ended up being a thorn in Eastern’s side all evening long.
And in 1991, the Lancers were state title bound again which meant bad news for the Rams.
On October 7, Eastern beat Central for the tenth straight time behind a sweep of 15-1, 15-3, and 15-6.
Pomerenke and Setter absolutely dominated as Eastern moved to a perfect 9-0 on the campaign.
Donna Klimkiewicz, Kim Stanislawscyk, and Drzewiecki did well on the serving front for Eastern.
Then on October 30, it was more of the same as Eastern nabbed its first league championship which was impressive since Maloney and Platt usually won the CCC South, and everything else, for so many years previous.
The Lancers beat Central, 3-0, in straight sets (15-7, 15-0, and 15-7) as state tournament time approached.
Eastern ended the regular season at 16-2 overall and 13-1 in CCC South play.
Stanislawscyk, Drzewiecki, and Pomerenke dominated serving while Setter posted several kills and blocks against the Rams.
Central (7-11) was led by Julie Parent and Dufour.
From there, No. 5 Eastern defeated Fitch, Staples, and Mercy before taking on state power Amity in the Class L championship round.
And the Lancers broke Amity’s streak of 64 straight wins in a tremendous upset behind scores of 3-15, 15-6, 17-15, 1-15, and 15-6 for a 3-2 championship victory from Foran high school in Milford.
Eastern ended the season at 20-2, the Class L champs, and was the number one ranked team in most of Connecticut’s final scholastic polls.
Finally, in the first Central/Eastern showdown of 1992, the Lancers’ turned to Jessica Byrnes – a lethal junior – and the exceptional all-around talent helped win the match as Eastern was a 3-2 winner (15-13, 15-10, 6-15, 9-15, 15-8) over the Rams.
However, even as Eastern won for the 12th straight time over Central, the next edition of this historic rivalry will see the Rams gain another foothold in the series against the Lancers.
