The defending state champions opened their new season with a pair of wins and one loss. 

The Barrington High School boys volleyball team defeated Central High School 3-2 in an exciting match on Wednesday night, April 2. The win followed a victory over Juanita Sanchex Ed Complex and a loss to Cranston East. 

“It was a barn burner,” BHS Coach Christian Lambert wrote in a message to the Barrington Times. “At times, play looked great, but there were also times where teams appeared inexperienced.”

The Eagles, winners of the Division II State Championship last spring, graduated their entire starting lineup. This year’s team is led by junior captains Donovan Park and Logan Lane, and fellow junior Calvin Oberacker. 

Park and Oberacker are the two outside hitters and Lane is the Eagles’ setter. Other contributors include junior David Horowitz, sophomores Josh Shanty and Aydin Duru, and newcomer to BHS volleyball, junior Tristan Gilfillan. 

“With a core of three veteran juniors I wouldn’t consider this season a rebuild year,” Lambert wrote. “We are just going to be younger than most of our competition especially after moving into the State Championship Division. The boys understand that mastering the basic skills is imperative this early in the season.”

The Eagles also showed some competitive fires in Wednesday’s battle against Central High School. Barrington won the first set 25-23, but dropped the second 23-25. They fought back for a 25-23 win in the third set, but dropped the fourth set to the Knights 23-25. In the fifth and deciding set, Barrington persevered 15-13. 

The stat leaders from the Central match on Wednesday were Donovan, who tallied 16 kills, nine digs, three aces and two blocks; Oberacker who finished with 15 kills, nine digs and two aces; and Lane, who posted 34 assists and had three aces.

Barrington will host Bishop Hendricken on Monday, April 7, and East Providence on Thursday, April 10. Both matches will start at 6:30 p.m.