Finley Boys’ Volleyball Opens Play This Week

With tryouts complete, the J. Taylor Finley Middle School boys’ volleyball team is set for the season. Coached by veteran physical education teacher Eric Mininni, the 20 player roster features a mix of seventh and eighth graders, including several returning players from last winter’s team.

Meets have been scheduled at home with Hauppauge, Northport, West Hollow, Candlewood and East Northport. Away contests have been set with Commack-Gold, Stimson-Maroon, Lindenhurst-White, West Babylon and West Islip-Udall.

The first meet will be held in the Finley gym on Friday, January 31 at 4 p.m. against visiting Hauppauge. The season wraps up with a meet on March 14 at East Northport at 5 p.m.

The roster includes seventh graders Jonah Abraham, Matthew Barch, Andrew Cahn, Lucas Coby, ty Criscola, Behan England, Rylan Hook, Jake Kiernan, Palmer Laycock, Cayden Mollica, Peyton Paiz, Austin Roberts, Sam Simon, Alex Von Holt and Max Von Holt; and eighth graders Lucca Fiore, Miguel Herrera, Steve Lapp, Gabe McManus and Tyler McDiarmid.

The squad practices daily in the Woodhull Intermediate School gym. Home matches will be played in the Finley gym. All home matches will be livestreamed on YouTube on the Finley Blue Devil Sports channel.

The Blue Devil boys’ volleyball program is gathering momentum. It was recently announced that Huntington High School will be reinstating its varsity boys’ volleyball program for the fall 2025 season, which begins on Monday, August 25. Trustees have approved the appointment of Mininni as varsity head coach.