Israa Malhouni also contributed to this article.
As the school year comes to an end, Malden High’s Boys’ Volleyball team bade farewell to their senior varsity players on Friday, May 22, during senior night against St. John’s Preparatory School. Despite strong and strategic efforts, the Tornados lost 3-0.
Before the game started, Coach Dan Jurkowski stepped onto the gym floor to reminisce on the time spent with his senior members, sharing heartfelt memories and praising the hard work put in over the years. A total of ten seniors were celebrated: #3 Ethan Nguyen, #5 Nick Li, #7 Ethan Yang, #8 Oscar Luc, #9 Joseph Isles, #10 Israel Thiengo Desouza, #12 Adrian Lee, #14 Gray Chen, #16 Matthew Ren, and #18 Lynkolnn Silva.
“We have built a culture and a family that cares and respects each other, and we value everyone’s voice, even if we disagree about something. We also try to keep things in perspective, to have fun and enjoy the time we have with each other,” expressed Jurkowski.
Between each tribute, families and friends gathered with their respective seniors for a quick photo session, holding flowers, gifts, and signs in support of the player.
Shifting from the ceremony into the first set, St. John’s gained the first point as Malden hit the ball out of bounds. The Eagles maintained this lead throughout the set by constant blocks and earning an advantage with the Tornados’ hits repeatedly landing outside of the court. However, Malden showed strength in its defense as it effortlessly received tips and spikes, with Chen and Silva diving multiple times to keep the ball off the ground.
“All of our players have different skill sets they bring to the table, and with close friendships between the group of boys this year, the chemistry was great,” Luc remarked.
The scores continued to be close in range until 8-6, after which Malden’s struggle became evident. Lee’s hit was blocked, and soon after, Yang and Silva dived to receive a low serve but failed, changing the score to 11-7.
At 13-7, both teams took a strategic timeout, after which, Malden earned the next four points. In a long rally, starting with Luc serving, the ball went back and forth four times, during which Lee performed an incredible dive, eventually bringing the score to 13-9.
Desouza noted, “Trust the process—even if it’s slow, you don’t need to jump high to be a good player, just keep your composure.”
Despite developing a foothold, the gap between the scores widened, concluding the first set in the Eagles’ favor at 25-16. The second set was the most intense portion of the night, with both teams remaining neck-to-neck, making it hard to predict who would take the win. Once again, the set began with St. John’s in the lead. Soon, the teams tied 3-3 as mistakes were made on both sides. Junior #22 Demin Han set several balls to the outside hitters, aiding in maintaining close scores.
Jurkowski voiced, “Senior night is always difficult because it can be a very emotional night, and sometimes that can alter our play on the court. We did some good things but didn’t have the focus and energy needed to ultimately win the game.”
Similar to the last set, Malden continuously delivered hits and serves out of bounds, costing them heavily. In spite of the setbacks, the Tornados’ energy remained high with teammates high-fiving each other after each rally, whether it was successful or not. The competitiveness between the two teams resulted in a tie, causing the set to continue. The second set also ended in the Eagles’ favor at 28-26.
St. John’s opened the final set of the night, and while Malden remained tied for the first few points, the Eagles quickly established another early lead. Lee delivered a hit that St. John’s sent the ball out of the court, tying the score at 1-1. The same thing occurred when Chen hit, bringing the set to 2-2.
Soon after, several of Malden’s hits were blocked, or serves were sent into the net or out of bounds. In a close rally, Chen tipped, and junior #11 Joan Diaz Vargas received a hit; however, the ball was touched more than three times, changing the score to 7-3.
Moreover, St. John’s hits became harsher, causing the Tornados to either shank (a pass that completely misses the target) or fail to receive them, with Ren noticing that “blocking and defense lacked a little.” The difference in score was doubled at 16-8, despite Chen earning a point from tipping.
Another long rally gained Malden a point with Silva’s blocks and Yang and Vargas’s hits. At 21-19, tensions were high because if Malden lost this set, there would be no chance at victory. The scores remained close, but sadly, St. John’s won 25-21.
Coincidentally, the night happened to be Jurkowski’s 41st birthday as well, so to surprise him, the Boys’ and Girls’ volleyball teams stepped onto the court with a cake in hand and party hats on their heads.
“I’m very grateful to the kids for caring and wanting to celebrate my birthday with me, even though when they started singing I desperately wanted to run away and hide,” shared Jurkowski fondly.
Despite the game’s disappointing ending, the departing seniors leave a memorable impact on their coaches and team members, cementing their role in Malden High’s history.
“Winning feels great, but even when things do not go your way, you can still be proud knowing you gave everything you had and enjoyed the journey with your team,” Silva concluded.
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