B-R's Kevin Ros is CN Boys Volleyball Player of Year

Every year before the season begins, members of the Bridgewater-Raritan boys volleyball team write down three names of who they think should be the captains of the team.

This year, senior Kevin Ros’s name was written on every single paper.

As captain, Ros helped lead the team to another victory at the Bloomfield Invitational Tournament, a Skyland Division title and the Skyland Conference Tournament title and helped the Panthers reach the NJSIAA Central Tournament semifinals.

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Ros finished the year with 264 kills, 23 assists, 35 blocks and 265 digs. For his phenomenal play, he is being named the Courier News Boys Volleyball Player of the Year.

“Obviously he is a great athlete and a great volleyball player, but I think what separates from the good and great players is just the way he conducts himself,” Bridgewater-Raritan coach Corey Romanak said. “He has passion for the game, but most importantly he is just committed to the program. Everything that I want the program to be can be emulated in Kevin.”

Ros’ personality helped lead the young team all season, but it’s his composure that helps the team stay calm when things are getting tough. No match was tougher than the Bloomfield Tournament final matchup, where Bridgewater-Raritan and St. Joseph (Metuchen) squared off.

In a one-set match Bridgewater-Raritan was able to come back late after trailing by four points. The two perennial volleyball programs traded points, and neither team could shake the other as they played way past the required 25 points. Bridgewater-Raritan eventually captured its third straight tournament title as it was able to win with a score of 35-33.

“The composure really helped,” Ros recalled. “I think that was a big turning point, where the new players felt comfortable in the heat of the moment with the pressure. It was just unbelievable at the end of it just to have the sense of relief and accomplishment afterwards.”

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It was a great moment for Ros and the Panthers, who continued to have a successful season even though the team lost a handful of seniors from last year’s team.

“Since we graduated a lot of upperclassmen, we weren’t expected to do very well this year,” Ros said. “I think we exceeded a lot of people’s expectations.”

Ros exceeded his own expectations as a volleyball player as he only started playing the sport his freshman year of high school. He was stuck between choosing to play volleyball or baseball, but when he missed the baseball meeting his freshman year, he figured he’d give volleyball a shot.

That shot turned him into one of the best players in school history and earned him the opportunity to play at the collegiate level; he will be attending Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

The Division III school will be receiving a talented young man with a relentless work ethic, but the Panthers will definitely miss Ros.

“He just knows what it takes to compete and succeed at the championship level,” Romanak said. “The kid just lives and breathes volleyball. His work ethic is in line with his passion for the game. If you’re really good at something it’s because you love doing it, and that’s exactly how Kevin feels about volleyball.”