Newsday Athlete of the Week is Sachem North's Sam Morreale

Sam Morreale refused to let the Sachem North boys volleyball season come to an end.

Morreale racked up 45 kills and 26 digs in a comeback victory to lead No.2 Sachem North past No.3 Connetquot in a 27-29, 35-37, 25-13, 25-19, 15-7 win in the semifinals of the Suffolk I Tournament on Tuesday. 

"Because of who he is and his character, I trust him in all scenarios," Sachem North coach Matt Rivera said. "That Connetquot team is really good, and Sam was just poised. He kept the other guys calm and told them we will take it one play at a time."

For his efforts, Morreale is Newsday's Athlete of the Week.

"I knew going in we were the better team," Morreale said. "If we were going to lose, it is because of me, and I am not going to let anyone dictate how my season ends."

Not only does Morreale lead all of Suffolk in kills and is second in Long Island this season with 419, but he also has the program record for kills with 813.

"Sam is special because he's the full package," Rivera said. "He is a renaissance man. Sam honestly does it all, and he does it with a smile on his face, and it's impressive."

Rivera continued to speak highly of the senior's character and how well he carries himself on and off the court.

"Everyone knows him for the right reasons. He's the first guy to go on the court after the JV team wins a game and give them all high fives," Rivera said. "Teachers will stop me and say he's doing a good job in class, and as a coach, it is refreshing to hear that."

Morreale's willingness to lead exceeds off the court. He is a Sachem Youth Advisory Group PTA Special Education volunteer counselor, and he teaches younger children with special needs social skills. He is also a Sachem Youth volunteer coach, where he goes to the middle school and helps coach volleyball.

"I think it's cool to have the varsity kids interact with the younger kids and it’s special for them," Morreale said. “I love doing it and I love seeing other people do it.”

Morreale maintains a high GPA while taking four AP classes and being part of the National Honor Society. He has sent applications to Harvard, MIT and Vassar.

"It comes from my parents, they instilled in me early on that education was important," Morreale said. "I get a sense of pride from being at the top of my class. Being good at a sport and academically can open many doors for me."

With the excitement of entering a new chapter in his life, Morreale is focused on playing a tough Ward Melville team on Tuesday and securing Sachem North a Suffolk I championship.

"This is everything for me. When I first started playing volleyball, this was my dream," Morreale said. "Sachem North had a run winning county every year, and we fell from that. I want to bring the program back to glory."