Sports

Ford makes B/Q playoffs for first time in eight years

Marta Koziorzebska had a very logical question when she was approached by the Bishop Ford administration about taking over the school’s girls volleyball program.

“How can I be a coach when I’ve never coached anything in my life?” she asked.

Former coach Eileen Herr had left the school in the summer and Ford was scrambling for a replacement. Girls athletic director Eileen Egan made the call to Koziorzebska, the school’s librarian who is an avid rec volleyball player, in August.

She officially took the job in September – relatively late in the process.

The Falcons had ups and downs early on, but found their stride late in the season. On Friday, visiting Bishop Ford defeated St. Edmund Prep in a CHSAA Brooklyn makeup match to earn its first trip to the league playoffs in at least eight years.

Had the Falcons (7-5) lost, they would have played waiting Bishop Loughlin (6-6) in a tiebreaker immediately following the makeup against St. Edmund. Ford, the No. 3 seed out of Brooklyn, meets No. 2 Mary Louis in the Brooklyn/Queens quarterfinals Sunday at 11 a.m.

“My girls were ready to go today,” Koziorzebska said. “I saw a new energy in them.”

Ford is led by hitters Tyler Burrell and Shayra Brown, better known for her prowess on the basketball court, and setter Stephon Lawrence. Their experience and talent helped ease the transition for the neophyte coach. Koziorzebska’s high school volleyball experience was a year playing JV at Ford, and she never even got into a match. She picked up the game after college and now plays every Monday at her local YMCA.

“We explained things to her,” Brown said. “Showed her a few drills, stuff like that.”

The 5-foot-9 Brown has a basketball scholarship to Boston College in her back pocket, but never thought about skipper her final year of volleyball. Her uncanny athleticism translates well to volleyball, Koziorzebska said.

“She’s just naturally gifted,” the coach said. “She can make saves that no one else could get to. I think she could learn to play water polo in two days.”

Brown said there was some infighting and off-the-court drama early in the season, unrelated to Koziorzebska. But it didn’t take long for the Falcons to realize they had a legitimate shot to do damage in CHSAA Brooklyn.

“After a couple games we all started to be together and try to help each other out,” Brown said.

Beating Mary Louis, ranked No. 4 in New York City by The Post, will be an uphill battle Sunday. But if Ford gained one thing this season it’s a brand-new, excited coach.

“I would love to keep coaching,” Koziorzebska said. “They’re a great group of girls.”

mraimondi@nypost.com