MILFORD – In {an electrical} battle of premier Div. 2 state title threats Monday night, practically the one issue that may match the crimson inside each teams’ school colors was Milford setter Owen Callahan’s face from how intensely he was flexing and screaming all through a dominant fifth set.
As part of an exhilarating match that seen each employees commerce large swings of momentum, none acquired right here by further drive than Callahan’s Scarlet Hawks overpowering reigning state finalist North Quincy throughout the final physique for a 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 18-25, 15-1) nonleague win.
Callahan served on each of the ultimate six elements for Milford, together with to a 44-assist effectivity that helped junior Alex Guerra erupt for 29 kills.
It was the first time the Scarlet Hawks (13-4) carried out the Raiders (15-3) since shedding to them throughout the Div. 2 state semifinal spherical last 12 months, and much of this episode proved evenly matched.
Maybe the one issue further important than getting that revenge, though, was overcoming a distant loss throughout the fourth set with the profitable system throughout the fifth in the direction of a employees anticipated to make one different sturdy bid for the state crown.
“To be right here (in opposition to North Quincy) is further thrilling for me and it’s further thrilling for the athletes, too. They reside for these huge moments,” said Milford head coach Andrew Mainini. “My guys have the mentality to battle with anybody. We would not all the time come out on the profitable aspect, however we’re not going to surrender. We’re going to maintain preventing. I’m actually excited to return away with that win.”
Tempers flared throughout the third set from a controversial title, sparking up a playoff-esque energy throughout the health middle that fueled play. Milford took the aim and the set, and North Quincy responded with an important differential of the match by that time with a 25-18 win throughout the fourth.
However the Scarlet Hawks had been in a position to steal once more the momentum when it mattered most.
After a complete recreation of Guerra giving the Raiders hassle on the web, the junior dialed up seven kills throughout the fifth to anchor the 15-1 win. It wasn’t until after an 8-0 start to the physique that North Quincy earned a level, and it acquired right here on a Milford service error.
Cameron Johnston (18 kills) and Nate Caldwell (12 kills) led a productive assault spherical setter Bobby Lin (39 assists) lots of the means for North Quincy, nonetheless couldn’t seem to get one thing earlier Milford’s blocking with the game on the street. Joey Newman picked up two of his 5 blocks throughout the physique, Callahan and Guerra each added one, and Ryan Franklin proved merely as environment friendly in an enormous effectivity all night.
“In between the fourth and fifth set, (Callahan) saidm ‘That is what we got here for, we’d like this,’ and I believe that set the tone,” Mainini said. “We had a fairly powerful fourth set, however that fifth set, we got here out and made a pair huge performs and simply sucked up all of the momentum within the room.”
Up until the last word two frames, followers would possibly flip a coin for the winner with how tightly the teams carried out. Liam Bailey and Dylan Clifford gave Lin an enormous arsenal of weapons to help edge out the first set. Milford saved crawling once more, and it used that tenacity to even the match at 1-1 with an enormous offensive improve from Guerra, Newman and Arthur Gomes (12 kills).
