MILFORD – In an electrical battle of premier Div. 2 state title threats Monday evening, nearly the one factor that might match the crimson inside every groups’ faculty colours was Milford setter Owen Callahan’s face from how intensely he was flexing and screaming throughout a dominant fifth set.
As a part of an exhilarating match that noticed every staff commerce massive swings of momentum, none got here by extra drive than Callahan’s Scarlet Hawks overpowering reigning state finalist North Quincy within the last body for a 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 18-25, 15-1) nonleague win.
Callahan served on every of the final six factors for Milford, including to a 44-assist efficiency that helped junior Alex Guerra erupt for 29 kills.
It was the primary time the Scarlet Hawks (13-4) performed the Raiders (15-3) since shedding to them within the Div. 2 state semifinal spherical final 12 months, and far of this episode proved evenly matched.
Perhaps the one factor extra significant than getting that revenge, although, was overcoming a distant loss within the fourth set with the successful system within the fifth towards a staff anticipated to make one other sturdy bid for the state crown.
“To be here (against North Quincy) is extra exciting for me and it’s extra exciting for the athletes, too. They live for these big moments,” stated Milford head coach Andrew Mainini. “My guys have the mentality to battle with anyone. We might not always come out on the winning side, but we’re not going to give up. We’re going to keep fighting. I’m really excited to come away with that win.”
Tempers flared within the third set from a controversial name, sparking up a playoff-esque power within the fitness center that fueled play. Milford took the purpose and the set, and North Quincy responded with the most important differential of the match by that point with a 25-18 win within the fourth.
But the Scarlet Hawks had been able to steal again the momentum when it mattered most.
After an entire recreation of Guerra giving the Raiders bother on the internet, the junior dialed up seven kills within the fifth to anchor the 15-1 win. It wasn’t till after an 8-0 begin to the body that North Quincy earned a degree, and it got here on a Milford service error.
Cameron Johnston (18 kills) and Nate Caldwell (12 kills) led a productive assault round setter Bobby Lin (39 assists) many of the means for North Quincy, however couldn’t appear to get something previous Milford’s blocking with the sport on the road. Joey Newman picked up two of his 5 blocks within the body, Callahan and Guerra every added one, and Ryan Franklin proved simply as efficient in a giant efficiency all evening.
“In between the fourth and fifth set, (Callahan) saidm ‘This is what we came for, we need this,’ and I think that set the tone,” Mainini stated. “We had a pretty tough fourth set, but that fifth set, we came out and made a couple big plays and just sucked up all the momentum in the room.”
Up till the ultimate two frames, followers might flip a coin for the winner with how tightly the groups performed. Liam Bailey and Dylan Clifford gave Lin a big arsenal of weapons to assist edge out the primary set. Milford saved crawling again, and it used that tenacity to even the match at 1-1 with a giant offensive increase from Guerra, Newman and Arthur Gomes (12 kills).
Source: www.bostonherald.com