The final score read 3-2, with set scores of 23-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-23, and 18-16. Boys volleyball had taken Lake Mary to five sets in the regional quarterfinal, the third meeting between the two teams this season, and when it ended, it was not without a fight.

The team finished with a 16-10 record, tying the program record for most wins in a single season. They earned one of their best state rankings in program history (43), they made the playoffs, and they did it with a roster that at the start of the season was still finding itself. 

The early stretch was difficult. Beginning the season with a 1-4 record, the team dropped matches to Creekside and Lyman in the opening two games, then ran into Lake Mary and Seminole in the same weekend before finding their footing. New transfers and several JV players stepping up to varsity made those early weeks an adjustment. 

“We started off the season pretty well, handled the rough start because of some tough games, and then we kind of found a way around that,” senior Igor Sauer said. “That’s when we started coming together, because we knew this wasn’t a game anymore.” 

Senior Gavin Miller pointed to the group coming together quickly despite the roster turnover as the thing that made this season different from the ones before it. 

“This team has come together in ways I didn’t think it was going to be able to,” Miller said. “At the start of the season we had transfers in and out and a lot of new players from JV, so joining together for most would’ve been a large challenge. But after week one or two, we became really close and supportive of each other, which was kind of the opposite of last season.” 

From there the wins started to pile up. The team swept Seminole, Forest, Winter Springs, East River and Spruce Creek, went 3-1 against Timber Creek and Boone, and then delivered a 3-1 victory over Lake Mary in the regular season, the same team that had beaten them earlier in the year. At one point, the team was ranked ahead of conference juggernauts such as Lake Brantley and Lake Howell, state championship winning programs. 

Senior Pierson Boss credited the team’s off-court chemistry as the foundation for what was happening on it. 

“We were able to go to a lot more team dinners and celebrate wins, and that really brought us closer together,” Boss said. “When the season got tough, it was really important for us to just regroup and support each other and make sure that no one felt left out or behind so that we could all get out of the trough together.” 

Senior David Comer added that the team rarely turned on each other when things got hard. 

“A lot of it was positive mindset,” Comer said. “We barely ever got down on each other, which is definitely something to be proud of. We would talk about what we could do better and then fix it.” 

The production on the court matched the culture in the gym. Miller led the team with 355 kills and earned first team All-SAC honors, the only Husky to land on the first team. Sauer earned second team all-SAC recognition alongside 210 kills, 184 digs and 27 aces. Senior Jake Ball contributed 113 kills and a team leading 54 blocks. Senior Marley Evens, also earned second team All-SAC honors and finished with 160 digs and a team high 561 assists. As a unit, the Huskies totaled 894 kills, 142 aces, and 1032 digs across the season. 

“Having been on varsity for the last three years, this has been the best season we’ve had in a long time,” Miller said. “We were ranked third in our region at one point, above teams that have previously won state championships, and we beat teams that nobody thought we could.” 

Senior Night against Crooms Academy, a 3-1 win, gave the seniors their final home game and a moment to reflect on what the program meant to them. 

“My head was just flooded with all the memories over the years,” Sauer said. “We’ve all grown up together. I’ve known some of these guys since eighth grade, so getting to celebrate this day with them is really special.” 

The playoff game against Lake Mary was the season in one match. The Huskies won the first set 25-23, dropped the second 25-22, came back to take the third 25-21, dropped the fourth 25-23 and then pushed the fifth set before falling 18-16. Lake Mary won three out of four meetings between the two teams this season, each one decided by a narrow margin. 

“It was a dog fight,” Sauer said. “Everyone was playing good. It was a great game. Unfortunately, we lost in five, but it was definitely one to remember.” 

Miller shared the same feeling.

“It was by far our most fun game of the season because everybody was playing really well and competing at a high level, which made it very enjoyable and exciting,” Miller said.

What this senior class leaves behind goes beyond the record. The juniors — Gabe Davis, Jeremy Brito, Cooper Drewry, Evan McCain and Evan Ehrhart — and sophomore Nicolas Candela now inherit a program that has set a new standard.

“I hope the younger guys carry the love for the sport,” Comer said. “I hope they have the drive to do even better than us. But the most important thing is that they still love the sport at the end of the day and actually enjoy themselves playing.” 

One of the best state rankings in program history. A record-tying 16 wins. A playoff run that went to five sets. For the seniors, that is the standard that they set. 

“We had the best state ranking in our program’s history,” Boss said. “I think that really sets the precedent for what’s to come in future seasons.”