The ball skimmed the opposing blocker’s hands, deflecting out of bounds, and the crowd erupted towards the victors. Poly’s boys Varsity volleyball team embarked on an exhilarating journey through the Division IV CIF playoffs. After sweeping Bishop Montgomery 3-0 and Yorba Linda 3-1 in the first two rounds of CIF, the Panthers faced a formidable opponent in the quarterfinals: Claremont High School.
Claremont presented a daunting challenge with a UCLA-committed hitter who hindered Poly’s defense. With a few too many errors and a weakened defense, the Panthers let the first two sets slip through their fingers. One set away from losing the quarterfinals, the team gathered around head coach Jack Prater for his guidance.
“Coach Prater, the mathematician, had all these stats in his hands, and he told us that we got to 15 points first in both sets, and that was what gave us that push to come back after the third set,” sophomore Jack Gomez recalled. With this new change in attitude, the Panthers rallied back, executing at a far higher rate as they claimed victory in the subsequent three sets, securing their spot in the semifinals.
Senior outside hitter Pierre Vincent’s defensive and offensive prowess played pivotal roles in Poly’s resurgence. Named All-CIF League MVP and All-League First Team Player of the season, Vincent led his team to success in the quarterfinals. “He would come in from the left side to triple-block the UCLA commit, and that took a lot of pressure off of our defense. So when Pierre locks in, we are unstoppable,” Prater commented. Notably, Poly’s spirited student section provided unwavering support, injecting much-needed enthusiasm into the game. The deafening cheers and chants reverberated throughout the gym, fueling the players.
“The student section’s energy was definitely what helped us win,” sophomore libero Liam Lillard said. Despite their valiant efforts, Poly failed to push through the semifinals against Valencia High School. Fatigued from traveling, the Panthers failed to bring the same intensity they had exhibited before, losing their final game of the season 0-3.
“We showed up Saturday still emotionally drained. We played a team just as good as us and they didn’t do anything special, but they were just more consistent than us,” Prater said, acknowledging Valencia’s strong performance and emphasizing the Panthers’ need for greater endurance in future matches.
Valencia presented an underwhelming roster with less flashy plays, but they executed better than the Panthers that Saturday. With a smaller student section and far less energy, the Panthers failed to reignite intensity in between matches and ultimately lost their CIF streak.
Although they fell short in the semifinals, that match does not define Poly’s boys volleyball team’s remarkable season. The Prep League Champions have made Poly history. The departure of three seniors will undoubtedly be felt, but the foundation of camaraderie developed throughout this season bodes well for the team’s future success. Surely, this won’t be the last we hear from the boys volleyball team.
