On Tuesday, April 28, the Poly boys volleyball team, after going 5-3 in league and 11-9 in the season, began their pursuit to earn the Division 6 CIF Southern Section championship title. Throughout their playoff run, one word can be used to describe the team: relentless, as all four matches went to five sets.
At their home game against Viewpoint School, the Panthers started slow and gradually gained momentum, dropping the first set before dominating the second set 25-10. The two teams then split the next two sets, heading into a fifth where the Panthers would ultimately protect home court, retrieving a comeback in the final set to move on to the second round.
There, they took a road trip to face the Thunderbirds of Yucaipa High School. The team lost a tight first set 24-26 then dominated the next two 25-15 and 25-19 before finally heading back into another five-set matchup. Ultimately, the Panthers escaped to the next round with a 15-8 fifth set win. Junior Cashel Barnes commented, “It was a hard fought game, we went back and forth until it was a 5 set match. Everyone was tired but we had the drive to pull through and win, even with the other team being very disrespectful.”
The Panthers once again journeyed on another road trip to play against Calvary Chapel in Santa Ana on Wednesday, May 6. As they walked into a relatively tight gym, the team was met with a hostile home crowd. As the game progressed, it was clear that the crowd was not letting up, yet the team embraced every aspect of the jeer. Falling behind 0-2, the team only had one option, and that was to win. Set by set, the Panthers reeled themselves back into the game, embracing the atmosphere and pressure of the situation. Ultimately, the Panthers prevailed and moved on the next round with a miraculous reverse sweep and 3-2 victory.
After the game, junior outside hitter Sam Andrade reflected, “It was probably the most rewarding game we’ve ever played. To come back from down 0-2 in front of a packed gym was a surreal feeling. Their fans were really loud, and I think we did a good job of embracing that energy and using it to our advantage.”
For their final match on Saturday, May 9, the Panthers returned to their home court to face off against Garden Grove High School. Taking the first two sets in dominant fashion, the team fed off the crowd’s energy and looked to capitalize on their advantage. The team dropped two hard fought sets 20-25 and 22-25 before heading into yet another fifth set. There, the team took an early lead before both teams reached the 15 point mark. Subsequently, both teams fought back and forth, battling for a chance at a CIF championship gold, with the game neck-in-neck all the way up 25 points. Despite their perseverance and grit, the Panthers lost 2-3 in a high-energy, hard-fought battle, ultimately ending their season.
While the team finished with a record of 14-10 and ultimately fell short in achieving their CIF championship, their performance and dedication throughout the season were nothing short of impressive.
