Sports
Staples Dethroned As FCIAC Boys Volleyball Champions By Darien
Wreckers' eight-year FCIAC reign ends in four-game loss to the Blue Wave
It had to happen eventually.
Friday night at Fairfield Ludlowe almost felt like a changing of the guard as Staples was dethroned as FCIAC boys volleyball champions.
The eight-time league champions fell 19-25, 25-17, 16-25, 25-13, 15-4 to Darien, which showed it was ready to win a league crown when it defeated Staples three weeks ago for the first time in program history.
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The Blue Wave rallied from down 1-0 and 2-1 in the match to improve to 19-1 and win their first FCIAC crown in school history.
"In the second and third (game), we kind of let it slip," Staples junior Scott Cohen said. "We made some bad errors that kind of let us down a little bit. We were tying to rally, we were trying to get back, but Darien played great."
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Darien's Calder Billhardt finished with 15 kills and 14 digs while Austin Cockerall had 20 kills. Sammy Lee recorded 42 kills for the Blue Wave, who won their 16th straight game and will be the top seed in the CIAC Class M state tournament with a bye in the first round.
Danny Fishman had assists in the loss for Staples.
"This means the world to us," said Billhardt, who was named the FCIAC's Most Valuable Player. "We've worked - Me and Austin, especially, and every one else on the team - so hard since our freshman year."
Used to playing in so many big matches, Staples looked to be the better team in the first set, but whenever they needed to, the Blue Wave responded.
With the second game tied at 10-10, Darien took control by reeling off five straight points. The Wreckers got no closer than four as the Blue Wave evened the back-and-forth match.
Staples dominated the third set after jumping out to 4-0 lead and led by as many 10 points in the game.
However, the Blue Wave established themselves as a force when they beat Staples for the first time earlier this month at home and they proved it over the next two games.
After Staples pulled within 7-6 in game four, the Blue Wave wore down the Wreckers by winning 33 of the next 44 points.
