Miami High boys’ volleyball secures new milestone for program with GMAC championship
Rafael Cabanzon’s goal when he became Miami High’s boys’ volleyball coach three years ago was to turn the Stingarees into a state powerhouse.
A year after Miami High returned to the state tournament for the first time in 17 years, it seems to be taking an even more impressive path back there.
Cabanzon watched his squad secure another milestone for their program when the Stingarees won their first-ever GMAC tournament championship on Monday night at their home gym.
Miami High followed up victories over Hialeah and Braddock with a convincing 25-23, 25-17 sweep of two-time state champion Southwest Miami in the final.
The Stingarees (15-5), who lost to the Eagles (13-5) in the state semifinals last year, beat Southwest for the second time in three games so far this season.
“We’ve been hungry to redeem ourselves since that match last year,” Cabanzon said. “It’s a big bridge we just crossed.”
Miami High, which graduated only two seniors after last season, edged Southwest after a tough first set and then appeared confident throughout the rest of the match led by its core of seniors.
Among the most key are Cabanzon’s younger brother Gabriel, the team’s starting setter, and 6-4 hitter Denzel Madrigal, who moved from the middle to an outside hitter role this season.
The switch has opened up the Stingarees’ attack, and Madrigal’s development on both the attacking end and defensively has helped him develop his overall skill set in the game.
“We’ve been working hard and looking up to this,” Madrigal said. “I’m definitely more comfortable being in a lead role this year.”
Cabanzon finished with 55 assists and 18 digs for the tournament. Madrigal and outside hitter Bryan Meza each had 18 kills for the tournament to lead the Stingarees, who beat Hialeah 25-5, 25-14 in the quarterfinals and Braddock 25-18, 25-15 in the semifinals.
Eduardo Hernandez had 15 kills and 18 digs while libero Hector Alarcon had 40 digs.
The duo of Cabanzon and Madrigal led Miami High to state last year, but once there teams were able to key on Madrigal in both phases.
This year, the Stingarees have more hitting options thanks to a group of newcomers.
Sophomore middle hitter Jefferson Moreno-Maldona and senior Aurel Nyemeck, who both are 6-2, have stacked up Miami High’s front line at the net with height and athleticism.
Cabanzon said Nyemeck (17 kills, 6 blocks in the tournament) was not on the team last year while he focused on improving his grades, and is in only his second year playing volleyball. Yet he and Moreno-Maldona each showed their skills with key points during Monday’s final.
“Our guys are understanding their abilities and what they can do if they put their heads into it and compete point by point every game,” Cabanzon said.
This story was originally published April 4, 2022 at 8:19 PM.
