Southwest boys volleyball sees dream of state title repeat slip away vs. Winter Park

This one was epic.

Miami Southwest just missed completing one of the greatest comebacks in state history at the FHSAA boys volleyball state finals Saturday at Polk State College and ended up finishing as state runners-up to Winter Park.

Winter Park captured the first two sets 25-18 and 25-18 but defending state champions Southwest came roaring back to win the third set 25-20 and the fourth set 25-14 and extend the match.

Southwest (24-8) was a point away from completing the comeback leading 14-12 but Winter Park dug deep and reeled off the next four points to win the rubber match 14-16.

“We thought we were going to win it,” Southwest co-head coach Mauricio Diaz said. “We had them on the ropes. But I think at the end we went for too much gusto and it cost us.”

Southwest was led by Juanmarco Diaz with 17 kills and 16 digs while Marlon Albornoz added 12 kills and 16 digs.

It was the second state championship in program history for Winter Park, which also completed a perfect season with a 31-0 record.

“They are resilient,” Winter Park coach Jesse Day said. “We’ve been through everything. There is nothing we haven’t been through this season. We haven’t been in that situation and they still came out on top, and that speaks to the resilience of this group.”

Tristan Guitton led Winter Park with 19 kills and 11 digs while Mason Barberree added 10 kills and 13 digs.

Southwest advanced to the state title game after knocking off top seed Miami High 25-16, 25-12 and 25-16 earlier Saturday morning.

Southwest also avenged an earlier season loss to Miami High and halted its 20-game winning streak in the process. It was just Miami High’s second loss of the season.

“We had some success last time with them but I think our nerves just got the best of us,” Diaz said. “Coach Joshua (Perez) made some adjustments to the lineup and we did some stuff defensively. We scouted them well (in the quarterfinals) and watched video on our last match. I think we knew what they were going to do, and I think they were a little surprised that we figured them out a little bit.”

Southwest was led by Andrew Ovalle with nine kills and nine digs and Jamel Toste with seven kills and five digs.

Alex Verite led Miami High with nine kills and 11 passes while Jefferson Moreno handed out six kills with nine digs.