Reagan boys' volleyball perseveres to advance to first ever regional final
It was a year ago at this time that Yeison Gonzalez helped the Mater Lakes boys volleyball program break through and make its first ever trip to state.
After transferring to Ronald Reagan High last summer, Gonzalez, now a senior wanted to do the same for the Bison's boys program.
On Friday night, after putting together by far the best season in program history and securing the No. 1 seed in Region 4-2A, it looked like that dream might come crashing down.
But Gonzalez refused to let it happen.
Hosting No. 4 seed and an upset-minded Belen Jesuit team that was much better than its 13-15 record indicated, Gonzalez, along with his fellow outside hitter Diego Cobena, prevailed in a five-set marathon match, 3-2 (25-23, 22-25, 22-25, 25-13, 15-13) to win a Region 4-2A semifinal at the Reagan gym.
Reagan, after winning its opening set, had lost all the momentum as the fired up Wolverines, with their small but fired-up contingent of fans cheering them on, won the next two to go up 2-1 before the Bison rallied to win the final two sets and advance.
Now 23-4, Reagan broke new ground with the win advancing to its first-ever regional final. What could have been a rematch with Gonzalez's former team didn't transpire, though, as No. 3 seed Varela also broke new ground, knocking off No. 2 Mater Lakes in the opposite semi and advancing to its first-ever regional final.
The two teams will square off in the Region 4-2A final in Reagan's gym on Tuesday at 7 p.m. with a first-ever state final four berth for both teams on the line.
Gonzalez dominated all players on the floor as he finished with 31 kills. But if he was Batman, Cobena was his Robin as he had his own big night finishing with 16 kills.
'So after that third set, it really became a mental struggle with the team and all we had to do really......we talked about it in the huddle, about what was going on out on the court and what was going wrong,' Gonzalez said. 'The mentality we needed to get instead of the one that we had. It was let's not fight to make a play, let's fight to get the very next point and not think beyond that. I think that really helped us get the momentum going back in our direction again.'
Even though the first set score was close, Reagan led the entire way before a late Belen charge closed the gap. That late surge would turn the tide in the Wolverines' favor.
Led by outside hitter Max Klemick and Billy Essig who had a devastating serve, Belen jumped out to early lead in the second set and led the entire way. Reagan took a small early lead in the third but Klemick, Essig and Luke Diaz led the way back for another 25-22 win.
'It's very difficult to stay focused because there's a lot of pressure knowing this very well could've been my last high school game,' Gonzalez said. 'So that was my mentality. I had to work through not worrying about coming back to win the match, just winning the next point that I was in.'
Reagan jumped out to a quick lead in the fourth set and never looked back, winning 25-13 and carried that momentum in the final set, leading 9-6 at one point. But Belen kept fighting and a pair of Klemick kills spurned a 6-2 run and 12-11 lead.
But 'Batman and Robin' wouldn't been denied as they each recorded two kills over the next five points, Cobena the last one for the game-winner.
'He's brought so much to our program,' said Reagan assistant coach Joshua Garavito of Gonzalez. 'I'm sure it was a very tough decision for him to transfer over and people were always chirping to him about he had made the wrong decision and stuff like that. But he never let it get to his head and stayed strong throughout the process. 'We really built a family here and I think that's what kept him as happy and as strong as he's been.'
Said Gonzalez: 'I helped make history last year at Mater Lakes and now I want to help make history here. I love the faculty and staff here, it's been an honor to help this program to success and now we need to get one more and get this thing to state.'
MORE RESULTS
Region 4-3A semifinal - Columbus d. Cypress Bay 33-31, 25-19, 19-25, 25-18: Lucas Riva had 22 kills, four blocks and eight digs to lead the Explorers while Charlie Friguls had 52 assists. Matias Claure had 10 kills and five blocks. Columbus (26-3) hosts Southwest on Tuesday in the regional finals at 7.
Region 4-3A semifinal - Southwest d. Miami High 25-21, 25-12, 18-25, 25-20.
Region 3-2A semifinal - St. Thomas Aquinas d. Dr. Joaquin Garcia 25-21, 25-20, 22-25, 21-25, 15-13: The Raiders (16-8) travel to top-seed Riviera Beach Suncoast on Tuesday night at 7.
Region 3-2A semifinal - Riviera Beach Suncoast d. Archbishop McCarthy 25-13, 25-11, 25-16
Region 4-2A semifinal - Varela d. Mater Lakes 25-23, 22-25, 25-23, 19-25, 15-9
Region 2-1A semifinal - Cardinal Gibbons d. Palm Beach Atlantic Christian 25-20, 25-15, 25-18: The Chiefs (17-10) will travel to West Palm Beach to face Kings Academy on Tuesday at 7.
Region 3-1A semifinal - JC Bermudez d. Monsignor Pace 25-21, 28-26, 20-25, 18-25, 18-16: The Thunder (13-3) will host Divine Savior on Tuesday at Doral Legacy Park.
Region 3-1A semifinal - Divine Savior d. Downtown Doral, 25-11, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23
Region 4-1A semifinal - True North d. Sunset 25-19, 26-24, 25-21: The Titans (17-11) host La Salle on Tuesday.
Region 4-1A semifinal - La Salle d. Somerset South Homestead 3-2
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