Shadow Ridge NIAA State Champions In A Thriller 3-2!!!

Shadow Ridge 3, Coronado 2 (27-29, 23-25, 25-17, 25-17, 15-9)

Wow.  What a match for all the marbles. This was the best match I have seen this season.  The electricity was in the air before the first serve as the fans poured into the gym and turned up the noise. Coronado fed off the initial energy and started off very strong charging to a 9-4 lead.  Bryan Arana was on fire early with an amazing 8 kills in the first set.  The Shadow Ridge fans chanted Jimmy Neutron at him and it only seemed to raise his game.  The Cougars sustained their margin until late when Shadow Ridge was able to fight back to tie the score at 23.  Zach Hafen and Taylor Lancaster logged 4 kills apiece in the comeback effort. The two teams were neck and neck until Jahren Makanoa dialed up an ace serve to give set one to Coronado 29-27.

Set 2 was much like the first set with Coronado surging to a lead Shadow Ridge spending most of the game trying to catch up.  The Cougars built there small lead on the arm of Chris Andrulis who hammered 5 kills, 1 ace and 3 blocks in the set.  Bryan Glenn provided some clutch blocking and Bryan Arana tabbed 5 more kills.  Coronado was forcing most of the action but the Mustangs were finally able to tie the score at 19 behind 5 kills from the always smooth Zach Hafen.  From here on out the set was very close but Coronado once again was able to pull out a slim victory 25-23.

With their backs to wall down 0-2 Shadow Ridge came out much stronger in set 3.  At this point the two teams seemed to resemble two boxers with different styles.  The powerful slugger versus the slick defender.  Coronado kept throwing knockout blows and Shadow Ridge continually dodged with great defense.  The Mustangs were as slick as Floyd Mayweather in set 3 as they just kept digging and counter punching to an 18-14 lead which they extended to 25-17 by the end of the game.  Plenty of contributions were made offensively for Shadow Ridge but it was truly the combined effort of their defense that won the game.

Game 4 was a mirror image of game 3 and the score ended the identical, as well, Shadow Ridge 25-17. Bryan Arana paced the Cougars adding 5 more kills to his match high total of 20.  Shadow Ridge really showed their depth and flexibility in this game.  Last night they got nearly all of their offense from the left side, tonight senior MB Thomas Rowan stepped up big time blasting 6 kills and two blocks in game 4.  Taylor Lancaster also added 6 kills as the mustangs knotted the match 2-2.

At this point you could cut the tension with a knife.  The crowd was louder than ever and the environment was fitting for a state championship.  Shadow Ridge came out strong racing to leads of 6-2 and 10-4.  The Mustangs defense brought in backup MB Charles Andrulis for Coronado who scored a couple of kills but couldn’t slow down Thomas Rowan who had settled into “the zone.”  Rowan added 4 more kills in the short set and then on game point with the Cougars ready for the set to go to him again, Jeremy Makaiwi flipped the set over his head to Zach Hafen for game set and match.  Shadow Ridge is the state champion.  Both teams deserve a great deal of credit.  The match was very exciting and so many guys stepped up and played well.  Hats off to the great crowd, as well. This is the way to watch two state finalists battle it out.  I am already looking forward to next season.