Freedom boys handle HEAT in region final
After a decisive victory over a previously undefeated Tampa Bay HEAT team for yet another boys volleyball regional title, Freedom coach Gina McFerren was asked by one of her colleagues if it ever gets old.
“No, it doesn’t,” she responded with a smile.
But it does get tougher. The No. 2-ranked Patriots won their fourth region title in four tries since 2018 (2020 was canceled due to COVID) with a 25-18, 25-17, 25-20 win over the HEAT, a squad of home-schoolers that entered 25-0.
Freedom (27-3) goes to South Florida for a state quarterfinal Friday at Archbishop McCarthy High School in Southwest Ranches.
Lake Mary (26-1) and Winter Park (25-2) also won straight-set region finals on Tuesday night, giving the Orlando area three quarterfinalists, all seeded in the top four.
Freedom will be vying for its third straight state championship after winning in 2019 and 2021.
“It doesn’t get old, but it does get more stressful,” McFerren said. “And there’s more pressure to return to state.”
Freedom is able to handle the pressure better than most because it plays tough opponents.
“Our schedule definitely helps us prepare for the postseason,” she added.
It helps that two highly ranked teams are right up the road in Lake Mary and Winter Park. FHSAA rankings have Region 5 winner Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (27-2) as the state No. 1, followed by Freedom, Lake Mary and Winter Park.
Lake Mary thumped Bartram Trail (12-4), 25-22, 25-12, 25-16, on Tuesday. Winter Park overwhelmed Timber Creek (18-9), 25-17, 25-17, 25-14.
Two of Freedom’s three losses came to Lake Mary and Winter Park, but those were March matches when the Patriots had multiple injuries. Among the missing in action were seniors Andre Aguilar and Andres Gomez. Both are back, making Freedom very dangerous.
“We’ve only had a handful of matches with our full starting lineup this season, but now we’re all healthy,” McFerren said.
The Patriots are looking to tie Bishop Moore’s state record for FHSAA boys volleyball championships. The Hornets won titles in 2010, 2012 and 2015.
Below are Friday’s quarterfinal matchups. If seedings hold up, Freedom and Lake Mary will square off in one Saturday semifinal and Winter Park will take on top seed Cardinal Gibbons.
Never have two Orlando area teams met in a championship match but that could happen if Winter Park outs Cardinal Gibbons, which has won 13 in a row since losing a midseason tournament match to Lake Mary, 25-18, 25-22.
Friday quarterfinals
(At Archbishop McCarthy High School)
■ No. 1 seed Cardinal Gibbons (2 7-2 ) vs. South Broward (1 8 -5 ), 1 :3 0 p.m.
■ 4 Winter Park (2 5 -2 ) vs. 5 Miami Senior (2 4 -6 ), 3 :3 0
■ 2 Freedom (2 7-3 ) vs. 7 Miami Southwest (2 2 -8 ), 5 :3 0
■ 3 Lake Mary (2 6 -1 ) vs. 6 Lake Worth Park Vista (2 6 -3 ), 7 :3 0 Saturday
■ Semifinals: 1 0 a.m. and noon Championship match: 4 p.m.