Gibbons completes perfect season

MIAMI — Despite losing the opening game in their second consecutive match of the day, Cardinal Gibbons rallied to win the FHSAA boys volleyball state championship 29-31, 25-21, 25-23, 28-26.

“We’ve been waiting for this day, all season, all preseason, we had this one goal in mind, they worked their butts off to get here,” said Chiefs (29-0) coach Mike Zarate. “The feeling is unexplainable and I’m gonna be feeling like this for a very long time, which is even better.”

Cardinal Gibbons, which also won the 2005 state championship, led the entire opening game until Celebration rallied to take a 28-27 lead and the Storm went on to win the opening game, 31-29, as the Chiefs’ block on game point went out of bounds.

In the second game, the Chiefs jumped out to an 11-5 lead, however, Celebration scored the next eight points, including seven points on Carlos Adrian Mercado’s serve, to take a 13-11 lead. Cardinal Gibbons would then score four of final five points of the game, capped by the ninth of Reece Kramer’s team-high 18 kills to take game two, 25-21.

The third game featured 11 ties, the last at, 23-23, before Cardinal Gibbons won the final two points to win the game 25-23 on Austin Cinci’s block on game point.

The fourth and final game featured a pair of four-point runs by both teams plus eight ties. Tied at 26, the Chiefs won the final two points and celebrated after the Storm’s spike went out of bounds on match point.

Cardinal Gibbons earned a spot in the finals by defeating Boca Raton 21-25, 26-24, 25-16, 25-20 in the first semifinal earlier Saturday, led by Kramer’s 15 kills.

In the second semifinal, Celebration defeated Southwest 25-22, 25-9, 25-21.