Boys’ volleyball claimed the NCS Championship title Friday, crushing Dougherty Valley in three consecutive games.
Campo jumped ahead in each of the three games, never allowing Dougherty Valley to hold a lead. “I think we started off stronger than we ever have. This was our best performance I’ve seen,” said libero Bryan Lee.
Dougherty Valley only managed to score fourteen points in the first game, sixteen points in the second game, and fourteen points in the third game. Setter Ethan Stevenson said that the closeness of the score didn’t reflect the overall difficulty of the match. “We beat them twice in the regular season, but they were tough this time. They came out fighting early on,” said Stevenson.
Dougherty Valley had unseated the first overall seed, Drake, in the semi-finals, but they proved far less challenging than Acalanes, who Campo played in the semi-final round. Acalanes kept each game close and forced Campo to battle through five games for the victory. “Acalanes against us was a championship game on its own. It was very competitive,” said freshman middle hitter Jack Eisner.
Eisner suggested opposite hitter William Henrikson and the Stevenson twins were key reasons for the team’s success. “Will Henrikson, our big senior ace, is always there when we need a crucial kill. Ethan and Avery always provide a ton of energy and are super positive on the court.”
Parent Stephanie Henrikson attended all of the NCS matches and felt the team’s performance was much improved in the finals. “The serve and receive game was much better. The crowd was amazing and that always helps,” said Henrikson.
Lee spoke optimistically about the team’s future. “This win solidified our place and will leave a lasting legacy,” said Lee.