The Staples boys volleyball team rallied in two games today to win its third consecutive Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Class L championship and its seventh in the eight-year history of the championship.
Wreckers celebrate tonight’s state victory. Pictured (l-r) are seniors Tim Ramistella, Justin Grodman, Jackson Lesser, Peter Hlawitschka, Ari Sinay, and Charlie Wiese. A picture posted earlier with this story showed the celebration after the FCIAC victory. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Galen Blumenthal for WestportNow.com
With the match at Shelton High tied at one game apiece, top-seed Southington had No. 2 Staples down in Games 3 and 4 but couldn’t finish off the defending champion.
Staples rallied from six points in both games to win 3-1 (25-14, 18-25, 25-20, 26-24).
“I’m grateful to have eight really good athletes as seniors,” said Staples Coach Bruce Betts.
“The best part about it is these guys have been best friends since elementary school. They’ve done everything together.
“When they got to Staples, they decided to play volleyball and we knew this group was going to be very special.”
