Spencerport continued to dominate local boys volleyball, taking down Brighton and Gates-Chili before sweeping Churchville-Chili 3-0 to win their sixth consecutive Class B1 Section V championship.
“It means a lot to us; we work hard every day and, when I was a freshman training with varsity, knowing that we have a legacy to hold up and we just want to carry on the legacy,” said outside hitter Nate Long.
“It pushes us because we know teams are on our backs; they want to take the big dog down, take the Goliath down, but we just know we have to work hard every day in the gym.”
In the final, the Rangers trailed in the first set 13-11 but went on a 9-1 run, with junior Connor Galloway registering two kills and two aces, on their way to a 25-19 victory.
In the second, Churchville-Chili again led midway through 15-12, but Spencerport rallied 13-4 down the stretch to seal a 25-19 win. Junior Nathan Long had a kill and a block, senior Gavin Zimmer a pair of kills, and Galloway two blocks and a kill during the run.
“We got dogs on this team, so we’re going to keep fighting no matter what, and we can win any game, and we know that,” Galloway said.
The third and final set was tied 17-17 before Galloway took over two kills, two blocks, and an ace while sophomore Bradley Judge and Long added kills during an 8-1 close.
“We played against tougher opponents this year, so it definitely prepared us for this.”
2025 Class B1 All-Tournament Team members included Trey Harpole and Frank Cirri from Churchville-Chili, Long and Mason Endres from Spencerport, while the Rangers’ Galloway was named Most Valuable Player and Austin Coach of the Year.
“He (Galloway) became a monster the last two games; we knew he had it in him, and I think he decided he wanted it more than everyone else, which was amazing to watch,” Spencerport head coach Aaron Austin said.
“The upperclassmen overshadowed some of the younger players, and then the younger players stepped up, so then the upperclassmen stepped up toward the end of the season. A lot of them were afraid to be in the big moment at first, but playing against harder teams, I think, really pushed them.
“It means that these boys are building a legacy that continues to get passed on through the players and families, even. We’ve had brothers; I played with some of the players’ dads, and now they’re coming back and playing. It means everything from family to tradition.”
