Boys volleyball: Webster, Spencerport both fall in state finals

Webster was hopeful for a state championship.

The same goes for Spencerport.

In the end, both Section V champions made runs to their respective state title matches, but Webster and Spencerport each suffered heartbreaking losses Saturday at the Albany Civic Center.

In the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Division I final, Body Groff and his Webster Lakers (22-2) lost Shenendehowa coach John Coletta's unbeaten Plainsmen (Section II) in four games: 30-32, 25-20, 12-25, 22-25. Senior middle hitter Bradyn Pomainville had nine kills to clinch the title.

In their return to the NYSPHSAA Division II tournament final, Shaun Cannon and his Spencerport Rangers (20-4) fell to Jamesville-Dewitt coach Matt Cline's Red Rams (Section III) in straight sets: 14-25, 24-26, 18-25.

Player(s) of the match

Bodey Groff

The Webster setter handed out 59 assists throughout the NYSPHSAA tournament. Groff paced the offense with 24 assists in the final. In pool play, Groff had 21 assists against Shenendehowa and 14 assists against Massapequa (Section VIII).

Shaun Cannon

Spencerport's setter dished out 27 assists in the final against a J-D (20-2) team that became Section III's first boys volleyball state champ.

Unsung heroes

Evan Lukasiewicz led Webster with 11 kills in the Division I final. He also added kills against Shenendehowa in pool play. Zach Zian played well defensively again with 16 digs, Nick Ange with 14 assists and Jacob Grams 10 kills. Joey Preische and Griffin Monrad had nine and eight kills each, respectively.

Bailey Zambuto had another strong defensive outing with 15 digs. Collin Auburn put down 10 kills with a hitting percentage over 50%. Matthew Bodensteiner and Jackson Brumm each had seven kills. Gage Berry contributed five kills and an ace.

Award winners

Webster was honored with Division I's Sportsmanship Award by the officials board.

The state also honored Calvin Lill as the Good Sport medalist. He had three blocks in pool play.

How'd they get here

Webster coach Greg Kennedy's Lakers began the season 13-0 and avenged its only loss to Fairport in the Section V Class A final — the program's first since 1996. Kennedy's Lakers defeated Section VI's Orchard Park in regionals to advance to Albany's state tournament. Webster went 2-2 in Saturday's pool play, splitting with Massapequa 27-25, 19-25, and Shenendehowa 22-25, 25-21, to advance to the final.

Spencerport coach Aaron Austin's Rangers have won five of the last seven Section V Class B titles. They rode a 15-game winning streak into the state final. They hadn't lost a five-set match to a Class B school before the state final. The Rangers went 2-2 in Division II pool play, falling to Jamesville-Dewitt 25-18, 25-17 before defeating Section VIII's Happauge 25-19, 25-19 to clinch a J-D rematch in the final.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Webster, Spencerport fall in boys volleyball state finals