Flintridge Prep boys’ volleyball outlasts Rio Mesa in five-game classic
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LA CAÑADA — From the outset of Thursday’s CIF Southern Section Division IV second-round match between Flintridge Prep and Rio Mesa, there was a sense in the Rebels gym that the contest was going to be a five-game thriller.
Both teams came in as league champions, with the Rebels claiming the Prep League title and the Spartans holding the Pacific View League championship.
Both teams were also evenly matched, with each squad featuring a number of impressive outside hitters and steady setters.
PHOTOS: Flintridge Prep outlasts Rio Mesa to advance into quarterfinals
Both teams didn’t want their season ending in the second round, either.
Nearly two hours after the opening serve, Flintridge Prep and Rio Mesa were exhausted after a tough back-and-forth affair. The Rebels had enough energy in the end to pull out a 27-25, 20-25, 25-22, 20-25, 15-12 win.
“This game tested our energy and our spirit,” said Flintridge Prep junior outside hitter Dante Fregoso, who had a match-high 32 kills. “We found a way to get through it.”
Flintridge Prep (22-5) will play at second-seeded Bellflower at 1 p.m. Saturday in the division’s quarterfinals. Bellflower needs to play Saturday’s match in the afternoon to give its players enough time to attend the school’s prom.
The Rebels will look to put a damper on Bellflower’s evening, just like they did to the Spartans’ night on Thursday.
“This was one of the best games we have played all season, against one of the better teams we played,” Rebels Coach Sean Beattie said. “It was just a battle.”
The battle was an exciting one from the beginning.
The Rebels and Spartans had 13 ties, five lead changes and 32 sideouts in a 23-minute first game that Flintridge Prep won after a pair of huge blocks from Miles Johnson and Tyler Dill.
Johnson and Dill combined on a block to give the Rebels a 26-25 lead and then Johnson finished the game with a solo block. Their tandem block in the third game gave the Rebels their 25th point to seal the win. Johnson, who had four kills, finished with a match-high eight blocks and Dill had five blocks to go with seven kills and five aces.
“Those blockers are on point,” said Rebels setter Aldridge Khin, who had a career-high 51 assists. “They saved our butts.”
The final four games followed an interesting trend.
The Rebels never led in the second game, but led all the way in the third game and then never led in the fourth game.
“I’ll take that every day as long as I’m on the side that has three wins,” Beattie said.
The Rebels never trailed in the fifth game, either, thanks to three unanswered points to start the final game.
Rio Mesa cut into Flintridge Prep’s lead and trailed by just one on two occasions, including a 13-12 deficit.
Being the leaders and co-captains that they are, Khin and Fregoso found each other to give the Rebels the win.
Khin set Fregoso for a shot near the net that the reigning All-Area Player of the Year easily put away for a 14-12 lead. Moments later, Fregoso spiked another pass from Khin to set off a wild celebration from the always-rowdy Rebels student section.