Bryan Wang helps Plainview JFK win Nassau Class A final

Fittingly, senior Bryan Wang played the role of crusher Thursday night.

"As a sophomore, we lost in the finals. We were crushed," the Plainview JFK senior said. "We wanted it bad last year but then we lost in the semis. Crushed.

"Tonight, we came out with so much energy and so much love for each other. This is incredible."

Wang had 14 kills, tournament MVP Allen Durutovic contributed nine kills and setter Brian Maloney had 35 assists as No. 2 Plainview JFK defeated No. 1 Massapequa, 3-1, in the Nassau Class A boys volleyball final at Hofstra.

Plainview JFK will face Suffolk Class A champion Sachem North for the Long Island title at 2 p.m. Saturday at Suffolk CC-Brentwood.

The Hawks won the first two games, 25-21 and 25-22. "We started strong and were putting the ball away," Durutovic said. "That 2-0 lead was big."

But Massapequa, behind Nick Smith, took the third game, 25-19.

SEE PHOTOSNassau 'A' boys volleyball final

Plainview JFK used a 9-1 run early in Game 4 to grab a 13-5 lead and were never threatened in a 25-15 victory. Dio Katehis added nine kills and Nick Godino had eight, including a flat-out kill for the final point that sparked a pileup of players on the court and a thunderous roar from the spirited spectators.

"We stayed with our plan and did a pretty good job on Smith. It's not easy to close him down," said Plainview JFK coach Russi Villalta, who noted the team hadn't won the county title since 2009 and had lost to Massapequa in the finals from 2010-12.

Godino credited Maloney for much of the team's success Thursday night. "Our passing was on. Our setter was incredible," he said. "Our whole team was working as one, not just as individuals, and we found the holes."

Wang found a hole on the Hawks' first point of the night, a blast down the line that set a tone. "They gave me the line and that first one gave me a spark," he said. "I went for it the whole night."

He crushed it, and so did his teammates.