Husmann takes charge as Chiefs win 'A' crown
Massapequa's Christopher Husmann with the overhead in win over Plainview JFK. (Nov. 11, 2010) Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
Chris Husmann refused to let Massapequa go quietly into the Hofstra night.
With the deciding fifth set tied at 20, the junior had four kills in the match's final eight points to lead the top-seeded Chiefs to a 25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 24-26, 25-23 win over No. 2 Plainview JFK Thursday in the Nassau Class A boys volleyball final.
The Chiefs will play Suffolk champ Half Hollow Hills in the Long Island 'A' final Saturday at Longwood for the right to play in the state tournament.
It is the Chiefs' second title in a row, and just like their first one, they clinched a county championship with a 25-23 win in the fifth set.
Husmann totaled 28 kills and 14 digs and tournament MVP Christian Smith added 26 assists and 12 kills.
It was the first Nassau boys final to be contested since the sport shifted from the spring to the fall. And the fall's maiden championship was a nail-biter.
"The momentum shifted back and forth just like last season," Husmann said. "Overall, it was a great game by both sides."
"We fought back at the end . . . that's just the story of our team this year."
After dropping the first set, Plainview JFK (13-2) took a 20-18 lead in the second on an emphatic crosscourt kill from Matt Benjamin. Greg Rankel, who totaled 19 kills and six blocks, scored the final two points on a block and a kill to even the match at 1.
The Chiefs (13-1) pulled away midway through the third set to take a 2-1 lead.
In the fourth, the Hawks rallied from an 8-0 deficit but faced match point down 24-23. Husmann went up for the county-winning kill, but Rankel timed it perfectly and put away the tying block. On the next point, Rankel blocked Smith's kill attempt, giving PJFK set point.
After PJFK evened the match at two sets apiece, it thought the tide had shifted.
"We were very high," Rankel said. "We had two big blocks and came back from 8-0. But then we couldn't finish it off."
The Chiefs said they were unfazed by their loss of the fourth set.
"We knew we had it the entire time," Husmann said. "It was our game to win, and we just brushed it off and forgot about it."
Added Smith: "We just had to fight back and keep our composure. At that point, it is one game to 25."
And in the waning stages of the season's final set, Husmann ensured that the Chiefs made a little bit of noise.
Bellmore JFK repeats. It looks as if a dynasty is brewing at Bellmore JFK. The No. 2 Cougars (16-0) recorded a 25-16, 25-17, 26-24 victory over No. 1 Floral Park (16-2) to win their third straight Nassau Class B title. Tournament MVP Ben Hirschler had 12 kills and Brian O'Gorman added 11 kills and four blocks.
"We have a lot of people with championship experience, and we leaned on that a lot during the course of the playoffs," JFK coach Dennis Ringel said. The Cougars play Eastport-South Manor in tomorrow's Long Island "B" final.
