Forest edges Lake Brantley for regional volleyball title
OCALA - The Forest boys volleyball team showed plenty of grit and determination in rallying past a talented Lake Brantley squad in five sets to by scores of 19-25, 25-23, 25-27, 25-19, 15-11 to win Friday night's Class 1A Regional Final.
The come-from-behind victory kept Forest perfect on the season at 16-0 and sends the Wildcats to the FHSAA State Finals for the first time in school history next Friday.
"The boys had all heart and were in it to win it," said first-year Forest head coach Jason Wigginton. "Lake Brantley is a good team and played with poise and were well-coached, but our boys just wanted it more. It's all mindset and everybody goes all out all the time no matter the score."
Lake Brantley (Altamonte Springs) proved they were going to be a challenge from the opening point. The Patriots, who finished the season at 19-9, utilized a formidable front line led by 6-foot-3 Shane Wetzel, who had a team-high 24 kills, to take the first set, 25-19.
Forest bounced back behind the outstanding net play of senior Klistan Lawrence, who had a match-high 54 kills, to win the second set by a score of 25-23.
The Patriots kept the pressure on by rallying from a 24-22 deficit in the third game to pull out a 27-25 victory.
The Wildcats, urged on by a raucous home crowd, cruised to a 25-19 win in the fourth game to set up a 15-point rally to decide the regional championship.
Lake Brantley jumped out to a 3-1 advantage but Forest got a spike by Lawrence and a dink shot by freshman Tyler Hamilton to tie the score.
Both teams showed great athleticism in the final game as many of the points were long rallies with some spectacular digs and saves.
The score was tied at 6-all and 9-all before the 6-foot-8 Lawrence landed a perfectly placed dink shot and teamed with Hamilton on a key block to give Forest a tenuous 11-9 lead.
Lake Brantley fought back as Wetzel found an opening with a spike to make it 11-10, but a Patriots serve sailed just long and Lawrence, who has committed to play volleyball at Division I Long Beach State University, drilled a cross-court kill shot to make it 13-11.
Another crucial service error by Lake Brantley put Forest on match point and after a long rally, Forest senior Stephen Dixon blasted a spike between a pair of Lake Brantley defenders to clinch the game and the match for the Wildcats.
Forest showed a lot of heart in qualifying for the eight-team state tournament that will begin next Friday in Miami.
"We never give up, we just keep fighting and it's an honor to go to state," Lawrence said. "We're going to enjoy tonight and we're happy to be going to state, but we want to win and we're going to work hard and do our best."
Forest, which has been competing in boys volleyball for three years, will play next Friday in the FHSAA State Volleyball Tournament against Miami Southwest.
"We're looking forward to competing in Miami and giving it our all," coach Wigginton said.