(Max Potter)
HIGHLANDS RANCH – Douglas County is Colorado’s first ever high school boys volleyball champion.
On Saturday at Rock Canyon High School, the Huskies won 25-15, 25-17, 25-18 over Legend to finish off a perfect season with 18 wins at the end of a momentous campaign for the emergent sport in its first season with CHSAA sanctioning.
There will be many more boys volleyball champions to come in Colorado. But this year’s Douglas County group will always be able to say it was the first.
“It was a tremendous feeling first to know we are going to get to play,” Douglas County coach Jason Fitzgerald said. “This team wanted this moment from Day 1. This lays the groundwork not only for our team but for teams in the rest of the state. We are looking forward to the growth of the boys game, everyone we saw this tournament has improved greatly this season and I can only imagine the level of play in this state will be going up from here.”
The Pascua brothers dominated in the match, just as they had all season with Jayden Pascua recording 14 kills and his brother Jensen Pascua notching 25 assists.
(Brian Livergood)
“I don’t even know what to say, it is just so cool that I get to be here and play with my brother,” Jayden Pascua said. “We have always had a strong relationship and it definitely helped on the court today, playing volleyball has brought us together in so many ways and I am happy to get to have this moment with him.”
Connor Shumate also played a big role for the Huskies with 10 kills and an ace that invigorated the Douglas County faithful.
“We couldn’t have done it without the fans all season long. They brought the energy we needed every time,” Shumate said. “It was so nice to play in front of that crowd, especially for boys volleyball in our first season. It is special to get to play the first season a sport is sanctioned and I am so glad I got to be a part of this team and we won the state title as a team.”
To reach the championship game, Douglas County won 25-20, 25-19, 25-16 over Eaglecrest in the semifinals of the eight-team Season D state tournament. In the opposite semifinal, Legend won 25-23, 25-21, 25-20 against Valor Christian.
With the COVID-19 pandemic canceling the first season of boys volleyball in the state, this championship means a lot to a lot of different people. But for the players, that special feeling is something that will never go away.
“We worked so hard to get to get here,” Fitzgerald said. “Each time we accomplished something, be it the league champion or regional champion, we were the first to do it and that meant a lot to this group. The energy in this building was terrific and the coaching of these players before coming to high school was incredible. I am blessed to have such a talented team.”
The championship marks the 12th state title overall for Douglas County.
(Brian Livergood)