BY GENE NARDI
On Thursday, April 14, the Palm Beach Central High School boys volleyball team hosted William T. Dwyer High School and defeated the Panthers in five sets (25-20, 22-25, 25-13, 17-25, 15-13).
The Broncos (5-6) exchanged winning sets with Dwyer, but the fifth set landed in favor of Palm Beach Central. The win accented the celebration as the Broncos honored seniors on senior night.
Palm Beach Central took the first and third sets, with the third being the most impressive. Initially, the set was close, with the Broncos leading by only one at 8-7.
A seven-point run put the Broncos in a comfortable position to take the third set, leading 18-10. Caleb Blazer and Trevon Savage were instrumental in capturing the third set in dominating form 25-13.
Palm Beach Central could have wrapped up the match with a win in the fourth set, but a committed Dwyer squad had other plans. Dwyer led 11-10 midway through the set. The Broncos struggled at times to serve over the net, which proved to be the difference in that set, which they surrendered 17-25. It was the break the Panthers needed in an effort to spoil senior night for the Broncos, taking the match into a fifth set.
It appeared that the Broncos would cruise their way to victory in the fifth set, running out to a 13-8 lead, but a stubborn Panther squad would not go quietly. Dwyer put together a four-point run, finding all the right moves to come within one point, 13-12.
The rally forced a Bronco time-out, but it proved to be just what the Bronco squad needed to collect itself and squeeze out two more points to take the final set 15-13 and the match.
With the win, the Broncos improve to 5-6 on the season. Blazer had 20 kills, three blocks and two aces. Savage recorded 14 kills and four digs. Luke Cain had 25 assists and 15 digs. Joey Pisa tallied 30 digs for the Broncos.
Palm Beach Central had games against Olympic Heights and Seminole Ridge high schools this week, but results were not available by press time.
ABOVE: Caleb Blazer keeps the ball in play for the Broncos.
