It took a little more than an hour Friday to culminate five years of work for the Staples boys volleyball team. The Wreckers won their 100th straight game with a 3-0 sweep of Danbury in the Class L tournament. The Wreckers won by scores of 25-20, 25-15 and 25-18.
Staples advances to the semifinals, where it will meet either Glastonbury or Cheshire. The Wreckers have not lost since 2006 and improved to 20-0 on the season. The Wreckers are aiming for their ninth state championship, and their fifth straight in Class L. Team parents presented coach Bruce Betts (see video) and players with a cake after the game.
Senior Thomas Prenderville led Staples with 14 kills and six service points, while Mikey Fitzgerald added 12 kills and nine assists. Dan Hiawitschka contributed 22 assists. Evan Gaumert had six kills and eight service points and Daniel Fishman had five assists.
"I had no idea the streak would go on this long,'' said Prenderville, who had one amazing kill early in the third game when he flew in from 20 feet beyond the net and sent down a kill. "It has become a little bit of a burden for us, but I'm glad we got it for Betts. It's nice to win 100 in a row, 101 would be nice, but 102 would be the greatest."
The games followed a familiar pattern as Danbury hung with Staples until about the midway point, before the Wreckers pulled away for good. Neither of the games were particularly close.
"I think we're deeper than most teams,'' Prenderville said. "We rotate eight or nine guys and I think that helps us. Plus we all have good endurance, and that's why we're able to pull out those tight games."
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