Think about what has defined a large portion of boys’ volleyball over the past few years.
The dynasty of Needham. The Westfield dynasty. surge in Western Massachusetts. The rush of Wayland. The Bay State Conference is packed. Success stories from new leagues. A great deal of parity.
This spring, too, those fingerprints were everywhere. However, this season achieved a unique, historic level that is worthy of admiration.
During a Cinderella run to the Div. 1 Final Four in 2023, Brookline’s junior setter Alec Smagula spoke boldly about the heights his Warriors could reach as a rookie, claiming they were underappreciated. Two years later, senior outside hitter Kris Vaivars, who is perhaps the best player in the state, set the program’s all-time kills record. Smagula’s skill as a do-it-all setter helped lead Brookline to its first Div. 1 state championship since 1992.
The cornerstones of a brilliant 23-1 year were star power, depth, and versatility. However, in a unique year for Brookline, the program’s enthusiasm was evident throughout the bench with its infectious energy.
The dynasty is still going strong in what may be one of its most remarkable runs, even though Needham did not win another state championship. This season, the Rockets’ rotation was completely different from the star power that propelled their undefeated three-peat in 2021–2023. Throughout the year, however, defensive tenacity increased, reaching its zenith to defeat Natick in the state semifinals and earn a fifth consecutive trip to the Div. 1 state final.
The Bay State Conference has long been strong by all standards. Representatives from Needham, Newton North, and Brookline have won each of the previous five Division 1 state championships. However, no conference had ever claimed all four berths in a single Final Four in any MIAA sport during the power rankings era, and it may never have. That was altered by Brookline, Needham, Natick, and Newton North.
All four were superior to the rest of the division, and the last two were in the running as deserving future winners themselves. The only exception was Lexington, who set a personal record with a 17-game winning run and showed toughness during one of the program’s best years.
Whatever the BSC’s power-four generated, it was uncommon. The tightness with which much of the remainder of the field played out was almost as uncommon.
We were nervous about how the entire tournament would play out after last year’s parity, but it ended up going chalk until No. 2 Newton North defeated No. 1 Needham in the state final. However, this year’s opening round alone yielded more upsets than the three prior tournaments put together.
A regular-season victory over New Bedford gave Barnstable a huge emotional boost. When Taunton broke from Milford to divide the new Hockomock League title, it received the same treatment. As the 26th and 27th seeds, the two lowest seeds to advance that far in the sport, both had to upset their way to the state quarterfinals after needing victories in the preliminary rounds. In an unprecedented display of equality, Milford, Weymouth, and St. John’s of Shrewsbury also overcame their sub-20 seeding to make at least one advance.
A fair playing field contributed to the chaos of the tournament. However, the main factor was that, after being perfect in the previous three tournaments, the MIAA’s power rankings system appeared to fall short in the inaugural year.
All eight of its top seeds advanced to the state playoffs in Division 2, but that didn’t translate.
Throughout the year, Wayland was desperate to exact revenge for losing to Westfield in a reverse sweep in the 2024 state championships. By defeating the Bombers in the state semifinals, Finn Bell, the team’s star outside hitter, led an otherwise strong bunch to the championship game for the second consecutive year. Powers out of Western Massachusetts, however, once again put Wayland only one victory away from the program’s inaugural championship.
Highest ranked Agawam only lost once during the regular season, against Chicopee Comprehensive, when top setter David Dzhenzherukha was absent. Otherwise, Agawam looked like a wagon. Otherwise, Dzhenzherukha’s defense was excellent in the final, securing its second state title in three years, while a strong crew of exceptional pins surrounding it for one of the state’s best attacks.
Following that, head coach Kevin Pender spoke extensively on Western Massachusetts’s strength and the pride that comes with the region’s progress.
In the four years since the sport’s expansion to two divisions, Agawam and Westfield have exchanged Div. 2 state titles by winning the championship. Six of the top eight teams to get to the state quarterfinals are from the area, and West Springfield stepped up to almost defeat the Brownies in the state semifinals.
Only three Western teams made it to the stage in 2023, compared to five in 2024.
