QUINCY – Longtime head coach Paul Pitts-Dilley remembers quite well how drab the state of the O’Bryant boys volleyball program was 14 years ago.
Now, after winning their first playoff game in 19 years just two seasons ago, the revamped Tigers are headed to their first-ever state semifinal.
Behind 25 kills from senior star Jonathan Narsjo in an otherwise well-rounded effort Saturday afternoon, sixth-seeded O’Bryant overcame deficits in the third and fourth sets to defeat reigning finalist No. 3 North Quincy, 3-1 (25-18, 22-25, 27-25, 25-23), in a Div. 2 state quarterfinal.
Senior Son Nguyen dished out 50 kills to add to his record-breaking career with the Tigers, while Ziyou Zhang added six kills with four aces. Desmond Ugoji chipped in eight kills with four blocks, and Nathan Tan had nine kills with three aces.
O’Bryant will face No. 2 Agawam at Assabet Valley on Tuesday for a spot in the Div. 2 state title game.
“I’m super excited, I’m trying not to cry here,” Pitts-Dilley said. “It’s amazing. Where we were 14 years ago – we go from not winning a state tournament game in 19 years to being a Final Four and counting team. … I’m super proud.”
“The second the game ended, I wanted to celebrate with my guys, but the first thing was I literally broke down in tears,” Narsjo added. “Every year, it’s a new height that we’re reaching. … It’s the most important thing to me.”
It’s only fitting how large of a turnaround the Tigers displayed from a 3-0 loss to the Raiders to close out the regular season, exemplifying the major improvements the program has made to put itself in this position. It’s also fitting how O’Bryant, which frequently struggles with transportation for road games and even had the power in its own gym go out to move a home game this year, overcame adversity once again to move on.
Rushing over from graduation earlier in the day, the Tigers got off to a hot start by getting small contributions across the board. North Quincy stars Cameron Johnston and Nate Caldwell couldn’t get much going in a 25-18 loss in the first set, but combined for 12 kills in the second to build a lead as large as seven points in a 25-22 win.
Tied at 1-1, Johnston (16 kills), Caldwell (10 kills) and Liam Bailey (seven kills) continued to thrive off of senior Bobby Lin’s setting (42 assists) alongside middles Anthony Chui and Dylan Clifford in the third set to turn a 15-9 deficit into a 21-21 tie. North Quincy was even in the driver’s seat with a 25-24 lead after trailing 24-22, but a red-hot Narsjo buried his 11th kill of the frame to hold the Raiders off. Nathan Tan and Ashton Mei took care of the next two Nguyen sets, and O’Bryant escaped with a 27-25 win toward a 2-1 match lead.
North Quincy came out firing in the fourth in search of forcing a fifth set, leading as much as 18-12. But the Tigers, who focus on runs of three at a time in those situations, clawed back behind their depth. Zhang’s two aces and another Narsjo kill played a part in a 7-0 run for a 23-21 lead, and kills from Narsjo and Tan closed out the win.
“I think it’s our experience, it’s been the same guys that have been playing together for so many years now,” Narsjo said. “We know that the set’s not done. We’ve played hundreds and hundreds of sets together, and we know that the set isn’t done until it’s 25-whatever the score is. … We have to come back, no matter what.”
