The Madera South Stallions took too long to get going and the Sanger Apaches took advantage for a three-set sweep at Madera South.
The Apaches won the first two sets by a combined 50-29 and held off a Madera South run for a
25-21 in the third set Thursday to clinch the County/Metro Athletic Conference championship.
The Stallions had trouble going and fell behind 11-3 in the first set. Two side out kills from Jared Guglielmana, a side out kill and solo block from Christian Sylvia and an ace from Brian Zaragosa cut the Sanger lead to 15-11.
Sanger eventually extended its lead to four before going on a five-point run to get to set point, 24-14.
Zaragosa put down a kill and Sanger hit out of bounds to cut the lead to eight. Sanger hit out of bounds again, but a kill gave the Apaches a 25-17 win.
The Stallions got side out kills from Zaragosa, Guglielmana, Dallas Hansen and Sylvia for a 5-4 lead in the second set.
Sanger went on a four-point run to take the lead before a cross-court kill from Riley Maciel got the side out.
The Apaches went on a three-point run and put the set away with a seven point run. The final five points of the run all came from Madera South errors — a ball off the antenna, a Sanger block, a ball into the net, an ace and a hit out of bounds — to give the Apaches set point.
The Apaches closed the set with a kill for a 25-12 victory.
In the third set, three Madera South errors led to a 3-2 Sanger lead.
The Stallions stopped the run with a block from Hansen after Sebastian Moreno made a dig with a kick save. However, Sanger scored four straight points to open an 8-3 lead.
The Stallions got side out kills from Maciel and Sylvia and another kill from Maciel for a 9-6 Sanger lead.
A Sylvia tip kill gave Madera South the side out. After a trade in side outs, the Stallions got kills from Zaragosa, Hansen and Guglielmana to tie the set at 12.
Sanger came back with five straight points for a 17-12 lead before a Guglielmana side out kill.
After the Apaches took a 20-15 lead, Guglielmana put down a kill, but a missed serve gave the ball back to Sanger.
Maciel and Sylvia put down side out kills to keep the Stallions in the match, trailing 23-18.
A Sanger kill gave them match point, but a missed serve gave the Stallions a chance. Moreno served up a point and Hansen put down a kill to cut the lead down to three. However, a soft kill from the Apaches gave them a 25-21 victory to end the match.