Douglas County won the first boys state volleyball championship sanctioned by the Colorado High School Activities Association last year.
The Huskies went 18-0 in the historic season but on March 23, Douglas County suffered its first sanctioned loss.
Regis Jesuit pulled out a 3-2 win over the top-ranked Huskies in a match played in the Douglas County gym and the 10th-ranked Raiders snapped a 19-match winning streak for County, which opened this season with a win over Littleton.
“We are much younger this year,” said Douglas County Coach Jason Fitzgerald. “We know we are going to get everyone’s very best and we are looking forward to the challenge. The game against Regis was another opportunity to grow into who this year’s team will be. Chapter Two.”
Douglas County, led by the play of Landon Keathley, Dillen Coney and Jensen Pascua, won the first set 25-20 but lost the next two sets.
The Huskies won three of the last four points to capture the fourth set, 26-24.
Fitzgerald’s team grabbed 5-1 and 6-3 leads in the decisive fifth set but couldn’t hold off the Raiders, losting 15-12.
Keathely and Coney, both juniors, each had 11 kills to pace the Huskies.Coney was credited with four blocks.
Zach Dubey finished with eight kills and Spencer Etchells had four blocks for the Huskies.
Pascua, another junior, had 32 assists, 18 digs and two service aces. Senior CJ Mullins was solid with 18 digs. Mullins, Pascua and Coney were the foundation of last season’s title team.