Boca Raton Christian defeated Seacrest Country Day in the Class 1A state volleyball semifinal, ending a three-year streak of losses to the Stingrays in the state tournament. The Blazers secured a hard-fought four-set victory at Polk State College on Tuesday night, with set scores of 25-20, 25-21, 24-26, and 27-25.
Junior Mackenzi Vanzwieten and sophomore Hannah Vanzwieten led the charge for Boca Raton Christian, frequently connecting for powerful plays that set a fierce tone for the new-look Blazers squad. Hannah finished the night with 22 kills, while teammate Caroline Wright added 20 kills in the win. Despite facing a physically towering Seacrest team, the Blazers stood tall and battled to avenge three years of heartbreak against their Naples nemesis.
After falling to Seacrest in the state championship game each of the last three seasons, Boca Christian jumped out to a strong start with a 7-2 run that turned into a 10-5 lead in the first set—a lead they would not relinquish. The Stingrays made the match challenging, closing gaps multiple times during the first set and mounting a comeback attempt in the second after Boca Christian had built a 21-12 advantage. Still, the Blazers closed out the second set 25-21.
With a potential sweep on the line, both teams fought fiercely in the third set—the closest of the match. Seacrest held the edge for most of the set, but Boca Christian rallied with a five-point run late to crack 20 points first. The Stingrays answered back with a three-point streak to even the score and eventually secured a 26-24 win to stave off elimination.
Defensive efforts from senior Jenifer Good, the only senior on Boca Raton Christian’s roster, and sophomore libero Brianna Nahmod helped stabilize the Blazers’ back line. Both players made key plays throughout the match, particularly in the intense third set.
The fourth set remained tightly contested until Caroline Wright delivered a beautiful cross-court kill in the final moments, helping Boca Christian seal the victory. The Blazers did not falter in the closing points, holding their nerve to close out the match and earn a spot in the Class 1A state championship.
With this win, Boca Raton Christian improves to 15-11 on the season and will now face top-seeded St. Edward’s in the state title match. The championship game is set for Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m.
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/high-school/volleyball/2025/11/04/boca-raton-christian-volleyball-seacrest-country-day-state-semifinals-fhsaa-2025/87073812007/
