Lake Howell wins Florida Class 2A boys volleyball state title, first in prorgam history

Silverhawks sweep Reagan in title game, win all 6 sets at state tournament

Lake Howell players, coaches and staff gather after winning the Class 2A boys volleyball state title Saturday at Polk State College. / Bill Kemp

WINTER HAVEN – After 20 years of waiting the title came quickly.

Lake Howell made quick work of Doral Reagan to capture its first boys volleyball state championship in school history at the FHSAA Class 2A state finals on Saturday at Polk State College. The Silverhawks toppled Reagin in three straight sets.

“Twenty years in the making and we knew if anyone was going to do it, it was going to be these boys,” Lake Howell coach Scott Leman said. “Everything they do, they find a way to win and they don’t give up. These are the most deserving boys and they get all the credit.”

Lake Howell (29-2) reached the title game after sweeping Suncoast in three sets on Friday, giving the Silverhawks a perfect 6-0 mark in sets at the state tournament.

Lake Howell reached the state semifinals this past season when there was only one classification in boys volleyball and lost to eventual state champion Winter Park. This year, the FHSAA expanded the competition to three classifications.

It was also only the second time Lake Howell had reached the state championship game, which came 20 years ago, ironically in Leman’s first year as head coach. 

“It took a while to win this. We had some conference wins and some district wins. Then Covid came, and then last year we were running for it and thought we had it. And then as soon as it was done, we saw what we had and said, ‘Next year is our year.’”

Lake Howell, which won sets 25-20, 25-17 and 25-16, was led by senior outside hitter Tyler Windt with 13 kills and nine digs. Junior Lukas Christman delivered seven kills, eight passes and nine digs.

Additionally, Camilo Gonzalez recorded six kills, while dishing out 12 passes and handling four digs. Senior Jayke Dent had five kills and two digs. 

Christman, a first-year player at Lake Howell, said the Silverhawks were confident of victory from the moment the team arrived at the gym and could sense something special percolating in the air in the pregame locker room.

“It's a great feeling and though it is my first year, it feels like I have been with this team for a long time. It’s just an amazing time,” Christman said. “In the locker room everyone’s spirits were up and everyone was happy. We could just sense that we were going to win this thing. It was all in the air.”

Lake Howell also delivered Leman his 250th career win this season when they swept Crooms Academy 3-0 on April 3.

Reagan was led by Yeison Gonzalez with 15 kills, 28 passes and five digs. Diego Cobena delivered five kills and two digs while Michael Perez and Zhayed Lacruz both had four kills.

“I think we started off very strong,” Reagan coach Joshua Garavito said. “I think we just didn’t really adjust to what Lake Howell was giving up defensively. We never adjusted to that. I don’t feel like we played to our full potential in this game.

“I’m happy (we won a state runners-up trophy) but I would have preferred the state championship. My boys did a great job this year."