NASHUA – With the top seed and an undefeated record, the Coe-Brown Northwood Academy boys’ volleyball team consistently showed it was the best in the state. On Saturday, the Bears finished the job. 

Coe-Brown (19-0) was able to neutralize Hollis-Brookline’s Ethan Norris, arguably the best player in the state, and dropped a set for only the second time this season, but responded to defeat the Cavaliers (16-3) in four sets, 25-17, 25-18, 22-25, 25-19, to win the program’s first championship.

The result halted Hollis-Brookline’s bid for a fourth consecutive state championship, but not before the Cavaliers handed Coe-Brown its third dropped set all season and pushed the unbeaten Bears deeper than most opponents had managed all year.

The only other time Coe-Brown dropped sets was in a 3-2 victory over Dover on May 8.

“We played with a lot of heart and intensity,” said Cavaliers head coach Jake Balfour. “Taking a set from Coe-Brown, which has only happened once this season, I couldn’t be prouder. It just wasn’t our day.”

The first set was evenly matched through the opening points, with both teams tied at 8-8. Coe-Brown pulled ahead following a pair of Hollis-Brookline attack errors and an ace from senior Carter Brown. That short surge forced a timeout from Balfour, but the Bears kept applying pressure. Senior Bruce Marshall delivered two straight kills to give Coe-Brown a 16-12 advantage.

Hollis-Brookline responded with a block from senior Mateo Morel to trim the deficit to 17-16, but Coe-Brown regained control late as junior Tyler Fuller closed the set with three kills in the final stretch, powering the Bears to a 25-17 win.

Coe-Brown carried that momentum into the second set, opening on a 4-0 run that included two aces from junior Oliver Ford. Hollis-Brookline never fully recovered, allowing three separate 5-0 scoring runs in the frame. Struggling to gain traction, the Cavaliers dropped the second set 25-18 and found themselves facing a two-set deficit.

“They changed their offense, and we weren’t ready,” Balfour said. “Once we figured out how to get them out of system, we started gaining momentum.”

That turning point came in the third set, led by the play of senior captain Ethan Norris. Norris recorded four straight kills to give Hollis-Brookline a 10-9 lead, energizing both the team and the fans in the stands. Morel added another timely block, and Norris continued to dominate at the net, ripping four more kills and combining for three shared blocks to stretch the lead to 18-13. That run prompted Coe-Brown to burn their first timeout of the match.

Although the Bears responded with back-to-back kills from junior Luke Corriveau to cut the margin to 19-17, the Cavaliers held firm. Norris tallied three more kills down the stretch to seal the set 25-22. The victory marked just the third time all season that Coe-Brown had dropped a set, and Hollis-Brookline became only the second team to do so.

With a spark ignited, Hollis-Brookline came out firing in the fourth set. Norris picked up where he left off, delivering three of the team’s first five kills as the Cavaliers grabbed a 6-4 lead. An ace from senior Jamil Patel extended the advantage to 9-6. Coe-Brown answered behind Marshall and Fuller, who helped even the score at 9-9.

From there, the teams traded points up to 12-12 before Corriveau sparked a decisive Coe-Brown push. He recorded two kills and an ace during a 5-0 run that gave the Bears a 17-12 cushion. Hollis-Brookline made one final rally, cutting the lead to 18-16 after a kill from Morel, but it was not enough. Marshall and junior Istvan Miko combined for five of Coe-Brown’s final six kills as they closed out the match 25-19 to claim the Division I state title.

Corriveau led the Bears with 15 kills and four blocks. Norris finished with 25 kills, three blocks, and an ace, while Morel contributed seven kills and five blocks to lead the Cavaliers.

“Great game. We knew it was going to be a grind,” said Coe-Brown head coach Ryan Smith. “After the third set, we got in our heads a little. Coming into the fourth, we told the kids to be confident, get swings on the ball, and play connected.

“We have five senior leaders who are experienced, but it was a team effort – all 15 players contributed at some point. Ten years ago, we were 0-16, and now we’re champions. These kids deserve it.”

(Dan Attorri contributed to this report.)