In the latest back-and-forth boys volleyball battle against Newport Tuesday night, Philomath came up with the winning formula late in the fifth set to pull out another victory.
Warriors senior setter Isac Marcelo put the match away with a stuff block.
Gallery: PHS boys volleyball vs. Newport (April 15, 2025)
A collection of photos from Philomath High’s five-set boys volleyball win over Newport on Tuesday.
“It felt great,” Marcelo said after Philomath’s 25-17, 23-25, 25-19, 16-25, 15-12 win. “It’s nice to get a good block, especially on game point trying to win for the team.”
A few hours earlier, Philomath opened the home volleyball doubleheader with a 25-12, 23-25, 25-15, 25-14 victory over North Bend. The Warriors remain unbeaten in Special District 2 at 4-0 and improved to 5-2 overall.
Philomath and Newport have met twice this season with both matches going the full five sets.
“It’s normal to have ups and downs,” PHS senior Raul Sanchez said. “When we are losing, we need to keep our heads up … and when we’re winning, we’re always going to celebrate with each other.”
Philomath and Newport will meet two more times this season — April 29 on the coast and May 6 back in the PHS gym.
“We’re going to be playing the same teams a lot so we’re getting to know their strengths and weaknesses,” Marcelo said. “Knowing that we beat them already, going forward we’re going to adapt and develop even more.”
The Warriors continue to work on their skills with each passing week. The team has a couple of hard hitters in senior Carson Winder and junior Andrew Muir. Other starters in Tuesday’s win over Newport were junior Chris Eaton, senior Aiden Carrier and junior Mason Stevens.
“I always trust my teammates whenever they’re going to hit or they’re going to pass,” Sanchez said. “I’m always going to celebrate them because I trust in them. You need to put trust in them so we all improve as a team.”
In the opening set against the Cubs, Philomath gave up the first two points but reeled off five straight and never trailed again. Newport contributed to the effort with errant hits and subpar passing but Stevens also contributed with a block for the fifth point.
Newport rallied to tie the first set at 8-8 but the Warriors got a sideout on a Muir hit. Eaton followed with an ace serve inside the back line and an unforced error by the Cubs made it 11-8. Still, the Cubs would not go away and they tied it up again at 13-13. The Warriors regained the lead with three straight points, a sequence that included a key hit by Eaton. In the final moments of the first set, Winder had a key hit for the 24th point and the Warriors clinched it when Newport wasn’t able to execute on a pass.
The second set was close all the way and the Warriors appeared as though they might go up 2-0 when they took a 22-19 lead. But the Cubs scored six of the next seven points to even the match.
A similar pattern followed in the third set with the lead changing hands on several occasions. With the set tied 8-8, Philomath scored back-to-back points and never trailed the rest of the way. Winder had some key hits and Sanchez had a return on a serve that fell for a point as Philomath built a 17-11 lead. Newport got back to within 18-16 but Philomath responded the rest of the way to go 2-1 in the match.
A key moment in the set occurred on Philomath’s 19th, 20th and 21st points — all coming on hits by Muir. And the 22nd point, the Warriors got the point when the ball appeared to hit a Newport player in the forehead.
In the fourth set, Philomath got into an early 5-1 hole and struggled with consistency. Still, the Warriors did well enough to tie the set 14-14 after a Winder kill, Stevens hit and a Newport ball into the net. But the Cubs regrouped and regained the lead en route to a winning margin of nine points.
That set up the fifth set to 15 points. Newport led 9-6 at one point but then hit a wall offensively. Philomath took advantage of the opportunity and took an 11-10 lead on a Muir kill. Newport later tied the set 12-12 before the Warriors finished strong. Winder had a powerful hit on the 13th point, Newport hit a ball into the net on the 14th point and Marcelo finished it out with that block on the 15th point.
Marcelo said he really enjoys his position on the floor.
“When you give that set and they get a kill off it, it just feels great being able to help your teammates,” Marcelo said. “I’m relied on and it’s fun — setter is one of the funnest positions to play.”
Sanchez also loves his role as libero.
“I like the feeling of when my teammates think it’s over (the point), I’m going to be there to save the ball,” he said
For students like Marcelo and Sanchez, boys volleyball has been an exciting addition to their high school experience.
“It’s like a dream,” Sanchez said. “I’ve always wanted to play volleyball since I was in Mexico. … Ever since they announced there would be a team here at Philomath High School, I wanted to be here. Since the first day, I said I’m going to be the libero.”
Philomath will play its next doubleheader next week on April 22 at Marshfield. The Warriors will face the host Pirates at 4 p.m. before going up against North Bend.