Gilman boys volleyball defeated Archbishop Spalding in four sets Friday at St. Paul’s to win the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship. After dropping the opening set, Gilman won the next three to finish 14-1 overall, claim its first title since 2024 and secure its ninth championship.
The Greyhounds entered the A playoff as the top seed after losing only to Archbishop Spalding during the regular season. Archbishop Spalding defeated Gilman 11-4 during that regular-season meeting.
Gilman rallies after opening-set loss
Gilman held a 23-21 lead in the opening set before Archbishop Spalding won the final four points. William Rothe recorded two kills during the Cavaliers’ closing run to give Spalding the early advantage.
Gilman answered in the second set after falling behind 21-19. The Greyhounds closed the set with six consecutive points, including three kills from senior starter Jonah Thompson, to even the match.
Gilman carried that momentum into the third set and built a 13-7 lead. Archbishop Spalding cut the deficit to 24-23, but Josh Kim delivered a kill to put the Greyhounds ahead in the match.
Freshman opposite hitter Neme Ebo added back-to-back kills late in the match, while junior hitter Zach Booker recorded a block kill. Kim’s ace completed Gilman’s championship victory.
Young Gilman roster delivers title
Gilman coach Diego Matorras said the team exceeded his expectations after the program graduated 11 seniors from the group that lost to Loyola in the previous year’s final. “I was at peace knowing that we did everything that we could to get here,” Matorras said. “The boys deserve this.”
Kim, Joe Hutzler and Thompson were Gilman’s senior starters on a roster that featured eight underclassmen, including six sophomores and freshmen. “We just had one goal, just play as a team and get the job done,” said Kim.
Matorras said the young group developed beyond his expectations. “They went over my expectations. I wasn’t expecting then to get along that well and perform,” Matorras said. “Again, we had some good games and some lucky games, but you could tell that there was something bigger among them.”
Booker also described the uncertainty surrounding the younger roster before the season. “We weren’t really sure how it was going to work, but the community that Coach Diego fosters make it hard to fail,” Booker said.
Archbishop Spalding denied first title since 2007
Archbishop Spalding entered the championship match after defeating Gilman during the regular season but could not repeat that result. Cavaliers coach Kyle Church said Gilman’s hitting depth made the Greyhounds formidable.
“Their defense is always phenomenal, but this year they’re just pulling pin hitters everywhere they can,” Church said. The loss denied Archbishop Spalding its first title since 2007 (B).
Before the championship match, Kim reflected on the end of his Gilman career while speaking with best friends Jonah Thompson and Joe Hutzler during the bus ride to the game. “This is our last game wearing a G on our chest. I think it’s starting to sink in,” Kim said, “but you know, I’ve loved every moment of it.”
MSB Analysis
Gilman’s championship run included a comeback after the opening-set loss, six consecutive points to close the second set and late contributions from Ebo, Booker and Kim. The Greyhounds finished 14-1 and earned their ninth MIAA A Conference championship after losing to Archbishop Spalding during the regular season.
The title marked Gilman’s first since 2024 and came from a roster featuring three senior starters and eight underclassmen after the graduation of 11 seniors from the previous team.
View the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association volleyball page for the official league source.
Source: Original report
