The Hollis Brookline boys volleyball team celebrates its third straight state title on Saturday at Nashua South's Belanger Gym. (Photo by Sam Datin)

NASHUA — Hollis Brookline High School boys volleyball standout Ethan Norris noted the words that his coach, Ed Leonard, has repeatedly said.

“HB is a beast in the playoffs.”

The facts clearly back that up as for the third straight year, the Cavaliers defeated a team in the finals that beat them during the regular season. This year that meant Souhegan. The No. 5 Cavs (15-4) defeated the No. 2 Sabers (16-3) in the Division I final at Nashua South’s Belanger Gym, securing HB’s third consecutive state championship title. These teams first matched up back on April 12, where Souhegan won a five-set thriller. This time around, however, HB triumphed in a dominating 3-0 performance.

“I think a lot of people looked at our team and looked at our record, and looked who we lost to, and it doesn’t matter, it’s who shows up in the playoffs,” Leonard said. “What’s amazing is, we had 10 new guys, every single one of them acted like they had been here before. Playoffs are our regular season.”

Set one was even through the first 20 points. Souhegan then proceeded to take the next five points, situating themselves in the lead 15-10. HB was not to be denied, however, staging a comeback and eventually led 22-19, prompting Souhegan to take a timeout. The Cavaliers then closed out the first set, 25-21.

Set two was ever so competitive throughout the first 31 points, with Souhegan possessing many leads. They trailed HB 16-15, and the Cavs proceeded to go in a dominating 9-2 run to close out the set, 25-17.

Set three was the most consistent showing from the Cavs en route to their third consecutive state championship. HB lost the first two points of the set, marking the last time it would trail. They cruised through the third set, and a late surge from Souhegan proved too little too late. HB closed out the final set 25-22.

Hollis Brookline’s Norris, a junior and now three-time state champion, contributed 13 kills. He highlighted team chemistry as a key reason behind NB’s resilient season: “This year was a whole different type of bond,” he said. “On the court, we started off slow, but throughout the season, on and off (the court), we’ve gotten so much closer.”

Hollis Brookline’s Jordan Beck added nine kills. Kyle Sanborn had four kills, and Bradley Noble had 22 assists.

Souhegan Head Coach Carla Boyer led her team to its first state championship appearance. Even after a tough defeat, Boyer was proud of her squad, “This is the first time this has ever happened to us,” she said. “Souhegan, we’re a smaller school, we’re not huge, and to come up against all these bigger schools… The perseverance of every single one of these players has been great.”

Souhegan’s Everett Boyer had 15 kills, and Addison Hodgdon had 11 kills.

Meanwhile, Leonard’s message to his team will need staying power, because he is leaving. He signaled this is it for his time in coaching. He was ready to walk away last season but HB AD Brian Bumpus talked him into one final year.

“This is my fourth one (championship) in nine years,” he said. “This is my last year, I’m retiring after this, riding off into the sunset. Let the ink dry.”

But again, he reminded everyone once again of one thing about the postseason.

“HB teams,” he said, “are just a different animal.”