By James Sablan
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
THE boys high school division of the PSS-NMIVA Interscholastic Volleyball League SY 2025-2026 kicked off Thursday, April 9, with Marianas High School and Saipan Southern High School junior varsity teams showcasing dominant straight-set victories and grueling three-set battles at the Marianas High School gym.
Highlighting the junior varsity action, Saipan Southern High School JV triumphed over Kagman High School JV in a three-set battle.
SSHS JV started the first set as the aggressor. Heavily focused on setups and powerful spike finishes, the well-coordinated team quickly established control and never looked back, taking a 21-14 win.
KHS JV answered in a nail-biting second set.
Now warmed up, KHS JV mounted a rally fueled by diving saves and well-timed blocks that kept SSHS JV on its toes. Although neither team built a significant lead, Kagman’s persistence paid off as it edged out a 25-23 victory to force a decisive third set.
Despite KHS JV’s efforts, the team struggled with consistency in the final frame, committing unforced errors and miscommunication. SSHS JV capitalized, regaining momentum and securing the match with a 15-11 win.
In other JV action, Marianas High School JV2 proved too much for Agape Christian School JV.
MHS JV2 maintained composure in two tight sets, winning 21-19 and 21-18 to complete a sweep.
In the varsity division, SSHS showcased its resilience in a thrilling three-set clash against ACS.
SSHS came out strong, taking the first set 21-14, but ACS responded with a 21-17 win in the second to force a deciding set. In the final frame, SSHS regained its rhythm and edged out ACS 15-10 to secure the victory.
Meanwhile, KHS delivered a clinical performance against Grace Christian Academy, earning a straight-set win, 21-4, 21-11.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
