It seems that this entire season has circled around the timeless rivalry between Central and Mendham. Last night, the rivalry peaked as the Lady Highlanders played the Minutemen in the finals of the County Championships, winning in two close games (25-18, 25-23) and taking back the title of County Champs.

Last season, it was Mendham who was deemed best of the county, but this year West Morris Central’s name will be recorded in Morris County’s history books.

The stands were packed and the chants were thunderous as game one began, both teams unsure of what to expect from the other. The score remained close throughout the game, each team tying and taking small leads, until Kelly Maguire’s 4 serve run put WMC up 20-16. Soon, Morgan Blair finished the game with a kill, lifting an enormous amount of stress off her teammate’s shoulders. Blair had 2 digs and 8 hits. Stefanie Swerdlin of Mendham had 16 assists and Lindsay Duggan had 5 kills, 4 blocks, and 1 dig.

Feeling the pressure of a win, the Minutemen took charge of the second game and began with a 5-0 run. After a timeout called by Central, the score evened out at 11-11. Kelly Maguire’s spike put Central in the lead - a lead that stayed with them until the crucial game point at 24-22. Everyone in the Central audience rose to their feet in anticipation as the Lady Highlanders finished off the Championship with a 25-23 win.

Notable Mendham players of the Minutemen were Andrea DeMoss with 8 kills and 2 digs, and Dom Vandenbulcke with 4 kills, 1 block, and 2 digs. Jackie Falzarano was announced M.V.P of the game with 3 digs and 7 hits.