Northside Christian had never won a state volleyball championship. That changed Nov. 4.
The Mustangs beat Ocala Trinity Catholic 25-22, 20-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-13 to win the FHSAA Class 2A volleyball title at Polk State College. It is the first state volleyball title in school history.
It was not easy. Neither team won back-to-back sets.
Northside took the first set and led by six late in the second. Trinity Catholic called timeout, rallied and won the set. The Mustangs took the third. The Celtics held off a late push to win the fourth 25-23.
The fifth went the distance. Trinity Catholic fell behind early, then tied it at 13. Northside won the next two points.
The Mustangs (28-5) finished on an eight-match winning streak.
The title keeps a trend going. It is the fourth state volleyball title by a Pinellas County private school in the last six years. Calvary Christian won in 2021 and 2025. Clearwater Central Catholic won in 2022.
The title also caps a steady climb under coach Sam Cibrone. In his four seasons, the Mustangs reached the district semifinals in 2023, the region quarterfinals in 2024 and the region semifinals last season. This season, they won it all.
Northside also caught a break. Two of the top teams in Class 2A, Orangewood Christian and Naples First Baptist, played in the FHSAA’s new Open Division instead of for the 2A title.
Northside won with size. The Mustangs have three players 6 feet or taller. Two of them are Power 4 recruits.
Aaliyah Cancellari, a 6-foot-2 Oklahoma commit, is a middle blocker who plays outside hitter for Northside. She is also a primary passer. Entering the state semifinals, she led the team with 392 kills, fifth-most in Class 2A. She owns the school’s career record with 923.
Candice Holloway, a 6-foot-3 Syracuse commit, is also a middle and a primary passer. Entering the state semifinals, she led the team with 70 blocks. Her .473 hitting percentage led Class 2A.
Holloway’s path was not simple. She had a severe case of scoliosis and needed major back surgery after her junior season. The surgery made her 2 inches taller.
Cancellari and Holloway won a national championship together last summer with the OTVA 17s club team. Holloway’s older sister played one season with her at Northside before moving on to Division I.
Northside has more than volleyball talent. Kayla Gross is a two-time state champion in the javelin.
Trinity Catholic coach Jeff Reavis said Northside’s athletes made it hard on his team. He said the Celtics had chances late in the fifth set and could not finish. It was Trinity Catholic’s second loss in a state final in three seasons.
The run started with payback. Tampa Prep swept Northside in the 2025 regional playoffs on its way to the state title. This year, Northside beat the Terrapins twice.
The Mustangs swept Tampa Prep 25-22, 26-24, 25-17 in the District 2A-8 final Oct. 15. They beat the Terrapins again in the region final Oct. 27, winning 23-25, 25-18, 25-18, 16-25, 15-11. Cancellari had 26 kills and 16 digs. Freshman setter Brinley Temperton had 51 assists.
In the Nov. 3 state semifinal, Northside beat Palmetto Bay Westminster Christian 25-27, 25-21, 25-16, 25-20. Holloway had 12 kills and 26 digs. Temperton had 40 assists. Westminster was making its seventh final-four trip in eight seasons.
One year ago, Northside went 18-11, and its season ended against Tampa Prep.
This year, it ended with a trophy.
Northside Christian volleyball roster
1 Kayla Gross, Sr.
2 Mayia Busch, Sr.
3 Madi Matro, Jr.
4 Madylin Hoewt, Sr.
5 Lenie Hopkins, Sr.
6 Mackenzie Ulmer, Fr.
7 Finley McKenzie, So.
7 Georgia Ewin, So.
7 Savannah Halapio, 7th grade
8 Madison Ulmer, Fr.
9 Candice Holloway, Sr.
10 Sydney Willis, Sr.
11 Brinley Temperton, Fr.
12 Aaliyah Cancellari, Sr.
13 Carter Grigg, 7th grade
13 Claudia Kennedy, Sr.
14 Jizelle Pereira, Sr.
15 Brielle Nestor, Sr.
Head coach: Sam Cibrone
St. Petersburg’s run ends in state semifinals
St. Petersburg High’s volleyball season ended one step short of the state final.
The Green Devils were swept by Orlando Bishop Moore 25-17, 25-13, 25-12 in the Class 4A state semifinals Nov. 5 at Polk State College.
It was St. Petersburg’s first trip to the final four since 2020 and just the second in school history.
Bishop Moore was too much. The Hornets are the top seed in 4A and have won seven state titles since 1999. They will face Port St. Lucie Legacy for the 4A title Nov. 7.
St. Petersburg (19-7) came in on a nine-match winning streak, a run that included the Pinellas County Athletic Conference title and a district crown.
Junior pin hitter Abigail Buffington led the way. The Appalachian State commit broke the school’s career kills record this season. She was named FACA District 14 Player of the Year for the second straight year.
Senior setter Annika Xenakis, a St. Petersburg College commit, set the school’s career aces record. She has more than 2,000 assists in three seasons and is closing in on that school record, too.
Senior pin Reyne Szabla is a Tulane beach volleyball commit.
The Green Devils also played through a key injury. Junior pin Angelina Arsovic, the team’s second-leading scorer, got hurt in early October. Her teammates wanted to keep winning so she could get back on the court. She returned for the final four.
Freshman Charley Condon filled the gap. She had played only one year of volleyball before this season, and she became a big part of the postseason run.
Most of the lineup returns. Buffington, Arsovic and Condon will all be back.