Skip to content Sean Calhoun needed just twenty-five points of action on Friday night to rewrite Burnt Hills volleyball history and collect another championship plaque. The senior setter dished out 15 assists in a single, lopsided opening set at Schenectady High School, securing his 2,905th career helper to claim the all-time school record.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake swept winless Christian Brothers Academy 3-0 with set scores of 25-2, 25-21 and 25-17. The sweep locked up the program’s 13th consecutive Section 2 Division 2 crown.
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For the top-seeded Spartans, the sweep guarantees another trip to the state semifinals. It also cements Calhoun’s place ahead of 2011 graduate Jordan Armstrong as the most prolific playmaker the school has ever produced.
A 14-0 blitz ignites Burnt Hills volleyball
Burnt Hills came out firing against CBA and gave the Brothers no room to breathe. Calhoun stepped back to the service line early and delivered 13 consecutive service points as part of a devastating 14-0 opening run.
Senior outside hitter Arthur Bowcutt provided the punch at the net during that opening barrage. Bowcutt finished his night after set one, but his early kills helped Calhoun rack up assists at a blistering pace.
Calhoun assisted on 15 of the team’s 25 points in that opening frame. On the final point of that opening 14-0 blitz, Calhoun floated a pass that produced his record-breaking 2,905th assist, pushing Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake to a 25-2 blowout.
How Sander kept Calhoun’s milestone secret
Calhoun had no idea he was on the verge of the school record when the match began. Burnt Hills coach Paul Sander deliberately hid the assist tally from his setter so the team could spring the news on him in front of the crowd.
Sander abruptly called a timeout right after Calhoun tallied the milestone point. The gym stopped, allowing teammates and family members to celebrate the achievement together on the court.
“We wanted it to be a real surprise for him, a real special event,” Sander said. “His family knew, and the players knew, but not him. It was hard, but we kept the secret.”
The moment hit Calhoun hard, especially because the standard hit so close to home. His older brother, Aiden Calhoun, previously ran the offense as setter for the Spartans.
“It’s crazy to me, thinking of all the setters who came before me – especially my brother,” Calhoun said. “I know he’s watching this right now.”
Sander described his four-year starter as the quarterback on the floor. While attackers get the flashy spikes, Sander credited Calhoun with providing the precision that makes those hitters look dangerous on every rotation.
Reserves seal 13th straight Burnt Hills volleyball crown
With the opening frame out of the way and the milestone secured, Sander pulled his starting unit. Calhoun and Bowcutt spent the remainder of the evening cheering from the bench as the substitutes took over.
Christian Brothers Academy showed much more fight against the second unit. The Brothers traded points in the second set before the Spartans pulled away late for a 25-21 decision.
Burnt Hills then closed out the match with a 25-17 win in set three. The victory pushed the Spartans to 15-2 overall on the season and protected an unbroken sectional title streak that dates back over a decade.
Winning sectional trophies has become routine for Burnt Hills volleyball, but Calhoun made it clear that regional dominance is not the ultimate ambition. Immediately after receiving his plaque, his focus shifted straight to the state bracket.
“The only thing on my mind was states,” Calhoun said. “I want states.”
Rochester state tournament awaits the Spartans
The sweep over CBA officially earned the Spartans their ticket to the Division 2 state tournament next weekend in Rochester. There, the level of competition will spike sharply against champions from across New York.
Sander will rely heavily on Calhoun’s distribution when pool play begins. Having a veteran setter who has directed the offense across four varsity seasons gives Burnt Hills a massive edge in pressure moments.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake opens Division 2 pool play on Nov. 21 at Roberts Wesleyan University in Rochester.
Source: Yahoo Sports
