Bel Air boys volleyball's Chris Couch showcases talent in 3-1 victory over Harford Tech: 'He's gifted'

Oct. 18—Chris Couch steps into the launchpad near center court and skies upward. His shoulders cross the vertical threshold of the nearly 8-foot net; his arm resembles a rocket launcher redirecting the black and yellow volleyball to burn rubber on the way down.

Harford Tech had to deal with Couch for four sets before his Bel Air Bobcats closed out the win, 25-18, 25-20, 22-25, 25-21, leaving both teams 13-2 at the end of the regular season.

"[Couch brings] tremendous experience," Bel Air coach Larry Tsomos said. "Enormous physical abilities, too. He's gifted. He's the whole package. He's not just tall and strong, but he's highly coordinated, understands the game and was very effective in the final outcome."

The senior outside hitter and Penn State commit finished with 21 kills, five aces and two blocks. At one point, between the second and third sets, he leaped up to touch the top of the bar reaching above the net — maybe 10 feet — just for fun. His athletic prowess was hard to miss.

He's a self-described leader and someone constantly yearning for more ways to impact a game and uplift his team.

But the Bobcats needed more than just their finisher. Senior setter Tom Silver has a deep bag of tricks setting up his teammates en route to a 35-assist outing, while scoring on his own with a bevy of timely dumps.

Wednesday's matchup figured to put on a show. These are Harford County's top two teams, both with nearly unblemished records, blessed by the scheduling Gods to not meet until the regular-season finale.

Bel Air similarly finished last season 17-1, and as both Harford County regular season champions and tournament champions. This year, nine of 13 wins came in straight sets with three more requiring a fourth. The Bobcats, repeating as regular season champs, are a team sewn together with playoff-ready fabric.

Harford Tech (13-2) on the other hand, was an uninspiring 7-7 a year ago. This time around, it cruised near the top of the standings finishing with only a pair of losses.

"Kids got older and most of them played club last year which really helped," Cobras coach Gary Clement said. "I remember the first year here, two seasons ago, basically only three guys had played volleyball before. ... We got some strong hitters and strong blockers. We're putting it together, just got one more little step.

"It's really important to see a team like this because it grounds us. It reminds us, 'OK, we gotta get back to our game.' Hopefully, that'll make us successful when we see them again in the playoffs."

Bel Air dominated Wednesday night's first two sets, although, the Cobras never fully lost their grip. They battled in the third set. It was tied, 14-14, then again at 20. Bel Air needed a timeout down 21-20. Then another down 24-22 before Harford Tech pinned its lone set win.

The moxie that Bel Air ballooned its lead with nearly evaporated for a set.

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"When you go in with such high intensity, inevitably at some point there's going to be a low. We started at about 6 o'clock. It's now almost 8. There's going to be a dip," Tsomos said. "We don't know where it's going to be but that's what it was. Having said that, it's completely unfair to put any blame on us when we should give credit to Harford Tech."

Bel Air regrouped quickly for the fourth.

Perhaps the Bobcats' greatest collective trait is their ability to save a ball from the dead. Whether it's floating out of bounds or nearing an empty corner of the court, they frequently communicate enough to save sure-fire points with a flailing limb.

There's an undying confidence on that side. It starts with the coach and permeates to the team.

Tsomos constantly wears a smile and patches his heart on his sleeve.

When Bel Air trades a hellacious rally but drops the point, he's the calm and confident one. After a crucial block, he gave a secluded double fist pump. He later let out a "Who's the man!?" after a momentum swing in favor of the Bobcats to the player responsible for the kill. And following missed chances, Tsomos is first to high-five his players and pick them up.

"We couldn't win without that energy," Couch said. "I've played for three years on varsity and that's something we've always had. It definitely helps us win games. It's awesome after you do something good and after you do something bad, everyone is there to pick you up."