This week’s epic No. 1 Winter Park vs. No. 2 Kissimmee Osceola girls volleyball matchup was the perfect stage-setter for the FHSAA state playoffs, which begin Monday with district tournaments.

The Wildcats (24-1), playing at home with a win streak on the line, were taken to the limit by second-ranked Osceola (21-4) — which refused to fold after getting battered 25-10 in the second set. That put Winter Park up 2-0 in the first-to-three matchup. But the resilient Kowboys regrouped, came out of their between-sets huddle with smiles and pulled out 26-24 and 25-22 wins to push the match to the deciding fifth set — which is first to 15, must win by two.

Fittingly, that game was intense, with the score tied 10 times. Osceola had a match point opportunity at 14-13 but missed the chance when

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