When it was finally over, when Blaine's volleyball team ended a five-game struggle with its chief rival Centennial, Bengals freshman middle hitter Taylor Morgan lay on the floor in tears.

She had company on both sides of the net. Blaine outlasted the Cougars 24-26, 18-25, 25-16, 25-23, 24-22 in Saturday's Class 3A, Section 5 championship match at Anoka High School. The victory sends the Bengals to state. In the emotional aftermath of Saturday's match, they might opt to float rather than drive to the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

In Game 5, which is played to 15 but ended up one point shy of a full-length game, No. 3 Blaine led 6-1. No. 10 Centennial (22-8) fought back to tie the score at 12. From there, the teams drew even nine more times. Blaine's 12-10 lead was the last time either team led by more than one point until the finale.

Player of the match? The girls were too busy trading player of the moment honors. Centennial's Leigh Pudwill scored five points down the stretch. Blaine's Dimke sisters, Sydney and Lydia, made their contributions and Morgan, the ninth-grader, added some key plays at the net. Her block of Pudwill ended the match.

The game provided a fitting end to a calendar year's worth of thrilling games between these teams. Blaine jumped to a 2-0 lead in the section final at home last season but it was Centennial that went to state. Earlier this season the Bengals (27-2) fell behind 2-0 and came back to win.