Boulder Creek boys volleyball coach Troy Dueling received a grand sendoff Saturday night. As grand as it can get for a coach heading to Grand Canyon University to coach. 

The Jaguars' coach is headed for a gig next year in downtown Phoenix and his final squad played the way they were predicted to play in preseason -- as favorites to win the Divison I title.

The final effort for second-seeded Boulder Creek was a come-from-behind 3-1 victory over No. 4 Perry before a raucous crowd at Mesquite High School. Scores were 17-25, 25-17, 28-26 and 25-21.

It was the second championship in three years for Boulder Creek  (41-4) in its fourth title-match appearrance. The Jaguars were runners-up in 2007 and 2008. Perry (36-6) was playing in its first title game and trying to avenge a championship-match loss to Boulder Creek in the first invitational of the season at Chandler High.

That attempt started fine, but Boulder Creek bowed its back and played better the waning moments of the pivotal third and fourth sets.

"Perrry came out and played a great first set," Boulder Creek outside hitter Liam Santa Cruz said. "We knew we had to play better from there on and we had the confidence to do it. We don't rely on one or two guys. Everybody does their job. That's how we played tonight."

Santa Cruz, one of the exiting four seniors, contributed 20 kills and 12 digs. Opposite Bryce Whitman was really on his game with 16 kills in 29 attempts and only one error. Setter Andrew deLeon had 51 assists and the defensive effort was spearheaded by senior libero Grady O'Neil with 38 digs. A month ago O'Neil was named MVP of the Brophy Invitational, one of two invitationals the Jags won besides the state trophy. Juniors Patrick Ross (16 kills), Ryan Serrano and Cooper Salmen (four blocks) are back next year to carry the torch for the Jags.

"Grady never stops," Dueling said. "The four seniors we have, the whole team collectively, they put in so much work for this. It's nice to go out with the win, but I wanted it more for them than for me."

The first two sets were split with each team dominating the set they won. The third set was the one that had fans sweating out every serve, pass, dig and kill. Neither team led by more than two until a bad stretch by Perry led to five straight points for Boulder Creek and a 20-15 lead for the Jags.

Perry's Ethan Fillmore, who led all players with 22 kills, capped a run with a kill that evened the set at 22. Boulder Creek had three chances at set point and Perry one. The set ended via a block by Salmen, who was back in the Jags starting lineup after sitting out the semis with an injury.

"We talked about the first set being Game 6 against Desert Vista and we played well to go in front," Perry coach Brian Pomeranz said. "Boulder Creek turned it up, and you have to give them credit. They play great defense and have a lot of diversity in their offense....

"I had another coach tell me in these kind of games something always goes against you or happens in your favor. A couple times plays went in their favor."

One of those came in the fourth set. With the set tied at 16, Santa Cruz delivered back-to-back kills for a two-point lead. It looked like Perry would cut the lead to one, but Whitman managed to return a ball parallel to the net. It trickled across the net and fell on Perry's side to make it 19-16. Boulder Creek never trailed again and deLeon put the finishing touches on the victory with set dump.

Leading in stats for Perry aside from Fillmoe were Collin Hoag with 11 kills, Jason Tomlinson (23 digs), Dallin Winward (19 digs) and Garrett Wagner with five blocks.