Caden Ledbetter wasn’t going to allow it.

As one of the few contributing seniors on the Perry boys volleyball team, he wasn’t going to end his career with a performance he knew would bother him a long time.

So, when the second set ended, he let everyone around him know what was about to unfold.

“I did not want to go home in three,” he said. “I started to ball out and started swinging. I was so pissed. First thing, I said when I get the bench is ‘We’re coming back. I’m not going home. This is my senior year. I need everybody to lock in.’

“And I tell you what, they pulled through.”

And Ledbetter was true to his word as he is one of the reasons the top-seeded Pumas won the 6A state championship after losing the first two sets to No. 2 Highland on Saturday at Skyline High.

Perry won its third state title in the program’s history after defeating Highland 22-25, 23-25, 25-19, 25-17, 15-3. The Pumas accomplished it with a rather young team and having to adjust the rotation after a recent injury to starter Dax Jones.

And that just might explain the slow start.

“Our sophomores played like sophomores,” Perry coach Ryan Tolman said of being down 0-2. “I think they were a little bit nervous. I don’t want to take anything away from Highland. They had a great game plan and executed well. They were really good, and we were fortunate to come out on top."

The Hawks, who have won three state titles, with the last one coming in 2013, came out strong. But it wasn’t enough to win a state title, coming up short for the third time since 2022 as a runner-up.

“We came out and played really well, and then they adjusted to some of the things we were doing,” said coach Jeff Grover of his underdog squad. “They closed up their blocks and started to gain some energy, and we weren’t able to get that third set. Once they got back into it, got some energy, it is hard to beat a team that good.

“That’s an excellent team, and we had our chance but couldn’t finish it.”

In large because Ledbetter wasn’t going to allow it.

Not when it was the last time he was ever going to wear a Perry uniform.

“Caden Ledbetter has been absolutely remarkable in these four matches (in the state tournament),” Tolman said. “He is the best middle (blocker) in the state and one of the best in the country. He hung in there when there were some tough times. What he did tonight was absolutely special.”

Ledbetter had some help from sophomore Collin Morrissey, junior Logan Gray and sophomore Greyson Carter, as the third set was close at 12-10 before the Pumas started to assert themselves to pull away with a 6-1 run to take control.

Perry celebreates its state title in front of its bench and student body. (By Jason P. Skoda/AzPreps365)

The fourth set was much of the same as Perry jumped out to a 6-1 lead and essentially kept that five point cushion the rest of the way before cruising in the final set to win its third crown since 2021.

“We just had to play loose,” said Tolman, who has four state titles (three at Perry, one at Desert Vista). “Once we got a rhythm, we started to execute. It just took a while.”