Ohiohsvb.com News About Ohio High School Volleyball |
|
|
Elder, Moeller, Centerville and St. Edward advance to semifinals June 10, 2009 by Jim Jicha Cincinnati Elder advances over OCC Capital champion Mt. Vernon In the first Division I quarterfinal of the day, defending state champion Cincinnati Elder downed OCC Capital Division champ Mt. Vernon 25-16, 25-20, 26-24. The Panthers Elder had reached the quarterfinal round by upending GCL champion St. Xavier in the regional final the previous week. The Panthers led game one all the way, after jumping to a 4-0 lead on a kill by 65 Second Team All-State senior middle Jake Neiheisel, and blocks from Neiheisel and 66 senior right side Curt Graman. Mt. Vernon closed from 9-3 to 11-7 on kills by sophomore outside Chris Omahan and an ace from 64 First Team All-State junior setter/opposite Carter Cassell. Neiheisel countered with two, tipping and blocking a tip. Following a kill by Yellow Jacket outside Chris Hinger, Panther 66 junior outside C.J. Zureick blasted off a block to start a five point run to 18-8. Elder coasted home from there with Graman spiking two kills to end it, the last coming off a nice back set from junior setter Steven Kent. Game two saw four ties and two lead changes, and although the Panthers led most of the way they never fully shook Mt. Vernon. Elder scored first and grabbed a 4-1 lead. But Mt. Vernon rallied with three and took the lead 8-7 as junior setter/outside Chris Ingersol hammered a backset from Carter. After brief point trading, Panther senior outside Clancy Gay followed with a knock down kill and Neiheisel stuff blocked to make it 11-9. Mt. Vernon kept it close and trailed only 14-13 after a dump by Cassell nullified nice defensive plays by Panther defensive specialist Elliot Miller and 68 junior middle Matt Harpenau. But Harpenau countered with a tip and an ace that sparked a three point spurt and Elder pushed further ahead 19-14. From there the scoring went back and forth until Panther senior right side Bryan Scheck scored the game winner on a hit that was dug over but out. The Yellow Jackets led off game three with two points, and although there would be seven ties, they would stay a step ahead, several steps at one point, until Elder finally grabbed the lead at 24-23. The first point came on a Panther center line violation that was caused by a double block rejection from Ingersol and 64 junior middle Trey Williams. Ingersol followed with an ace. Elder rallied from 4-1 to tie at five on a termination by Gay. But junior middle Ben Bennett kept the Yellow Jackets in front with kill from the right. More ties came at 9, 10 and 11, the third on another termination by Gay that came after Kent and Miller kept Mt. Vernon blasts from landing. But then the Yellow Jackets really got buzzing when Cassell started a 7-1 run with a cross court smash and followed with an overpass demolishment. Omahan blocked Graman and junior middle/outside Andre Nixon served an ace to put the Yellow Jackets up 15-11, and their lead increased to 18-12 on a kill by Bennett who also recovered a partial block in his spare time. Elder retaliated with a five point rally started by Harpenau who demolished a short set from junior Chad Thornton. Gay contributed an ace, Zureick a line drive kill, and Miller converted another Mt. Vernon bomb into a nice pass. Ingersol holed a tip to staunch the run and Mt. Vernon led 22-20 after another tip was dug out of bounds by Elder. But two untimely Yellow Jacket hitting errors yielded another deadlock. Hinger rescued with a hit that Elder dug into the net. But Gay answered with a termination, and with the score knotted at 23, Mt. Vernon hit into the pole after Harpenau made a recovery at the net. Elder had its first lead, for match point no less. Cassell retied with a cross court shot, but a service error put Elder at match point again. The Yellow Jackets attempted two spikes to tie and Gay partially blocked both. Then he spiked the tenth of his team high kills, a cross court shot from the left that sliced off a dig, to end match. ******************************************************************* Top ranked Moeller prevails over youthful and talented Hilliard Darby Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller prevailed 26-24, 25-18, 25-20 in their quarterfinal with Hilliard Darby. The Crusaders had more difficulty subduing the junior laden Panthers than in an opening round 25-19, 25-17, 25-15 victory in the Centerville Elite. That was in large part due to some impressive terminations and defensive maneuvers by Darby. Moeller led most of game one, but could never shake the Panthers who took initial leads of 1-0 and 3-2 and forced six ties. Darby scored first on a kill by senior middle Ethan Print, and after yielding two errors, retook the lead on a smash down the right by 66 junior outside Brad Stimson and a cross court point by junior outside Daniel Huey. Moeller Honorable Mention All-State senior outside Richie Lovell knotted the score with a tip and after an exchange of errors the Crusaders went on top 7-4 on a kill by 65 senior middle blocker Mark Holtkamp. Darby stayed close to 10-8, helped by a block from junior setter Colin Ingram and a blast from Stimson. Moeller surged to 13-8 as junior setter/opposite Landon Hunter spiked and 65 Chris Tenkman and 64 twin Kevin Tenkman double blocked. But Stimson hammered three kills, Print terminated an intense volley to which Darby Honorable Mention All-State junior outside Jeremy Wood contributed a pancake, and Darby trailed only 14-13. Three Panther errors and a double block kill by Holtkamp and Chris Tenkman fueled another Moeller surge, but the Crusaders gave back the miscues leaving the score 18-16. And when Moeller First Team All-State senior outside Trevor Skove scored from backcourt and Lovell drilled a termination, Huey came back with a tip and Darby right side Brent Runyon pounded a kill to keep it a close 21-19. Following a kill by Holtkamp, Ingram holed a dump and Runyon followed a Crusader hitting error with an ace to knot the score at 22. Skove kept Moeller a step ahead with a cross court spike that was dug out, and Hunter served them to match point with an ace. But Print smoked a quick set from Ingram to keep Darby alive, and the Panthers got a break when Moeller was called for a double hit. Kevin Tenkman, however, countered with a well placed shot into an empty spot in the back right, and when Darby hit into the net the game was over. Print scored first again in game two and Darby stayed a step ahead through four ties to 6-all helped by two slams from junior outside/middle Jake East. The Panthers then jumped further in front 10-6, paced by two kills from Stimson. Print added a block kill, and he and Ingram otherwise kept Moeller honest at the net. With Darby still on top 12-8, 65 middle blocker Phil Neuville led a Crusader charge. He teamed with Chris Tenkman for a block kill on the right, then solo blocked on the left. After an ace by Skove, he rejected a Darby spike and the Panthers obliged with a double hit. That tied the score, but Neuville was not finished. He rejected another spike, and after a Panther hitting error, he tipped into a hole to put the Crusaders up 15-12. Skove served the run. Huey finally ended the streak with a cross court blast, but Lovell made a heads up save on the next volley to which Chris Tenkman followed with the first of two kills. After another Darby point, Lovell spiked two points and Hunter followed a block kill with a straight down smash. That gave Moeller a commanding 21-14 lead, which they padded to 23-15 after setter/opposite Dane Owens dove to keep an Ingram dump off the floor. Ingram succeeded on his next attempt, but when a Panther went under the net the game was over. Although not the closest, game three proved to be the most contested with 11 ties and six lead changes. Chris Tenkman led off with a kill and Print parried with a quick hit to back middle. Intense play continued as Moeller used two point mini-runs to go up 6-3 with Neuville, Skove and Chris Tenkman combining for four kills and Holtkamp adding a block. Then Wood, after pan caking a Moeller blast, terminated an intense volley for his second kill of the game. Following a long serve, the first unforced error of the game, Stimson started a 5-1 Darby rally to which Print added a block and short set kill, putting the Panthers atop 9-8. The lead went back and forth and Moeller retied at 12 on a Darby error that was abetted by partial blocks saves from Lovell, and stellar net play by Chris Tenkman. Huey kept Darby a step ahead with a dig kill from back court, and after another tie, Wood demolished a cross court spike. And when Skove put Moeller back in front 15-14 with a block, Stimson cremated two balls that sparked a four point Panther run. With Darby up 19-16, Chris Tenkman hammered a kill through the block, and after Crusader libero A.J. Eckhoff converted a missile into a pass the Panthers obliged with two errors. The teams exchanged long serves leaving the score at 20-20. Alas, for Darby fans, their team hit into the net and the roof fell in. Skove found a hole in the front middle and a block by Holtkamp was dug under the net. That put Moeller up 23-20, and after another hit into the net, Holtkamp slammed a quick hit that ended the match. ************************************************************* Centerville rallies from 0-2 deficit to edge St. Ignatius Centerville shook off a 0-2 deficit, and the game one loss of senior Honorable Mention All-Ohio outside Sean Hayes, to nip Cleveland St. Ignatius 20-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-11 in a two hour battle of demolitions and booming blocks. The Elks were making their 11th consecutive appearance in the state tournament, while St. Ignatius was back for their second. Centerville won state titles in 1994, 2001 and 2002, and has been runner-up three times, most recently when they fell in five to Moeller in 2004. Fans were treated to some spectacular terminations as two First Team All-State senior outside hitters, 64 Eric Wohlford from Centerville, and 65 Greg Herceg from St. Ignatius, took turns trying to outdo each other. Herceg, who will play club ball at Ohio Northern University next year, ended up with a school record 25 kills in his last match as a Wildcat. Wohlford, headed for 2009 NAIA champion Lindenwood University next season, had 23 kills and 13 digs. Although it ended with the largest spread, game one had the most ties (10) and lead changes (6). Herceg got St. Ignatius off to a 2-0 start, alternating with a spike and a tip from backcourt. The Elks scored their first point on a double block by 64 sophomore opposite Johnny Glover and junior middle Kevin Timperman. Glover would lead the Elks at the net with five blocks. Herceg countered that with a termination to the right corner. But Wohlford scored his first two kills, and Hayes put Centerville on top 5-4 with a well placed hit that was dug into the stands. St. Ignatius answered with kills by Herceg and junior outside Tim Hark, and a big block from 65 Honorable Mention All-State middle Pat Adler who, by the way, will play club for Loyola of Chicago next year. Three intense volleys ensued, all ended by errors, leaving St. Ignatius in front 8-7. On the third one, Centerville suffered a huge blow as Hayes went down with an ankle injury. But after another kill by Adler, Timperman blasted a cross court kill and Glover added a kill and blocked Herceg, and the Elks were back in front 10-9. That proved short lived as 64 senior Wildcat middle Mathias Doherty blocked Wohlford and Centerville couldnt handle a Herceg blast despite three digs. The Elks persisted, however, and retook a 13-12 lead on a smash down the right by senior middle John Griggs. Doherty parried with a booming block kill, and Wohlford and Herceg traded blasts. St. Ignatius edged back on top 15-14, after which the teams traded points and ties until St. Ignatius went ahead for good 17-16 on a block by Adler. Kent State bound Wildcat setter Ben Woods upped the margin with a dump. Following a kill by Timperman, St. Ignatius added three more as junior outside Parker Urban tipped and Herceg cremated. The scoring went back and forth from there with Wohlford and Herceg, fittingly, exchanging the parting shots. The Wildcats scored first in game two, and after two ties they built a 12-6 advantage on blocks and kills by Herceg, Adler and Hart, an ace from Herceg, and some donations from the Elks. Showing his versatility, Herceg pan caked a dig before blocking for point 12. But Centerville rallied to the fore as Timperman led a seven point charge. He started by blasting an Andrew Ervin short set, one of 40 assists Ervin would make, into oblivion. Then he assisted libero Eric Schreck in prolonging two volleys that ended in Wildcat hitting errors, and he terminated two more short sets. Glover hammered the seventh point with a shot that was dug over but out. Timperman finished runner-up to Wohlford with 11 kills for the match. Urban ended the run with a tying smash down the left, but Wohlford answered with two bombs down the left to put the Elks up 15-13. But Urban scored again, and the teams traded points to 18-16 at which point Centerville touched and hit into the net, knotting the score. After point trading, Urban, Doherty and Woods triple blocked to put the Wildcats in the lead for good 20-19. Urban followed with a termination and a block kill, and after a net infraction, Herceg went twice to his left for two blasts that ended it. Game three was the closest but, ironically, there were but two ties and one lead change as Centerville stayed on top most of the time. Elks Coach Monte Moser had told the team between games that "that this was it, all of their hard work this season and in their high school careers came to an end unless they found it in themselves to take control and push the match to five games" Play began a bit sloppily as the Wildcats opened with two and Centerville countered with four, with all the scoring on unforced errors. Herceg and Doherty tied with kills but the Elks moved ahead 7-4 with Wohlford contributing a termination and blocking Herceg. Scoring went back and forth as junior outside Sam Sheers scored twice for Centerville and Herceg blasted away for St. Ignatius. With the Elks in front 12-11, Wohlford pounded two from the left, and three Wildcat miscues helped Centerville surge ahead 19-14. St. Ignatius closed to 20-18, but Timperman, Glover and Wohlford kept them at bay 23-20. It was fortunate for the Elks that the Wildcats next hit went long, because a short but furious rally ensued. Herceg blasted one so hard the defender blocked it over the Wildcats back line. Then Adler blocked Wohlford, who in turn sent his next hit long trying to avoid Adler. On his third attempt, Wohlford ended the threat and the game with a kill down the right. Four errors at the start of game four proved costly to St. Ignatius, allowing Centerville to grab leads of 2-0 and 4-3 despite scoring blasts by Doherty and Herceg. But the Wildcats moved ahead 7-6 on a kill and ace by Herceg, and after a tying blast by Wohlford, they forged back in front on two kills from Adler, a dump by Woods and an ace by Hark. When Centerville over passed a Herceg spike from back court, Adler ate it for dinner and St. Ignatius was up 12-7. The next volley went back and forth until Timperman ended it in favor of the Elks, who were then the beneficiary of two unforced Wildcat errors. But Urban responded with a well placed hit and a line drive smash, and after two Elk scores, he crunched a short set to keep the Wildcats atop 15-12. Their lead increased to 17-13 on an ace from sophomore defensive specialist Jay Wolf. But Glover and Griggs scored big on a block, after one of Schreck's 22 digs kept a Wildcat spike from landing. Then Wohlford blocked Herceg, and he followed that with a second effort kill after Woods dug his first attempt. That cut the deficit to 17-16, and after Hark scored for St. Ignatius, the Elks charged ahead with five straight. Griggs sparked the run with a block kill. That sent Wohlford to back row, from where he demolished a kill to thwart Wildcat libero Mike Messina who had dug two Elk attempts from the front. Sheers added a kill off the block and Wohlford served up an ace, and after Herceg terminated the run, the Elks on top 21-19. Following a St. Ignatius service error, Sheers came up huge with a well placed hit that scored after three digs. Adler slammed two terminations, but Wohlford followed the first with a blast to deep left. After the second, Sheers sent the match into overtime with a kill that sliced off a Wildcat touch and ended an intense volley. The tiebreaker began with another long volley, which Wohlford ended with a sharp cross court to right front. After an exchange of long hits, Doherty tied matters at two. Then Centerville used two four point runs to break from 3-3 and put the Wildcats in an 11-4 world of hurt. Wohlford blasted two kills, while senior setter Bryan Gorsuch served an ace in the first run. After Herceg intervened with a kill, Centerville encored as Griggs and junior outside Steve Splawinski (who led on defense with 23 digs) spiked for two and Sheers dumped into a hole. Herceg again terminated the run, but Sheers came up big with a well placed cross court liner that ended a frantic volley. That point proved to be the difference between a 13-11 lead and a 12-12 tie, because St. Ignatius followed with a 6-1 streak. Adler started it with a kill, Woods prevailed on a play at the net and the Elks hit long. Adler then demolished a short set from Woods. Timperman intervened with a timely kill that ended another long volley which Hark had prolonged with a dig on Wohlford. But Herceg parried with a running jump termination from backcourt, Doherty nailed a quick hit and what seemed a comfortable lead was now 13-11. But St. Ignatius could close no further. Their next hit sailed long, and Wohlford ended the match with a blast down the left. ****************************************************************** St. Edward nips Lakota West to avenge earlier loss Lakewood St. Edward advanced to their first semifinal with a nail biting 27-25, 19-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-11 win over Lakota West in another nearly two hour match. With the win, the Eagles avenged a much shorter but equally nail biting 29-31, 22-25 loss to Lakota West in the Beavercreek Quad. With long volleys the rule all day, this match began over two hours past its scheduled start and it concluded at 10:40 P.M., twenty minutes shy of twelve hours of volleyball. Game one was perhaps the most evenly contested of the day, with seven lead changes and 15 ties before St. Edward scored three straight to win. Lakota West libero Brennan Wilder gets credit for the first point, which came on an Eagle infraction after his saving dig. First Team All-State junior outside teammate Dylan Kembre followed with a cross court kill. St. Edward roared back with four, as junior outside Tim Bajorek and sophomore outside Mike Powers each contributed a kill. But Kembre spiked two more cross court kills from the left, one off a set by 66 senior opposite Aaron Richards, and senior middle Patrick Hansford block killed. That put the Firebirds back on top, and after two tips by 64 middle blocker Chris Stanislovaitis they led 8-6. St. Edward regained the edge 13-11, led by two kills and a block from junior outside Andrew Winter with junior setter Chris Royer adding an ace. The teams exchanged three point spurts and the lead with a blast by senior outside Joe Nickels that was dug into the scorers' table leaving St. Edward in front 16-14. More back and forth saw Kembre block kill and Eagle freshman middle blocker Owen McAndrews demolish a Royer short set. Lakota West then re-knotted the score on a hit by Stanislovaitis, who then teamed with Richards for a block. The Eagles forged back in front 21-18, but Firebird senior outside Tyler Ostrander sparked a three point Lakota spurt. Then Eagle Honorable Mention All-State senior blocker Will Troxil broke a 22-22 deadlock with a short set kill up the middle. But Lakota West countered with a line drive dump by setter Dallas Kaiser, and they advanced to game point on a double block kill from Kembre and Hansford. Following an untimely service error, Hansford spiked another go-ahead point through a double block. But Powers retied it for St. Edward with a tip, and he followed up with a smash to back middle. And when a Lakota hit sailed long the game was over. Errors hurt both teams in game two, St. Edward more than Lakota West, as the teams traded the lead three times to a 4-4 tie. The Firebirds went ahead from there on a heads up defensive hit by junior specialist Jeff Trau. They never trailed again, scoring thrice on Eagle misfires, and moving out to 11-6 on a termination by Stanislovaitis and two blasts through blockers from Ostrander. But St. Edward stayed close as McAndrews scored on a tip and the Firebirds obliged with three errors. With West still up 13-10, Winter spiked and blocked St. Edward back to a tie. But Ostrander and Kembre parried with two cross court kills, after which the Firebirds countered every one of St. Edwards next (and final, as it turned out) six points to remain atop 21-19. Then Hansford and Kaiser hit pay dirt with tips, and Hansford took Lakota to game point with a blast to left corner. And when St. Edward misplayed a save by Kaiser that cleared the net, the match was even. Game three went back and forth with seven ties and four lead changes to 9-9. McAndrews paced St. Edward with three kills and an ace, as Second Team All-State libero Rhett Cash fueled the offense and indirectly scored a point when the Firebirds hit long on a volley prolonged by one of his many saves. West tied at nine following a tip by Hansford and a termination from Kembre. But when Winter scorched a cross court shot off a Firebird touch, that started a six point run to a lead the Eagles never relinquished. Troxil teamed with Nickels for a block and then soloed on another to make it 12-9 and after a Firebird hitting error, Winter served two aces. The Firebirds closed to 17-16, led by Kembre and Hansford. But they hurt themselves with errors, and St. Edward was soon on the verge at 24-17. Undeterred, Lakota battled through long volleys and rallied for four as Stanislovaitis smoked a quick set and senior outside Dave Lendl spiked two kills. The game ending volley was the most intense as Firebird defender Adam Johnson dove for one dig, and Stanislovaitis ran to the stands to save an errant pass, but Troxil finally hammered a quick set from Royer to put the Eagles up 2-1. West came out strong in game four, never trailing, and leading all the way from 5-5. Ostrander holed their first point, and Kaiser holed the second after Cash saved his previous hit. Then Kaiser dumped to make it 3-0, but St. Edward responded with three on a kill by Winter and two blocks from Troxil. With the score 5-all, the Eagles committed four errors. And despite five points from McAndrews and Troxil, they remained four points behind as Hansford and Richards countered every one. McAndrews finally got two in a row to cut the margin to 17-14, but Ostrander and Kaiser led a run to 22-15. Trailing 23-16, the Eagles rallied within two, paced by three points from Troxil. The comeback was ended by a net serve, and the game was ended by Hansford when an overpass came his way. The Firebirds continued hot to start game five, building leads of 1-0, 3-1 and 6-3 behind hitting and blocking by Hansford and Kembre. But St. Edward tied at seven on two kills from Winter. Ostrander terminated to put the Firebirds back in front when the teams changed sides, but that would be their last lead. Troxil scorched a Royer short set to re-knot the score. Then he and Nickels double block killed, and Winter terminated a long volley with a blast to deep center. Hansford ended the run, but the respite was brief. Troxil landed a quick hit into the middle, then blocked Kembre. Powers blasted away to back middle and the Firebirds hit wide, putting the Eagles on the cusp at 14-9. Hansford ended this run too, but after an Eagle hitting error, Troxil slammed a cross court shot from the left, sending St. Edward to its first semifinal.
|
|
Copyright © 2002-2010 [ohiohsvb.com]. All rights reserved. |