Posen VB looks to erase recent post-season disappointments Saturday with a title

The goal of winning a district championship has eluded senior setter Courtney Romel her first three years on the varsity. She wants that to come to an end Saturday in Hillman with the start of the Michigan High School Athletic Association volleyball playoffs. The Vikings found themselves in a position to make history last year, leading 12-9 in the district finals against the Atlanta Huskies, but couldn’t put the game away. Atlanta has been a thorn in the side of the Vikes all three years of Romel’s seasons as the Posen playmaker.

The tournament doesn’t start with Atlanta, though, as Posen is matched up with Gaylord St. Mary at 9 a.m. St. Mary may have a score to settle with the Vikings, because that’s whom the red and white eliminated in the semifinals last year. Posen has never won a district championship in volleyball.

ROMEL BELIEVES Posen has the talent, but “we need to play as a team, count on each other, and communicate,” said Romel, watching the boys’ basketball team Tuesday night. “It’s going to take everyone’s efforts,” said Romel. She is also hoping Posen fans knock the sleep out of their eyes and drive over to Hillman for the game. “I hope we get a lot of support,” said Romel. The Vikings have had a rocky final week of the regular season, dropping matches to Fairview and Mackinaw City, three games to one.

In each match, Posen evened the match at a game apiece by taking game number two, but dropped the final two. “We just haven’t been able to finish,” said Posen coach John Dietlin. “We’re playing well, and I’m proud of my girls, but we need to keep chipping away and eventually we’ll get over that hump.”

THE SCORES Monday against Mackinaw City were 20-25, 25-20, 15-25, and 20-25. Romel had a combined 47 assists in the two contests. Fellow senior Katie Lewandowski, who has suffered her share of post-season disappointment with Romel, has been playing steady the last week with a combined 11 digs and eight kills. Jill Krajniak had four aces against Mackinaw City, while Jackie Szczerowski blasted three kills against Fairview and hustled up six digs against Mackinaw City. The scores against Fairview were 21-25, 25-22, 19-25, and 20-25.

If the Vikings can get by St. Mary, they would play Joburg in the semifinals at noon. The winner of that match will move on to the finals at 1:30 p.m. against the winner of the Hillman vs. Atlanta match. One last regular season tune-up will be played tonight at Hi

llman.

THE POSEN JV continued its perfect march through the season. Already Mary Rubeo’s players have wrapped up a third consecutive North Star League title. Tonight’s contest will be a rematch of mother against daughter, as Nikki Rubeo Oswald coaches the Hillman JV. Mom won the first time around. The Vikings improved to 14-0 on the season with a sound defeat Monday of the Mackinaw City JV. The girls came away with a sweep against the junior Comets, 25-10 and 25-16. Michelle Mulka led the team with nine aces, but was followed close behind by Elyse Perrault with eight. Jenny Ciarkowski had six aces.

Posen also swept Fairview, 25-13, 25-18, 25-21, last Thursday, and Au Gres last Wednesday, 25-7 and 25-18. Mary Calhoun had five aces and three assists, while Katie Olsen had three aces and five assists against Fairview. Calhoun had eight aces against Au Gres.

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