OHS wins first SVC volleyball title with victory over Mancelona
Coming into 2012, Onaway High School volleyball coach Steve Watson listed as his team’s two biggest goals winning the first Ski Valley Conference title in the program’s history and advancing beyond the regional round of the postseason.
His squad can now cross the first of those goals off its to-do list. The Cardinals took the final step toward clinching the SVC crown on Tuesday when it swept visiting Mancelona, 25-14, 25-8, and 25-11.
The win improved OHS to a perfect 8-0 in the Ski Valley, allowing them to finish ahead of 7-1 Forest Area, 6-2 Pellston, and 5-3 Joburg in the race for the conference.
Onaway knocked off all three of those squads during the season – the team’s first-ever SVC win over the Hornets and only its second against the Warriors. The Cardinals are 40-4-3 overall and ranked fourth in the latest Class D poll.
The team will attempt to achieve its second goal when the postseason begins October 29 with the district tournament. First, though, Watson wants his team to take a moment to enjoy the accomplishment of the first goal.
“This is huge,” Watson said. “We’ve been second or third best for so many years, it feels great to finally win one. And winning this conference is quite an accomplishment.
“This isn’t a conference with mediocre volleyball, it’s a conference that has sent numerous teams over the years to the state semifinals in Battle Creek. To win the Ski Valley is special.
“The girls played great last night, and they’ve been excellent all season long. This accomplishment is a direct result of all the hard work they put in during the off-season and at practice. They’ve earned this.”
Mariah Ehrke had 13 kills and five digs against Mancy, while Megan Estep had 27 assists, three kills, five digs, and eight aces. Lexi Szymoniak had five kills, eight digs, a block, and five aces.
Kallie Shimel had three kills, six digs, and two aces, Meagan Self had four kills and a block, Emily Estep had four digs, and Sara Fullerton had three kills and three digs.
Earlier in the evening, the OHS JV completed a perfect SVC season with a 19-25, 25-17, 15-4 victory over its Mancelona counterpart. The junior varsity is 31-6-4 overall.
Morganne Badgero had eight kills and nine digs, Ashley LaLonde had three kills and four digs, Jade Galer had two kills and eight digs, Shyanne Corey had three aces and 10 digs, and Tori March had two kills and three digs.
One day earlier, the Cardinal junior varsity competed in the JV version of the Presque Isle County Championships. Onaway fell to Rogers City, 8-25 and 24-26, but beat Posen, 25-16, 25-27, and 15-7. RC also beat Posen and won the tourney.
Badgero had five aces, five kills, and 25 digs, LaLonde had three kills and 13 digs, Elise Arkwood had four kills, 10 digs, and a block, Galer had three kills and seven digs, and Roxanne Kortman and Vivian Hale each had five kills.
Last Thursday, the volleyball squads played a non-conference match against Rogers City, with the varsity defeating the visiting Hurons in a sweep, 25-19, 25-17, and 25-7.
Megan Estep had 27 assists, nine kills, and six digs, Ehrke had 11 kills and 23 digs, Devin Bristley had six kills, 18 digs, and four aces, Szymoniak had seven kills and eight digs, and Fullerton had four kills, eight digs, and three aces.
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Arkwood had seven kills, three digs, and a block, Galer had four kills and 25 digs, Badgero had five kills and 25 digs, Corey had eight assists and nine digs, and March had seven assists and two digs.
The varsity and JV volleyball squads will host Cedarville on Monday – the final junior varsity action of the season. The varsity will host the Presque Isle County Championships on Wednesday, the final match until districts the following week.