Sports
Second year of boys volleyball brings improved play
Second year of boys volleyball brings improved play Published 12:46 pm Wednesday, April 30, 2025 1 of 7 Crook County’s Caleb Decker, left, tries to block a spike from Summit’s Anand Groves, during the Summit-Crook County volleyball match at Summit High in Bend Monday afternoon. 4-28-25 Andy Tullis/The Bulletin Summit’s 3Edward Archer, left, bumps the […]

Second year of boys volleyball brings improved play
Published 12:46 pm Wednesday, April 30, 2025
1 of 7
One of the main differences between the first and second year of high school boys volleyball in Oregon is in the eyes of Summit’s Gavin White.
White can’t remember a single set during the high school season a year ago en route to a state title where the matches were competitive. This year, the competition level, he feels, has been raised.
“We haven’t had many close games except for this year,” said White, a junior setter. “I think it is good to see some better teams that are going to put up a fight.”
Monday evening two of the three Central Oregon boys volleyball teams squared off at Summit High. Summit rolled past Crook County in straight sets (25-8, 25-13, 26-24). The Storm have won eight of nine matches this spring, and have won 22 of the possible 26 sets.
But against the Cowboys, despite winning handily in the first two sets, the Storm found themselves in unfamiliar territory in the third set. They were in a major hole and needed to dig their way out to avoid dropping the set.
“They are working on meshing together as a team and keeping that excitement up,” said Crook County coach Mallory Hall of her team. “Because when they do, they play great.”
Crook County built a 13-5 lead midway through the set and had the set tied at 24 before the Storm were ultimately able to pull away. Being on the ropes, even for a set, isn’t something Summit was used to.
“We don’t have a lot of these situations in school volleyball,” said Summit sophomore Aiden Woods. “But we do in club volleyball.”
With boys volleyball being such a new sport at the high school level – the second year of its trial run as an “emerging activity” with the chance to be a fully-sanctioned sport by the Oregon Schools Activities Association next year – there is a high variance of skill level.
But perhaps it is to be expected with so many schools and the majority of the athletes giving the sport a try for the first time. Some teams have a core of players who play volleyball for a club, while others are starting from scratch trying to build and introduce a new sport.
That is the case for Crook County. When the program started a year ago, only one of its players had played volleyball competitively.
“The difference in skill for each player has been amazing,” Hall said. “Just seeing them come back from last year and realized where we started last year and seeing how well they have honed their skills has been really great to see as a coach.”
The Cowboy have put together a quality season, winning five of their eight matches with two of their losses coming to Summit.
There are four games remaining in the regular season and the Cowboys are hoping to get better in time for the eight-team Class 4A culminating event in late May.
“We are just hoping that they can continue to improve,” Hall said. “We don’t want them to plateau. We are going to keep practicing. I’m just hoping that they are able to make the improvements that they are hoping for.”
Sports
Cumbrian swimmers inducted into hall of fame – cumbriacrack.com
Three Cumbrian swimmers have been inducted into the county’s hall of fame. Ian Powley, Colin Hill, and Chloe Wilcox, members of Penrith Swimming Club, were honoured for their exceptional lifelong contributions to aquatic sport. They join fellow Penrith Swimming Club figures Rosie Huggon and the late Jenny Birtle, who were inducted earlier this year. Ian, […]


Three Cumbrian swimmers have been inducted into the county’s hall of fame.
Ian Powley, Colin Hill, and Chloe Wilcox, members of Penrith Swimming Club, were honoured for their exceptional lifelong contributions to aquatic sport.
They join fellow Penrith Swimming Club figures Rosie Huggon and the late Jenny Birtle, who were inducted earlier this year.
Ian, a stalwart of Penrith Swimming Club, has dedicated over six decades to the development of swimming in Penrith and across Cumbria.
Beginning his journey at the Frenchfield Pool on the River Eamont aged 14, Ian has served in numerous leadership roles at the club, including chairman, referee, gala organiser, county and regional representative, and currently as club president.
Now 84, he still coaches voluntarily three nights a week.
A former president of Cumbria ASA (2005–2006), Ian’s contributions have been recognised through numerous awards, including the Swim England North West Long Service Award and the Cumbria Sports Award for Service to Sport.
He remains a pillar of the local swimming community, presenting trophies at the club’s annual awards and giving his name to the Ian Powley Cup.
Colin began his swimming journey at a young age but has since become an internationally recognised figure in open water swimming.
A coach, competitor, and event organiser, Colin was technical operations manager for the London 2012 Olympic Marathon Swim and went on to found SwimSecure and Chillswim, the company behind iconic events such as the Big Chill Swim and Coniston End to End.
He also directs Ullswater Swim Place, promoting open water swimming year-round.
Colin is a decorated ice swimmer, the first UK male to complete an IISA Ice Mile and a multiple international medallist.
He trains regularly with Penrith Swimming Club’s Masters squad. His achievements have earned him a place in both the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame and the Ice Swimming Hall of Fame.
Chloe Wilcox, who began her competitive journey with Penrith Swimming Club, went on to captain Great Britain’s first ever Olympic Women’s Water Polo team at the London 2012 Games, scoring seven goals across six matches.
Her early water polo experience was developed through local clubs then Sheffield clubs, before joining the Grantham Water Polo Academy.
She has played professionally in Spain and Australia and has also coached GB women’s teams.
Chloe now works as director of aquatics at a school in Australia.
Ian Richardson, president of Cumbria ASA, said: “The Cumbria Swimming Hall of Fame was established to recognise individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to aquatics in the county.
“It is an honour to welcome such dedicated and inspiring individuals from Penrith into our hall of fame, joining the ranks of others who have shaped the landscape of swimming in Cumbria.”
John Conery, chair of Cumbria ASA, added: “Each of these individuals has left a lasting legacy not only in Cumbria but far beyond.
“Their stories showcase the strength of community, the power of volunteering, and the heights that can be reached with passion and commitment.”
Sports
Track & Field Takes Part in Pair of Outdoor Meets
Story Links ECAC/IC4A RESULTS PRINCETON ELITE MEET RESULTS FAIRFAX, Va./PRINCETON, N.J. – Redshirt sophomore Brian Luciano broke his own school record in the men’s hammer while junior Alyssa Armitage set the women’s outdoor pole vault mark, highlighting Binghamton’s performances at […]

FAIRFAX, Va./PRINCETON, N.J. – Redshirt sophomore Brian Luciano broke his own school record in the men’s hammer while junior Alyssa Armitage set the women’s outdoor pole vault mark, highlighting Binghamton’s performances at a pair of meets this weekend. Luciano was the Bearcats’ top performer at the Princeton Elite Meet while Armitage led the way at the ECAC/IC4A Outdoor Championships, which were hosted by George Mason University.
The Bearcat men were 17th out of all scoring teams at the ECAC/IC4A Championships while the women were 14th. There was no team scoring, however, at the Princeton Elite Meet.
Luciano, whose spot at the upcoming NCAA East Region Meet has long been secure, was second overall in the hammer and the first among collegiate competitors. His distance of 219-11 eclipsed his previous mark of 213-5, which he set at the Raleigh Relays back in March.
Armitage, meanwhile, was the runner up in the pole vault with a height of 13-2 ¼. That breaks the Binghamton outdoor program record of 13-1 ½ set by Samantha Beyar back in 2018.
Also at the ECAC/IC4A Championships, graduate student Marcus Johnson finished fifth in the 400 (47.57) while senior Joe Cardascia was seventh (47.91).
Binghamton now awaits the NCAA East Region qualification list to be released this week. The top 48 performances in the region will qualify for the East Region Meet, which will be held May 28-31 at the University of North Florida.
Sports
Duke Men, Virginia Women Win 2025 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Story Links WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (theACC.com) — For the first time in program history, the Duke Blue Devils are ACC Men’s Outdoor Track & Field champions. The Blue Devils capped the final evening of competition with a third-place finish in the men’s 4×400-meter relay to push past North Carolina and secure […]

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (theACC.com) — For the first time in program history, the Duke Blue Devils are ACC Men’s Outdoor Track & Field champions. The Blue Devils capped the final evening of competition with a third-place finish in the men’s 4×400-meter relay to push past North Carolina and secure the victory. The Blue Devils’ 86 points are the fewest by the ACC champion since Maryland in 1971 as the field was highly competitive. Duke was followed by North Carolina (82), California (79.83), Virginia Tech (78.33) and Florida State (74) to round out the top five finishers.
Virginia won its first ACC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship since 1987, totaling 93 points to secure the victory. The Cavaliers finished four points ahead of Louisville for the smallest margin of victory in an ACC Championship since 2021 when Duke and Florida State were co-champions.
North Carolina’s Parker Wolfe broke the ACC and meet records in the men’s 5,000-meter run, crossing the finish line in a time of 13:13.49. Wolfe became the first ACC men’s runner to win the men’s 5,000-meters and 10,000-meters in back-to-back seasons. Wolfe was joined by his teammate, Ethan Strand, who took second, while Stanford’s Cole Sprout finished third. Finishing with 20 individual points, Wolfe was named the Men’s Track MVP.
Florida State’s Shenese Walker earned Women’s Track MVP honors after also finishing with 20 points, winning both the 100- and 200-meter races. The strong showing from Walker helped lead Florida State to a fourth-place finish.
Jayden Ulrich of Louisville set the ACC Championship and facility records in the women’s discus on her way to being named the Women’s Field MVP. In addition to winning the discus throw on Saturday, she also won the shot put competition on Friday, May 16, with a mark of 17.56 meters (57-7.5).
The Seminoles’ Kyvon Tatham won the ACC’s triple jump crown with a mark of 16.09 meters (52-9.5) on his way to being named the Men’s Field MVP. Tatham also finished sixth in the long jump with a leap of 7.30 meters (23-11.5).
Florida State’s Micahi Danzy also broke the ACC and the meet record in the men’s 400-meter dash with a time of 45.38 seconds. The freshman finished ahead of Duke’s Joseph Taylor and California’s Johnny Goode, who placed second and third, respectively.
California’s Mykolas Alekna shattered the ACC Championship and facility records in the men’s discus with a mark of 69.86 meters (229-2). The world record holder and Olympic silver medalist added ACC Champion to his resume and was joined by Virginia Tech’s Uladzislau Puchko and Miami’s Desmond Coleman on the podium.
The Florida State women’s 4×100-meter relay team set the ACC Championship record on Saturday with a time of 43.15 seconds. The mark by the Seminoles also set the Kentner Stadium record to edge Clemson (43.39) and Duke (43.97) to take the gold medal.
The ACC Championship record fell in both the men’s and women’s 800-meter run. Clemson’s Gladys Chepngetich toppled the women’s record with a time of 1:59.94, while Virginia Tech’s Christian Jackson posted a time of 1:44.83 to break the men’s record. Both marks also set new facility records at Kenter Stadium.
Throughout the final day of competition, 16 facility records were broken as the ACC Championships continued to rewrite the Kentner Stadium record books.
Teams will now begin preparing for the NCAA Regionals. For each individual event contested at each of the First Round sites, the top 48 declared student-athletes will be accepted into the competition. For each relay event, the top 24 declared relay teams will be accepted into the competition. The individual event student-athletes and relay teams accepted into First Round competition will be announced and posted on NCAA.com the week prior to First Round competition.
Top-Three Event Finishers
Women’s Javelin
- Christiana Ellina, Virginia, 52.44m (172-0) [FR]
- Deisiane Teixeira, Miami, 51.12m
- Kate Joyce, North Carolina, 50.30m
Men’s Discus
- Mykolas Alekna, California, 69.86m (229-2) [MR, FR]
- Uladzislau Puchko, Virginia Tech, 60.68m (199-1)
- Desmond Coleman, Miami, 54.64m (179-3)
Women’s High Jump
- Celia Rifaterram Virginia, 1.86m (6-1.25) [FR]
- Eva Baldursdottir, Pitt; Carly Tarentino, Virginia, 1.80m (5-10.75)
Women’s Triple Jump
- Shantae Foreman, Clemson, 13.52m (44-4.25)
- Sharvari Parulekar, Louisville, 13.46m (44-2)
- Christina Warren, Miami, 13.35m (43-9.75)
Women’s Discus
- Jayden Ulrich, Louisville, 62.89m (206-4) [MR, FR]
- Caisa-Marie Lindfors, California, 58.81m (192-11)
- Jade Whitfield, Louisville, 57.38m
Women’s 4x100m Relay
- Florida State (Lucy May Sleeman, Shenese Walker, Liana Tyson, Joella Lloyd), 43.15 [MR, FR]
- Clemson (Oneka Wilson, Aniyah Kitt, McKenzie Calloway, Sade Gray), 43.39
- Duke (Mia Edim, Abby Geiser, Meredith Sims, Braelyn Baker), 43.97
Men’s 4x100m Relay
- Florida State (Jaiden Rollins, Neo Nosebi, Micahi Danzy, Durian Moss), 39.05
- Clemson (Cameron Bobcombe, Jalen Johnson, Kevin Collins, Ian Johnson), 39.24
- Pitt (Darren McQueen, Nigel Hussey, Malik Ricketts, Stephon Brown), 39.26
Women’s 1500m
- Margot Appleton, Virginia, 4:11.28
- Silvia Jelelgo, Clemson, 4:11.61
- Kate Putman, NC State, 4:13.01
Men’s 1500m
- Ethan Strand, North Carolina, 3:44.78
- Garrett MacQuiddy, California, 3:45.25
- Leo Young, Stanford, 3:45.32
Women’s 100m Hurdles
- Oneka Wilson, Clemson, 13.07 [FR]
- Maya Rollins, Virginia, 13.411
- Birgen Nelson, Duke, 13.417
Men’s 110m Hurdles
- Andre Korbmacher, Florida State, 13.47 [FR]
- Jaden Shelton, Pitt, 13.739
- Tyson Williams, Florida State, 13.740
Women’s 400m
- Caitlin Bobb, Virginia Tech, 51.11 [FR]
- Braelyn Baker, Duke, 51.69
- Kaelyaah Liburd, Florida State, 51.73
Men’s 400m
- Micahi Danzy, Florida State, 44.38 [ACC, MR]
- Joseph Taylor, Duke, 44.98
- Johnny Goode, California, 45.02
Women’s 100m
- Shenese Walker, Florida State, 10.99
- Aniyah Kitt, Clemson, 11.10
- Kiyah Yeast, Louisville, 11.24
Men’s 100m
- Neo Mosebi, Florida State, 10.08 [FR]
- Ian Johnson, Clemson, 10.18
- Darren McQueen, Pitt, 10.23
Women’s 800m
- Gladys Chepngetich, Clemson, 1:59,94 [MR, FR]
- Makayla Paige, North Carolina, 2:00.21
- Roisin Willis, Stanford, 2:00.43
Men’s 800m
- Christian Jackson, Virginia Tech, 1:44.83, [MR, FR]
- Brian Kweyei, Clemson, 1:45.09
- Nicholas Plant, 1:45.99
Women’s 400m Hurdles
- Sanaa Hebron, Miami, 55.21 [FR]
- Tysa Wilson, Florida State, 55.45
- Aliya Garozzo, Duke, 56.60
Men’s 400m Hurdles
- Devin Nugent, Pitt, 49.52 [FR]
- Xavier Branker, NC State, 49.69
- Alex Sherman, Virginia, 49.98
Women’s 200m
- Shenese Walker, Florida State, 22.72
- Kiyah Yeast, Louisville, 22.73
- Braelyn Baker, Duke, 22.83
Men’s 200m
- Jalen Johnson, Clemson, 20.36
- Ian Johnson, Clemson, 20.52
- Joseph Taylor, Duke, 20.55
Women’s 5000m
- Grace Hartman, NC State, 15:12 [MR, FR]
- Sophia Kennedy, Stanford, 15:24.61
- Silvia Jelelgo, Clemson, 15:33.32
Men’s 5000m
- Parker Wolfe, North Carolina, 13:13.49 [ACC, MR]
- Ethan Strand, North Carolina, 13:37.35
- Cole Sprout, Stanford, 13:39.46
Women’s 4x400m Relay
- Duke (Aliya Garozzo, Julia Jackson, Megan McGinnis, Lauren Tolbert), 3:28.81 [FR]
- Miami (Serena Tate, Gabriella Grissom, Alyssa Robinson, Sanaa Hebron), 3:29.00
- Clemson (JodyAnn Dixon, Shanque Williams, Sade Gray, Gladys Chepngetich), 3:29.69
Men’s 4x400m Relay
- Pitt (Malik Ricketts, Nigel Hussey, Thomas McDonough, Devin Nugent), 3:03.96 [FR]
- Virginia Tech (Tomas Kersulis, Kahleje Tillmon, Samuel Herenton, Ali Diaby), 3:04.11
- Duke (TJ Clayton, Andrew Langston, Joseph Taylor, Callum Robinson), 3:04.49
ACC – ACC Record
MR – Meet Record
FR – Facility Record
Sports
King’s Academy wins first boys volleyball title
The King’s Academy boys volleyball team captured its first state championship in school history with a 25-14, 25-14, 27-25 victory against SLAM (Tampa) in the Class 1A state championship at Polk State College in Winter Haven on Saturday afternoon. King’s Academy (22-5) had a dominant performance in the first set. It jumped out to a […]

The King’s Academy boys volleyball team captured its first state championship in school history with a 25-14, 25-14, 27-25 victory against SLAM (Tampa) in the Class 1A state championship at Polk State College in Winter Haven on Saturday afternoon.
King’s Academy (22-5) had a dominant performance in the first set. It jumped out to a 7-1 advantage, extended the lead to 19-9 and won by 11. The Lions had a 15-12 advantage in the second set and finished strong with a 10-2 run. King’s Academy trailed 25-24 in the third set before rallying for the final three points to earn the victory.
Junior middle blocker Isaiah McCoy had 10 kills and four digs and senior outside hitter Ryan Huff recorded 10 kills, 12 digs and three aces. Huff recorded the game-winning kill on an assist from McCoy.
“I think we played amazing in the last two matches at states,” Isaiah McCoy said. “We played with a lot of fire. We worked really hard. It was definitely an amazing experience.”
Senior opposite Graysen Amestoy added 10 kills and nine digs and senior outside hitter John Casey registered nine kills and 10 digs. Senior setter Jake Manning finished among the team leaders in assists.
King’s Academy defeated J.C. Bermudez 25-16, 25-10, 25-21 in the Class 1A state semifinal. They previously defeated Calvary Christian Academy in three sets in the regional quarterfinal, swept Lake Highland Prep in the regional semifinal and edged Cardinal Gibbons in five sets in the regional final.
The King’s Academy boys volleyball program first started at the school in 2021. The Lions, which have won three consecutive district championships, had previously reached the state semifinal in 2023. They were determined after falling in the regional final last year.
“We suffered a pretty tough loss last season and we were motivated to not let it happen again,” King’s Academy coach Danielle McCoy said. “We knew the regional championship was going to be one of the toughest games of the year. We were able to overcome and push through. We had a lot to prove at states and played well. It’s a great feeling. We were a lot older and stronger this year. We had some newcomers who made an impact. We had amazing team chemistry.”
Seminole Ridge falls in Class 3A state semifinal
The Seminole Ridge playoff run fell short in a five-set loss (16-25, 16-25, 25-22, 25-16, 10-15) against Southwest Miami in a Class 3A state semifinal.
Stephen Barnes had a team-high 15 kills in the loss. Senior Addison Corey added 12 kills and senior Carson Kramer recorded 11 kills.
“The boys fought as hard as possible, but we just came up a little short,” Seminole Ridge coach Scott Barnwell said. “There is no quit in these guys. Southwest is the No.3 team in the nation and we showed that we are also one of the top programs. We will be back again next year. We have nine returners coming back. The future is bright.”
Barnes led the team in kills and aces during the season while Kramer finished first on the squad in total blocks. Freshman Evan Holowecky led the Hawks in assists and sophomore Pierce Giebenrath led the group in digs.
Seminole Ridge won in three sets against Jupiter in the regional quarterfinal and in three sets against Palm Beach Central in the regional semifinal. They advanced to the state final four with a victory in four sets against Boca Raton.
Suncoast eliminated in Class 2A state final four
The Suncoast boys volleyball team’s impressive season came to an end as they fell in three sets (17-25, 15-25, 23-25) against Lake Howell in a Class 2A state semifinal.
Suncoast (23-2) finished unbeaten against opponents from Palm Beach and Broward. They also had victories in three sets against Coral Springs, Archbishop McCarthy and St. Thomas Aquinas prior to the state final four.
“We didn’t have the most talented team in the state, but this group had a composure, work ethic and competitiveness that special teams have,” Suncoast coach Christian Spence said. “They had a strong will to win and worked hard for it every practice, every match, and every point this season.”
Suncoast senior Kyle Ross led the team in kills and aces while junior Thomas Supran led the group in total blocks. Senior Nicholas Watson led the Chargers in digs and senior Dylan Smith led the squad in assists.
Sports
KSU Men in First; Women in Third After Two Days at CUSA Outdoor Championships
By: Hunter McKay Story Links Live Results Live Stream Sunday MURFEESBORO, TENN. – The Kennesaw State track and field teams won four medals at the Conference USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday at the Dean A Hayes Track and […]
MURFEESBORO, TENN. – The Kennesaw State track and field teams won four medals at the Conference USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday at the Dean A Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium on the campus of the Middle Tennessee.
Men’s Team Scoring (8 of 21 events scored)
KSU – 91.5 points
Liberty– 89 points
MTSU – 29 points
Western Kentucky – 28 points
Sam Houston – 27.5 points
UTEP – 25 points
Louisiana Tech – 14 points
FIU – 7 points
Women’s Team Scoring (8 of 21 events scored)
Liberty – 89 points
FIU – 57 points
KSU – 47.5 points
UTEP – 29 points
MTSU. – 26 points
Western Kentucky – 17.5 points
Jacksonville St. – 14.5 points
Sam Houston– 14 points
New Mexico State – 11 points
Louisiana Tech – 6 points
Heptathlon (Completed)
- Laysha Tunti (4751 points) finished third in her first career heptathlon.
- Amelia Coker placed fourth, scoring 4745 points.
Medal Winners
- Evan Martinez finished second in the shot put with a mark of 17.01m (55’9.75″).
- Simon Seid won the pole vault with a clearance of 5.18m (17’0.00).
- Kenyatta Bennett cleared a personal-best height of 2.14m (7’0.25″) to secure second place in the high jump. That mark ranks No. 19 in the NCAA East Region and No. 40 in the country this season. The clearance at 2.14m is good for No. 6 in program history.
- Madison Seiler finished third with a time of 10:21.40 in the 3K steeplechase.
Running Event Qualifiers for Sunday’s Finals
Next Up
The Owls will finish the competition on day three of the CUSA Outdoor Championships beginning at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday, May 18.
Sports
Inexperienced Blue Ridge gained confidence during season – Scranton Times-Tribune
Owen Martin walked into the first day of spring sports practice inside the Blue Ridge gymnasium and many of the familiar faces were gone. Reality hit that afternoon for the senior. Gone to graduation were five starters, including Connor Cranage, the program’s all-time kills leader, Carson Gallagher, the all-time assists leader, two-time All-Region selections Aiden […]

Owen Martin walked into the first day of spring sports practice inside the Blue Ridge gymnasium and many of the familiar faces were gone.
Reality hit that afternoon for the senior. Gone to graduation were five starters, including Connor Cranage, the program’s all-time kills leader, Carson Gallagher, the all-time assists leader, two-time All-Region selections Aiden Glasgow and Nick Laude, and Morgan Thomas.
The group dominated the Lackawanna League with an impressive two-year run as District 2 Class 2A champions and a 42-3 overall record.
While being excited about the new season, Martin understood the daunting task with so little experience returning. Enter coach Lori Zick, who is a master at teaching the skills of the game while always being encouraging, and a determined group of athletes looking to carry on the tradition of the Raiders.
Things got off to a less-than-stellar start, but Blue Ridge enters the playoffs having won seven of the last nine matches and is the No. 5 seed. The Raiders (11-5) will go on the road to play No. 4 Berwick (11-5) on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
“When I came in four years ago, I was the young guy looking up to the older guys,” Martin said. “This year, with those guys gone, I had to take a leadership role on a completely different team. I had to step up and keep the confidence of the players up.
“I learned a lot from the guys who graduated about the seriousness of playing the game. Everyone on last year’s team took what they did seriously. They wanted to go to states. This year, what we wanted was to keep getting better to get to where we are this year.”
Blue Ridge opened the season with a win over Tunkhannock but lost to eventual champion Abington Heights. After a win over Lackawanna Trail, the Raiders suffered their second loss of the season to second-year program Valley View.
Still, Martin and his teammates saw progress.
“At the beginning of the season, some of us were a little down,” Blue Ridge junior libero Bryce Conklin said. “We had key guys bring the team together, and they said that we had time and that we could make improvements.
“Our practices were important. We put in crazy hours at the gym and outside of practice, learning about where to be in rotations. We also had team-bonding events, team dinners—everything we could do, we did. We knew that we had great potential.”
Blue Ridge had a dominant sweep over North Pocono and battled to a 3-2 win over West Scranton before a 3-1 setback to Crestwood had the team with as many losses this spring as it had in the two previous seasons combined.
The steady stream of positivity and commitment to improve at practice sparked a five-match winning streak.
“When you start to get some wins, it keeps you up,” Conklin said. “We got wins, and that got us pumped up.”
Western Wayne and Holy Redeemer, two teams in this year’s District 2 Class 2A field, swept the Raiders, 3-0, in back-to-back matches. But Blue Ridge closed with a 3-1 win over Dallas, the No. 8 seed in the bracket, and Hazleton Area.
Parker Glasgow, a junior, leads the team with 156 kills and 124 service points. Martin has contributed 85 kills and 101 service points, freshman Jacob Brown has 76 kills, and sophomore Jacek Motyka has 65 kills. Conklin has 116 service points with 36 aces and a team-high 321 digs, and junior Riley Phillips has 397 assists.
The development as a group has elevated the energy heading into the district tournament.
“It’s an honor to be the defending champions, even though only one of us really played a lot,” Conklin said. “We are going to play to our potential, and we are going to give it our all.”
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