Eagles soar to Class D district title

BY CHRIS OGRYSKI
EDITOR

AKRON – For the first time in over 20 years, the Caseville volleyball team has won a district championship.
Last Friday, the Eagles beat North Huron in four (25-15, 25-22, 22-25, 25-23) to claim the school’s first girls’ title in any sport since 1985.
For the Eagles, Rebecca Janke had 12 points, eight kills and three digs, while Tabitha Dexter added eight points and seven kills. Heather Nowak had 12 points and 10 kills, Chalon Foreman four kills, Emily Kurschner 12 points, Natasha Simmons 10 points, Amber Bieri seven points and nine digs, and Haley Buckey four digs.
Setters Maureen Fortsch and Kurschner were 98 percent successful on their sets, while blockers Angela Hessel and Veronica Sauer combined for six blocks. “Every player did her job,” Caseville coach David Watts said. “I am so proud of the young ladies.
“I’m beyond ecstatic!”
Watts felt it was a total team effort that led to his team’s victory. “Everyone - from the people on the court putting it all on the line, to the players on the bench cheering them on, to the Eagle fans in the stands yelling their support – played a key role in the victory,” he said.
According to Watts, one key for Caseville was to not focus on the championship and instead focus on playing good fundamental volleyball. “All week in practice, we hardly mentioned the title. Instead we focused on specific goals: taking that ‘one extra step’ to the ball, serving at least 90 percent (the team was 92 percent against North Huron) and ‘staying aggressive’ with our play,” he said.
“The team executed the gameplan and the results came.”
Yesterday in regional semifinal action, Caseville took on Burton Faith at North Huron. If they won, they advance to the regional finals on Thursday, November 12 at 7 p.m. where they face the Bay City All Saints-Deckerville winner.
For the Warriors, Megan Heffner had 15 kills, 22 digs, four aces and one assist, while Sara Clancy added 15 kills, five digs and one assist.
Amanda Navock had 39 assists, five digs and three kills, Stephanie Goretski 22 digs and two aces, Hanna Selaty eight kills and 18 digs, Caitlin Homrich four kills, four digs and two assists, Ashley Case four kills and Katie Knoblock two aces.
North Huron advanced to the finals with wins over Akron-Fairgrove (25-10, 25-20, 25-12) and last year’s champions Owen-Gage (25-17, 25-16, 25-14).