STATE VOLLEYBALL Indians showing net worth

Girard will play Sidney Lehman Catholic in Friday's Division III state semifinal.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
GIRARD -- As much as the Girard High volleyball team would have loved to have won the Trumbull Athletic Conference, this week's state tournament trip to Dayton is a soothing consolation prize.
And the Indians (25-3) have league rivals Hubbard and Lakeview to thank for a large part of their progress.
"The TAC is kind of tough," Girard coach Phil Walters said. "Hubbard is a great team and Lakeview is another good one."
Girard lost twice to Hubbard, split with Lakeview and is unbeaten against the rest of the state.
"Those type of teams help you prepare for matches like this," said Walters after Girard won the Division III regional final at Barberton High last Saturday by rallying for the final 10 points against Rocky River Lutheran West.
"I wish we would play a lot more strong teams like that," Walters said.
Friday at 12:30 p.m., Girard (25-3) will play Sidney Lehman Catholic (22-6) in a state semifinal match at Wright State University. Girard was rated the eighth-best Div. III team in the state in the final coaches' poll.
"Those six losses mean nothing to me because all six were against quality bigger schools," said Walters of the seventh-ranked Cavaliers, who went unbeaten in 2000 to win the state title.
Walters, who maintains the computer system for Polaris Technologies, said he has no advance scouting report on Lehman.
"I'll get to watch them during warmups," Walters said. "That's about it."
Tough teams
Friday's winner will play Tuscarawas Valley (ranked fourth) or Huron (ranked second) Saturday for the state crown.
"Huron is very tough school and we've heard a lot about how good Sarah Walter is," Walters said. "Tusky Valley is decent -- we saw them play a three-way match with Salem and United."
After splitting the first two games with Lutheran West, Girard's trip to Dayton appeared to be an impossible dream when the Longhorns jumped out to a 12-5 lead.
Thanks to the serving of sophomores Brittany McKee and Lee McLane, the assists of classmate Erin Stevens and phenomenal hits by senior Tealle Hunkus, the Indians scored the next 10 points to earn the TAC's first state appearance.
"I don't think there was panic," Hunkus said of the nerve-wracking final game. "I'm sure we were nervous but we knew what we had to do. We knew that if we didn't get going, that would be the end, and I don't think any of us wanted it to end."
Hunkus and classmate Beth Hanna said comparing winning the regional to competing for their elusive league title is an apples and oranges scenario.
"They're different worlds," Hanna said.
Hunkus said, "They're separate. Tournament play is another season."
Strong lineup
Hunkus, who has been named all-state and will play for Duke University next season, said competing against the likes of Hubbard helped build a state contender.
"Playing the big teams really helps because they make you step it up," Hunkus said. "They help you play to your full potential."
Joining Hunkus, Hanna and Stevens in the Girard starting lineup are juniors Nicole Melfi and Kristen Ragozine, and freshman Courtney Madden.
McLane plays back row and serves in Madden's spot while Kay does the same for Hanna.
Walters promoted Madden after senior co-captain Stephanie Scarnecchia tore her ACL when making the final kill in the district final against Burton Berkshire.
"We spent the rest of that weekend going through rotations in our minds, trying to figure out which way was best to replace Stephanie," Walters said. "Finally, we decided we didn't want to change too much because consistency is so important."
Walters said he began to believe a state appearance was possible a year ago after the Indians were eliminated in the regional by Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph.
"Villa went on to win state and we darn near beat them in the regional," Walters said. "I felt we would be a better team this year and if we played well enough, we had a great opportunity. It's never a guarantee but I began to feel that the only team [in the region] who could beat us was ourselves."
For the Stevens family, it will be an extra-special day and many miles traveled. Erin's brother, Andy, is a senior lineman for Girard's football team that will play Friday at 8 p.m. in Chardon against Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph.
williams@vindy.com