Springfield's Warren leads ICL All-Star squad

It was the last such game before the leagues merge.
BY ERIC HAMILTON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW WATERFORD -- Springfield High's Christy Warren had a valid excuse for missing basketball practice Tuesday night.
The three-sport standout was busy finishing up her high school volleyball career by playing in the 10th annual ICL-TCL volleyball All-Star Game at Crestview High School. Warren and her teammates from the ICL handed the TCL a 25-16, 24-26, 25-12, 25-18, 15-6 loss in the final match in the series.
"Yeah, I missed practice tonight and we have a scrimmage tomorrow," said Warren, who led Springfield to the ICL volleyball championship this season. "Coach [Sandi Kohler] just told me, 'We need you, so don't get hurt.'"
Among others
"It was different playing with different people that I've been playing against for four years, but it was fun. And it was nice to win, too."
Warren, who earned first-team ICL and District 1 volleyball honors this season, used the match to have some fun before settling in for the grind of basketball season. While she rates volleyball behind basketball and softball as her favorite sports, Warren enjoyed her final season of high school volleyball.
"It was nice to win the final ICL title," she said. "I didn't really expect to get any of those honors, but I just when in everyday and did what I could to help us win. Just like tonight."
With the two leagues merging into the Inter-Tri County League next fall, the all-star volleyball series in its current format ends with the TCL holding a 6-4 edge. Whether the new league will put together a similar contest in the future is uncertain.
ICL and Lowellville coach Gina Grapevine acknowledged that her squad used the fact that the match was the final one in the series as motivation to pull out the win.
Distinction
"I think the girls definitely used that as a consideration tonight," said Grapevine. "ICL commissioner Jim Pepperney came over and told the girls they needed to win because this was the last one of these. It was nice to see the ICL win the last one.
"We had a lot talent on our team and they knew how to win. We also had a bigger roster than the TCL, so we were able to play more girls and get some of them rested and relaxed on the bench for when we needed them."
The ICL broke open a close first game after rallying from a 5-1 deficit to tie the game at 12-12. Warren then served six straight points to put her squad ahead 18-12. The ICL outscored the TCL 6-4 the rest of the way to earn a 25-16 win in the opening game.
The TCL won a back-and-forth battle in the second game. The ICL had a game point at 24-23, but the TCL fought back to knot the game at 24-24 and won the next two points to grab a 26-24 win.
It was all ICL after that. The squad dominated from start to finish in Game 3, winning 25-12 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Game 4
In Game 4, it was much of the same, as the ICL built a 17-11 advantage before pulling away for a 25-18 triumph.
The ICL jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the final game and coasted to a 15-6 win to wrap up the match victory.
"It was truly an all-star game because both teams had a lot of talent," said Grapevine. "We just made sure we gave everyone on our team a fair shot at playing. They all know how to play, so they just went out and had fun."