Midnight Madness kicks off season

hubbard high volleyball

By JOE SCALZO

Vindicator sports staff

HUBBARD — The Hubbard High volleyball team wants to be one of the last teams practicing in Ohio this fall.

The Eagles are certain to be the first.

Hubbard will celebrate “Midnight Madness” tonight, opening this season’s practice at 12:01 a.m. — the first minute allowed by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

“We have a pretty good team coming back,” said Eagles coach Chuck Montgomery, whose squad went 24-2 last year. “With almost everybody coming back, people are looking for big things.

“This is just a good way to start the season. Something different, something new.”

Although Midnight Madness is nothing new during basketball season, Montgomery thinks his team is the first in Ohio to do it in volleyball. The team will open the gym and the concession stand to parents and fans. There will also be commemorative T-shirts, hoops to run through and a band.

The Eagles’ two losses last season came against Salem and Mentor Lake Catholic, the latter a five-set defeat in the Division II district final. The Quakers, who return one of the state’s top players in Ohio State basketball recruit Amy Scullion, lost to Mentor Lake Catholic in the regional semifinals last fall.

The Eagles, meanwhile, return senior Jackie Carlisle, a first team All-Ohio selection last year who has already verbally committed to YSU.

“They got a big steal,” Montgomery said of YSU.

Other top returnees include three-year starters Lexi Starheim and Courtney Angelo (both seniors) and Dawn Lingenfelter (a junior). Senior Marcy Angelo and junior Haley Turner are both returning two-year starters.

“Salem is going to be very tough again,” said Montgomery, “but we’ve got high hopes for our team.”

scalzo@vindy.com