Friday, October 26, 2012
By Jim Flick
LISBON
The Jackson-Milton High volleyball team has earned its second straight trip to the Division IV regional tournament.
Thursday at David Anderson High, the Bluejays (22-3) ousted Wellsville by scores of 25-12, 25-16, 19-25, 25-9.
“Our goal all along was to get back to the regionals and better ourselves from last year,” Jackson-Milton coach Sue Prozy said.
In last year’s regional, the Bluejays were ousted in the semifinals.
“We were young and intimidated last year,” Prozy said. “Nerves just kind of got the better of us.
“But we’ve got a good group of seniors here now and I knew they were going to turn it around.”
After the clincher, senior Paije Kiraly said, “This is just the most amazing feeling ever.
“We worked so hard for this, and all of us were so pumped and loud,” Kiraly said. “We just wanted it so much. We put so much heart into this.”
Kiraly led the team with 30 assists and was also credited with nine kills.
“This is one of the main goals on our list this year, and it feels great to accomplish it for the second time,” said senior Erica Hughes, who led the team with 26 kills. “We had a good week, we’ve all been happy.
“It’s been fun.”
Senior Rachael Obradovich recorded 16 digs and 17 points.
“It feels amazing — we’re going to go all the way this year. I know it.”
Sammie Oblinger, a sophomore, had six blocks while junior Madison Tomaino scored 17 points.
Wellsville (22-4) had leads early in the first two games. They didn’t last.
In the deciding fourth game, the Blue Jays opened up a 10-0 lead.
Wellsville’s statistical leader was sophomore Shayna Hamilton, who recorded 29 assists, 14 points and two serving aces. Senior Maleya Fultz scored 11 kills.
“The better team won,” Wellsville coach Dan McKinstry said. “We didn’t pass the ball well in three of the games. We just weren’t very consistent.
“They put a lot of pressure on us. They got their hands on a lot of balls. They just did things that we didn’t do,” McKinstry said.
In the Solon High regional, Jackson-Milton will play the winner of Saturday’s district final between Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph and Kidron Central Christian.