ACCIDENT — Following a dominant campaign that began with 16 straight wins, 13 of which were sweeps, Northern was the runaway pick for the area volleyball championship.
The Huskies, who went 13-0 against area teams and didn’t fall until a heartbreaking five-set thriller against eventual state champion Clear Spring in the region finals, have won the area for a second straight year.
“It’s fantastic winning the area again,” Northern head coach Jamie Bailey said. “Our season was great. Not just because we were winning, but because it was a great group of girls. I did not have to push them hard because they were self driven.
“It is becoming an expectation that Northern volleyball players push themselves to get to the next level and it shows.”
The area championship is chosen by a panel of local sportswriters, with the No. 1 spot in the final poll awarding the title.
Northern received all five first-place votes for 25 points and was followed in the rankings by Hampshire (23-9-2) with 20 points, Fort Hill (11-6) with 15 points, Southern (10-12-1) with 10 points and Keyser (15-17) with three points.
Mountain Ridge (6-10) was the lone squad receiving votes with two points.
The voting panel is comprised of Jeff Landes, Kyle Bennett, Jordan Kendall and Alex Rychwalski of the Cumberland Times-News and Chapin Jewell of the Mineral News-Tribune.
Northern won 23 consecutive sets to begin the season, a run that ended in a 3-2 victory over Berlin (24-3-1), which advanced to the PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) 1A quarterfinals.
The Huskies were led in kills by two-time reigning WestMAC Player of the Year Demi Ross with 229. Allahna Lacy had 166, and Samara Streets tallied 142.
Marisa Perez paced Northern with 571 assists, Ross led the team with 78 aces and 208 service points, Lacy tallied a Husky-best 34 blocks, and Violet Taylor garnered a team-high 225 digs.
“As a team, once again, we had all the right pieces,” Bailey said. “We didn’t have to push anyone into a position. These girls put their team first, even when it didn’t benefit the individual. Overall I am proud of all the girls. Every one of them grew in skill and volleyball IQ.”
Northern graduates just two seniors, but they are big shoes to fill in Ross and Perez.
The returning Huskies were left with a bitter taste in their mouths after another tight defeat to Clear Spring in the region playoffs. Northern is searching for its first region crown since 1985.
“We have been growing our program for the last eight years or so,” Bailey said. “It doesn’t look like it is slowing down, so I am excited for future teams. My original goal for Northern was to become more competitive in the area. We have most definitely reached and surpassed our expectations. Now we are reaching for a regional (championship) and beyond.”