Girls Volleyball: Olentangy Orange falls to Kings Mill Kings in bid for first state crown
Saturday, November 11, 2023
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Olentangy Orange seniors Lily Barron (15) and Maci Gerboth attempt to block the hit from Kings’ Elise Marchal during the Knights’ 3-0 state title win at Wright State Nov. 11. Photo: Lorrie Gardner
Seniors Taanishi Gulati, Lauren Jacob, Maddie Cugino, Skylar Kelso and Lily Barron sat in the interview room with tears still falling from their eyes.
The emotions were strong after a loss in the state title game. The disappointment now will soon turn dull in favor of fond memories of a historic season.
Playing in its first state championship game, the Olentangy Orange girls volleyball team were turned away by a skilled opponent that featured a record-setting performance.
“I think we just set a great example of what Orange volleyball can be,” Barron said before stopping and pointing to her face and adding, “I’ll cry.”
Marchal had 28 kills, breaking Huron’s Sara Sage (in Division III set 2006) and New Bremen’s Paige Jones (in Division IV set in 2017) record for kills in a three-set match. Records exist back to 2004 when the state tournament began playing best-of-five set matches with the first to 25 points, winning by two. Prior to that it was best-of-three to 15.
“I just know that it’s one ball after another,” said Marchal, a senior middle hitter who finished with 28 kills, eight digs and a pair of blocks. “I get the point and move on (because) there’s another point or another game. After one big kill, I just know that I have to keep going.”
Holding the OHSAA state runner-up trophy, senior Skylar Kelso is surrounded by her Olentangy Orange teammates after the Pioneers fell to the Kings Knights Nov. 11. Photo: Lorrie Gardner
Pioneers coach Katie Duy had an eight-year plan when she took over the program nine seasons ago.
Orange, which opened in 2008, hadn’t had a winning season before 2014, never won a league title before 2015 or a district championship before 2016.
Since, the Pioneers won six league titles and seven district championships, including six in a row from 2016 to 2021. They were regional runner-up each year from 2018 to 2021.
Duy, an assistant coach on Division II state championship teams at Parma Padua Franciscan in 2008 and 2009 and Hartley in 2011, was on maternity leave during the 2021 season. So, the Pioneers are right on schedule.
Making it this far could be just the start.
“They’ve set the bar high,” Duy said. “I think this group in particular – they planted seeds and did things that no group has ever done before. (They) showed that if you put in the work, you can get the results. I’ve said time and time again, the maturity and leadership – the competitiveness – it’s going to be imprinted and they’re legacy is going to be felt for years to come.”
Maci Gerboth, Maddie Cugino and Lily Barron each finished with seven kills to lead the Pioneers (26-4).
Izzy Scholvin had 21 assists, Emma Cugino had 18 digs, Skylar Kelso had five kills and a pair of blocks and Barron and Maddie Cugino had eight digs apiece.
Olentangy Orange students cheer on the girls volleyball team, this year’s state runner-up, for a successful season, which marked the first time that the Pioneers have appeared in a state volleyball final four. Photo: Lorrie Gardner
Like Orange, the Knights had never had reached the state tournament before this season.
Knights coach Amanda Meadows is in her 20th season with the program, amassing over 330 wins and 450 for her career.
But the program never had this much success, simply because the players didn’t stay home.
Sydney Barrett eight kills, 14 digs and three aces, Ava McIntyre had six kills and 14 digs, Abby Yoder had 38 assists, Dakota Henry added 12 digs and Sophia Richardson a pair of blocks for the Knights (28-1), who finished the season on a 25-match winning streak.
Orange and Kings marked the first time two public schools played for a state championship since 1997 when Mansfield Madison Comprehensive defeated Stow-Munroe Falls.
The tournament was a lot different back then when games were played to 15 and it was the best of three sets. Madison defeated Stow 6-15, 15-9, 15-7.
West Chester Lakota was the last Cincinnati-area public school to win a state championship when it won in 1994.
“It’s just been a dream of mine for so long – 28 years as a head coach,” Meadows said. “I’ve always gone to the state tournament (as a spectator). This is my first time getting to coach in it. (Lakota coach Tracy Simmons) – the last to do it sent us well-wishes and cookies. She was behind us and every public-school coach – volleyball coach or football coach – gave us their best wishes.
“It can be done. You don’t have to leave your community to go to a state – you can stay home and stay in your public school.”