Boys Volleyball: Pieces come together for Hilliard Darby after Jones’ return
Friday, May 24, 2024
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Hilliard Darby’s Chris Jones (left) hits at the net against Thomas Worthington during the Panthers’ win at Pickerington North May 18. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Just as the Hilliard Darby boys volleyball team had to learn how to play without Chris Jones during the regular season, the Panthers had to learn how to play with him in the postseason.
The result is Darby’s first appearance in the state tournament since 2019 where it’ll face Cleveland St. Ignatius in a semifinal on May 25 at Wittenberg’s Pam Evans Smith Arena. The winner plays Olentangy Liberty or Cincinnati St. Xavier for a state championship the following day.
“It put a lot of pressure on us,” said coach Evan Bell, whose team defeated Thomas Worthington 16-25, 25-15, 25-20, 27-25 in the Division I, Region 3 final on May 18 at Pickerington North. “He had a great winter. … He was going to be our driving offensive force. We had to go through some midseason adaptations and put a lot on Aidan Kolb’s back.”
Darby (21-5), which split a pair of matches against Thomas in OCC-Cardinal Division play without Jones during the regular season, won the league title at 13-1.
“I wasn’t able to help the team out,” said Jones, a sophomore outside hitter. “For me being on the sideline was hard, but it was great to see my teammates being able to stuff without me.”
He was one of the top hitters for the Panthers last season and figured to become a go-to scoring option this year. But a shoulder injury cost him 17 matches.
Heading into the season, Kolb knew his volleyball playing days were winding down. He’s not planning to play in college. A former libero, he decided to become an outside hitter as a way to stay in the lineup full time.
So, when Jones went down, Kolb became Darby’s go-to scorer, leading the team with 301 kills.
Hilliard Darby’s Aidan Kolb goes up for the hit against Thomas Worthington at Pickerington North May 18. Photo: Kevin Rouch
“I was going to be an outside no matter what, but he was going to be the leading attempt-getter,” Kolb said. “Once he went down, Bell called me in and told me the whole staff trusted me and I’m the man for the job. I helped out, but I couldn’t do it without everyone else. Our libero (Alex Eldridge) is disgusting. … He’s an amazing passer. Our setter is going (D-I) and our middles (seniors Kingsley Ackah and Carter Pierce) are insane. When I’m with a squad that I can trust – it lets me focus on my own job.”
Having Jones back in the lineup gives Darby a formidable blocking duo along with Ackah.
“I started to lose hope in the beginning because (of Jones’ injury),” said Ackah, a senior middle blocker who had 253 kills this season. “But I fully trust my teammates to get us to the place we want to. I just fully trust that we can get it done. Nobody can get it over us (with Jones out there).”
Darby is a blue blood in the sport, though a lighter shade of Carolina blue. The Panthers are making their 18th appearance in the state tournament, including a string of 14 in a row that was snapped in 2021. They won titles in 2013 and 2015.
“It’s been a wild ride,” Bell said. “There have been a couple of years where we felt like we had enough but just couldn’t get over the hump. It feels good for the seniors to get there. This class has been through a lot. There’s been years of turmoil and rebuilding, but man, finally getting there is great for them.”
Hilliard Darby head coach Evan Bell talks to his team during a timeout in the Panthers’ win over Thomas Worthington at Pickerington North May 18. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Kolb and fellow senior Mason Heit have been staples in the Darby lineup since they were freshmen. They felt the pressure of returning to state.
“Coming in our freshman year, I definitely felt pressure from people that came before me,” said Heit, a setter who will play collegiately at McKendree (Illinois). “Going the first three years without (winning a regional title), I thought maybe I’m not cut from the same cloth. I think once you get down to it – I worked (hard) for this and it’s been a long time coming. We needed this.”
St. Charles is central Ohio’s representative at state in Division II and plays Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary in a semifinal on May 25. The winner faces Cincinnati McNicholas or Independence in the final on May 26.
“It’s been a long couple of years,” Bell said. “This program is as storied as it gets. We had some alumni in the stands (against Thomas) that graduated in 2002 and of our eight staff members – six of us are alumni. So, for us to finally get back there after a couple of long years – it really means a lot to everybody that’s put a little bit of time or a little bit of effort into this. It’s a group effort and it’s sweet to finally get back there.”
Jones is fairly new to the sport. He began playing in the eighth grade at the urging of Heritage Middle School assistant coach Brad Brinkerhoff.
“The high schoolers came down to the middle schools (sometimes) and they saw my vertical,” Jones said. “Every day after that, (Brinkerhoff) would come talk to me every day. I was like, ‘O.K., I’ll try it.’ I played freshman year and fell in love with it. The community is completely different. The culture of togetherness … there’s no other sport like it.”
Hilliard Darby’s Chris Jones (left) hits against the block attempt of Thomas Worthington’s Dylan Johnson during the Panthers’ win at Pickerington North May 18. Photo: Kevin Rouch