“Some of them were at the state tournament as fans, dressed up and decked out, but they have never experienced being in the state tournament,” St. Henry coach Tricia Rosenbeck said.
Rosenbeck is trying to help her Redskins maintain their composure as they prepare for the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s 47th annual girls state volleyball tournament. St. Henry will face Monroeville in the Division IV state semifinals Thursday at the Nutter Center.
“We’re focusing on keeping it as normal as we can,” Rosenbeck said. “We’re trying not to make the moment too big.”
St. Henry, 21-6, has experience and youth. The Redskins are senior strong with six seniors on the roster including outside hitter Brianna Siefring who leads the squad with 281 kills. Senior libero Grace Lange has a team-high 322 digs. Sophomore setter Lydia Werling, in her second varsity season, has tallied 737 digs and leads the Redskins with 68 aces while sophomore outside hitter Chloe Gels trails Siefring by only a dozen kills with 269.
While it’s the first state trip for any of these players, it’s a team that has been tested all season as a member of the powerhouse MAC. St. Henry, in fact, finished fourth in the conference and is now in the final four at state. Fellow state qualifier New Knoxville was second in the final conference standings.
“It’s a blessing to play in the conference we have,” Rosenbeck said. “The competition makes you better every match you play.”
* The New Knoxville postseason has been one of tragedy and triumph.
Rangers head coach Meg Lageman lost her husband Ryan in a tragic car accident on Nov. 1, leaving a gaping hole in their family as well as the community as Ryan was a 2014 New Knoxville graduate.
New Knoxville High School principal and assistant coach Jenny Fledderjohann stepped up in Lageman’s absence during the team’s regional run during which the Rangers defeated defending D-IV state champion Tiffin Calvert.
“These girls have been so perseverant and ready, I can’t say enough about how they have responded,” Fledderjohann said. “We just try to let them know that they can still be excited about playing.”
There is plenty to be excited about as this marks the Rangers first state appearance since 2006 when they finished as state runner-up. New Knoxville will play South Webster in the D-IV semifinals Thursday.
The seniors have set the tone as Carsyn Henschen leads the offensive attack with 483 kills and Haley Fledderjohann has a team-high 262 digs. Ellie Gable has tallied 872 assists and Avery Henschen has posted 34 aces for the 25-2 Rangers.
“Our goal is to keep getting better,” coach Fledderjohann said.
OHSAA State Volleyball Pairings
Thursday
Division I semifinals: noon – Magnificat vs. Mount Notre Dame; 2 p.m. – Amherst Steele vs. Olentangy Liberty
Division IV semifinals: 4 p.m. – Monroeville vs. St. Henry; 6 p.m. – South Webster vs. New Knoxville
Friday
Division III semifinals: noon – Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy vs. Liberty-Benton; 2 p.m. – Independence vs. Frankfort Adena
Division II semifinals: 4 p.m. – Bishop Hartley vs. Roger Bacon; 6 p.m. – Mentor Lake Catholic vs. Gilmour Academy
Saturday
Championship games at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. in same divisional order as semifinals
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