Shawnee’s Maggie Jordan serves against Maumee during Wednesday’s Division III sectional finals at Lappin Gymnasium.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP – Last fall, a senior-laden Shawnee volleyball team made it all the way to the Division II regional before bowing out to Milbury Lake.
Several key players from last year’s 24-2 Shawnee squad have graduated.
However, that has not slowed down the Indians much this season.
In Wednesday’s Division III sectional final at Lappin Gymnasium against Maumee, No. 1 seed Shawnee defeated the Panthers in straight sets – 25-17, 25-15, 25-18.
With the win, Shawnee (17-6) advances to next Tuesday’s district semifinal match at Kalida against Western Buckeye League foe Wapakoneta. Game-time is set for 6 p.m.
Shawnee coach Brooke Hutchins felt that once her players settled in on Wednesday, they took control of the match.
“I think – the first tournament (game), first set, home match – it gets the jitters out a little bit,” Hutchins said. “They (Maumee) are an athletic team, but I feel like we were prepared for what we saw. I think we settled in with that first point of contact in the backcourt. That’s been the ticket this year – to get that first pass. I feel like we have enough hammers in the frontcourt that can take care of business. We just have to keep the consistency in the backcourt. … I think we did that once we settled in.”
In the first set, the score was knotted eight times before Shawnee finally pulled away for the win.
Shawnee junior Karleigh Hutchins knocked down eight kills in the first set. Hutchins ended the night with 26 kills and 18 digs.
Wapak pays back Celina
SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP — This past Thursday in WBL action, Celina defeated Wapakoneta in five sets.
Wapakoneta did not forget about it.
On Wednesday night, Wapakoneta won the first two sets – 25-18, 25-19 – and looked to be in control.
However, Celina battled back and won the next two sets – 25-13, 25-20.
In Wednesday’s fifth and final set, Wapakoneta (9-14) slipped out with a hard-fought 15-12 victory and won the match. Wapakoneta will face Shawnee next Tuesday in a district semifinal at Kalida.
“We are very similar teams in terms of skill level,” Wapakoneta coach Megan Brown said about Celina. “We played five sets both times that we played each other. And to have one team win once, and the other team win the next time – it doesn’t get any closer than that with the skill level of those two teams.”
Wapakoneta was balanced on Wednesday.
Senior Addi Fisher led the Redskins with 15 kills, 34 digs and two aces. Kortney Fullenkamp had 13 kills and four aces. Sophomore Dylan Paul recorded 12 kills. Senior Riley Szelagowski had 54 digs for Wapakoneta.
Mylee Sapp led Celina (8-15) with 21 kills. Teammate Kira Bange had 14 kills.
Top performers
Several area volleyball players recorded at least 15 kills, 20 digs or 25 assists in recent games:
• Maggie Jordan had 22 digs for Shawnee in a 3-0 win over LCC.
• Ashlyn Price had 33 assists for Lincolnview in a 3-0 win over Wayne Trace.
• Sadie Larabee had 16 kills and Morgan Lyons recorded 29 assists for Kenton in a 3-1 win over Ontario.
• Lila Capps had 23 digs for Bath in a 3-1 loss to Paulding.
• Kendall Frank recorded 36 assists and 23 digs while Lainey Thomas added 33 digs for Hardin Northern in a 3-2 win over Ada.
• Carly Thorbahn had 19 kills and 30 digs for Ottoville in a 3-0 win over McComb. Erica Thorbahn added 44 assists and Jocelyn Langhals contributed 27 digs in the victory.
• Karmyn Brough recorded 29 assists and Danaysia Danzy added 15 kills for Leipsic in a 3-0 win over Continental.
• Morgan Verhoff had 16 kills and Payton Michel recorded 37 assists for Miller City in a 3-0 win over Cory-Rawson.
• Jaylin St. Laurent recorded 39 assists and Jenna Bassitt added 48 digs for Ada in a 3-2 loss to Hardin Northern.
VOLLEYBALL RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Friday, Oct. 11
Kalida 3, Pandora-Gilboa 2
Saturday, Oct. 12
Hardin Northern 3, Lima Senior 0
Shawnee 3, LCC 0
Delphos St. John’s 3, Waynesfield-Goshen 0
Versailles 3, Tippecanoe 0
Lincolnview 3, Miller City 2
Monday, Oct. 14
D-VI First Round at Lincolnview
Lincolnview 3, Wayne Trace 0
Div. VI First Round at LCC
LCC 3, Perry 0
Tuesday, Oct. 15
D-VII First Round at Ridgemont
Ridgemont 3, Temple Christian 2
Wednesday, Oct. 16
D-III District Quarterfinals at Shawnee
Shawnee 3, Maumee 0
Wapakoneta 3, Celina 2
D-III District Quarterfinals at Bowling Green
Bowling Green 3, Lima Senior 0
Defiance 3, Elida 0
D-VI District Quarterfinals at Coldwater
Marion Local 3, Lincolnview 0
Coldwater 3, Delphos Jefferson 0
D-VI District Quarterfinals at St Henry
St. Henry 3, Spencerville 0
Crestview 3, Parkway 1
D-VI District Quarterfinal at New Bremen
New Bremen 3, LCC 0
D-VI District Quarterfinals at Van Buren
Van Buren 3, Columbus Grove 0
Minster 3, Allen East 0
D-IV District Quarterfinals at Shelby
Kenton 3, Ontario 1
Shelby 3, St. Marys 0
D-IV District Quarterfinals at Lexington
Liberty-Benton 3, Upper Sandusky 0
Lexington 3, Van Wert 0
D-V District Quarterfinals at Ottawa-Glandorf
Ottawa-Glandorf 3, Elmwood 0
Paulding 3, Bath 1
D-VII District Quarterfinal at New Knoxville
Hardin Northern 3, Ada 2
D-VII District Quarterfinal at Delphos St. John’s
Delphos St. John’s 3, Upper Scioto Valley 0
Arlington 3, Waynesfield-Goshen 0
D-VII District Quarterfinals at Leipsic
Pandora-Gilboa 3, Kalida 0
Leipsic 3, Continental 0
D-VII District Quarterfinal at Ottoville
Ottoville 3, McComb 0
Miller City 3, Cory-Rawson 0
Monday, Oct. 21
D-VI District Semifinals at Van Wert
Marion Local vs Coldwater, 6 p.m.
Crestview vs St. Henry, 7:30 p.m.
D-VII District Semifinals at Liberty-Benton
Ottoville vs Miller City, 6 p.m.
Pandora-Gilboa vs Leipsic, 7:30 p.m.
D-VII District Semifinals at Shawnee
New Knoxville vs Hardin Northern, 6 p.m.
Delphos St. John’s vs Arlington, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 22
D-III District Semifinals at Kalida
Shawnee vs Wapakoneta, 6 p.m.
Bowling Green vs Defiance, 7:30 p.m.
D-IV District Semifinals at Riverdale
Kenton vs Shelby, 6 p.m.
Liberty-Benton vs Lexington, 7:30 p.m.
D-V District Semifinals at Miller City
Bluffton vs Fairview, 6 p.m.
Ottawa-Glandorf vs Paulding, 7:30 p.m.
