LIBERTY TOWNSHIP – The Mississinawa Valley girls volleyball team’s impressive season and tournament run continues after defeating Middletown Christian in straight sets 25-12, 25-12 and 25-22.
The Blackhawks were having their way with the Lions and were just too strong up front with Allyson Waymire, Cora and Makenna Hoggatt and Gretchen Rodeheffer scoring at ease throughout the first two sets. They were also able to keep Middletown Christian off balance with their serve and moving the ball around not allowing them to get into any kind of offensive flow.
After a tough battle with Covington in the district semi-final the good start felt good … but often times that’s when you get comfortable and take the foot off the gas which the Hawks did, and the Lions roared back in the third set in win or go home situation. They would jump in front early and eventually Mississinawa Valley coach Taylor Rawlings would dial up a timeout to talk.
Mississinawa trailing 11-8 fought back to 12-11 behind the serving of Ella Godfrey. The Lions continued to battle and incremental increased their lead back to three, 17-14. Mississinawa finally started to get back in the groove on offense with senior setter Danika Neargarder setting them back in sync with big swings from Cora Hoggatt and Allyson Waymire, but the Hawks still trailed 21-19.
Two more points with a big spike from Rodeffer tied the game at 21. Mississinawa defensively was better not letting the ball touch the ground pushed the lead to 24-22 with a timeout to talk by the Lions but a set from Neargarder to Cora Hoggatt would find the floor on the other side of the net for the third set win.
It would be the first time since 1984 that the Blackhawks played in a district championship game and would be the first volleyball district championship in school history.
For first year Mississinawa volleyball coach Taylor Rawlings she couldn’t be happier.
“It’s just awesome to be the first in school history, you know, to win a district title. These girls work hard, day in and day out. They earned and they deserve it,” Rawlings said with a big smile on her face.
When I asked her if she could imagine when she left Tri-Village to come to Mississinawa that she whould help write history with this team … she sort of blushed.
“I did not, but, you know, these girls were really receptive to what I was teaching them, and they’ve taken it, ran with it, and clearly, good things happened,” Rawlings acknowledged.
When I asked her what the secret sauce was she explained that it really wasn’t a secret but more about team unity … but of course good talent too.
“We’re just playing more as a team by communicating, believing, and trusting each other, and the cards are falling just right,” Rawlings explained.
“These girls want to learn, they want to be good teammates to each other, and you don’t always have that, so it’s great when a team wants to come together to win for the benefit of all, none of these girls are selfish by any means, and that’s the most amazing part,” Rawling concluded
With the win Mississinawa Valley improves to 21-4 overall and advance to the Regional Semi-Final where they will play Ft. Loramie on Thursday October 30th, 10:30 am at Northmont High School.
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