SOSA Staff Report
Multiple volleyball and soccer programs in SOSA’s coverage area seized sectional championships. Here’s a brief rundown of each.
VOLLEYBALL, DIVISION III
Westfall 3, Federal Hocking 0
The SVC champion Mustangs (19-3) continued to roll in their first tournament game, beating Federal Hocking by a 25-7, 25-10, 25-19 final.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
Westfall was led by Kristin Phillips, who logged 18 kills, eight aces and eight digs. Josie Williams added 17 assists and 10 digs, Claire Latham ended with 12 assists, eight kills and eight digs, and Marissa Mullins tallied seven kills.
“This sectional title is very important to the team, considering it didn’t happen last season,” Westfall coach Jessica Rodgers-Sullivan said. “We are very excited about this win, but we know we have work to do. Some of our young girls haven’t played in the tournament before, and getting this first win will help some of the nerves.”
Westfall will now take on Minford in a Division III district semifinal at 6 p.m., Wednesday at Waverly.
Adena 3, Piketon 0
The Warriors (16-7) were victorious in a quick sectional championship win over Piketon on Saturday.
Adena beat the Redstreaks (4-20) by a 25-6, 25-7, 25-20.
The Warriors advance to a Division III district semifinal against Nelsonville-York at 6 p.m., Tuesday at Waverly.
Zane Trace 3, Eastern Meigs 0
The Pioneers (14-9) started their own tournament on the right foot with a dominant 25-4, 25-15, 25-6 win over Eastern Meigs.
Leading Zane Trace statistically was Alli Bennett with eight kills, eight assists and 11 aces, Hannah Hale had six kills, Emily Allen and Lexi Scott finished with five kills, Lexi Betts had three aces and eight digs, and Elizabeth Harber finished with 10 digs.
“We’re excited about our sectional championship,” Zane Trace coach Cyndi Davis said. “We worked hard in practice at getting more aggressive from the service line and moving the ball around in the front row. We need to continue to work hard, stay focused and have fun. We’re looking forward to a good tournament run.”
The Pioneers advance to face either Fairland or South Point in a Division III district semifinal at 7 p.m., Tuesday at Waverly.
Huntington 3, Lynchburg-Clay 1
Behind an excellent effort from both Megan Steele and Allison Basye, Huntington (16-7) got past Lynchburg-Clay Saturday by a 25-20, 23-25, 25-15, 25-11 final.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
Steele finished with 24 kills and eight digs while Basye accounted for 17 kills and eight digs. Also assisting in the win was Alyssa Steele with 31 assists and seven digs, Harmony Henneberger with 15 digs and five aces, and Lauryl Shope with 13 digs.
“We started out slow today but finished strong,” Huntington coach Tina Magill said. “After a week of good practices, our girls are ready to play. I believe our players are peaking at the right time.”
Huntington advances to a Division III district semifinal, where it’ll take on Ironton at 7 p.m., Wednesday at Waverly.
Minford 3, Chesapeake 0
The Falcons (12-11) have also advanced to the district level with Saturday’s 25-14, 25-11, 25-13 win over Chesapeake.
While statistics weren’t available, Minford junior setter Livi Shonkwiler said her team was excited for the win.
“Today’s sectional championship was a big win for us,” she said. “We played really well as a team and brought a lot of positive energy. We need to take the same kind of energy with us as we head into districts next week.”
Minford now has the task of facing top-seeded Westfall in a Division III district semifinal at 6 p.m., Wednesday at Waverly.
Wheelersburg 3, Portsmouth 0
The Pirates (23-0) remained undefeated with a rather easy win over Portsmouth Saturday in a sectional final.
CREDIT: Jenny Campbell/SOSA
Wheelersburg handed the Trojans a 25-16, 25-14, 25-11 loss, claiming yet another sectional crown. Kylee Barney led the Pirates with 13 kills and five blocks, Mallory Bergan had 11 kills and eight digs, Lauren Jolly passed out 42 assists, and Alli McQuay added 11 kills.
“Today’s sectional title helped us get one step closer to reaching our ultimate goal,” junior Kaylee Darnell said. “My team and I are focused on taking it one week at a time and we know we need to keep working hard in order to get to where we are capable of being.”
The Pirates will now face Northwest in a Division III district semifinal at 6 p.m., Wednesday at Waverly.
Northwest 3, Fairfield 1
With a 25-17, 23-25, 25-11, 25-22 win over Fairfield on Saturday, the Mohawks (16-7) claimed their first sectional crown since 2014.
Reagan Lewis set a career high with 40 assists in the match alongside 19 digs and two kills. Ava Jenkins had 12 kills and 11 digs, Haidyn Wamsley had 11 kills , and Lydia Emmons added a career high 20 digs.
“Our team came together to beat a solid team today for the sectional title,” Northwest coach Elizabeth Lewis said. “We are going to use this momentum to carry on in district play.”
Northwest will now meet with Wheelersburg in a Division III district semifinal at 6 p.m., Wednesday at Waverly.
GIRLS SOCCER, DIVISION II
Chillicothe 4, Hillsboro 0
Behind three goals from junior Addie Erslan, Chillicothe (14-2-2) breezed past FAC foe Hillsboro (5-8-3) for a third time this season, winning by a 4-0 final Saturday.
Erslan started the day’s scoring at the 36:29 mark in the first half and made it a 2-0 ballgame with 22:04 left before halftime. She then gave way to teammate Gemma Maimone, who scored with 13:19 left before completing a hat trick at the 10:32 mark.
The Cavaliers advance to play Warren in a Division II district semifinal at Logan High School on Thursday. First touch is set for 7 p.m.