Rangers ranked 4th in state poll

The New Knoxville Rangers won games last week against a pair of state-ranked teams and the Rangers were recognized for their efforts in this week’s poll.

The Rangers climbed in the second week of the Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association poll, landing fourth with 249 points and three first-place votes -- two spots higher than their sixth-place ranking in the inaugural 2020 poll.

New Knoxville defeated then-No. 8 ranked Fort Recovery in straight sets and used a furious comeback on Saturday to take down 2019 state runner-up and No. 3 Fort Loramie in five sets on the road.

The Rangers (9-0) best ranking last season was seventh and the third-place ranking is the highest for the program since finishing third in the final OHSVCA poll in 2006 when that team finished state runners-up.

Rounding out the top three schools are Tiffin Calvert with 301 points and seven first-place votes, and Midwest Athletic Conference schools Marion Local (11-1) with 316 points and two first-place votes and defending champion New Bremen (12-0) with 422 points and 30 firstplace votes.

Fort Loramie (9-2) dropped to fifth and Fort Recovery (8-1) is ranked ninth in all of Division IV volleyball programs. From staff reports

NEW KNOXVILLE 3, ANNA 0

NEW KNOXVILLE — The No. 4 ranked New Knoxville Rangers volleyball team improved to 10-0 on the season with a 15-12, 25-10, 25-19 non-conference sweep of Anna on Monday.

Carsyn Henschen led the Rangers (10-0) with 13 kills. Haley Fledderjohann recorded three service aces and

Ellie Gabel collected 30 assists.

The Rangers junior varsity team also came away victorious on Monday with a 25-9, 26-28, 25-14 win.

New Knoxville will travel on Tuesday to take on Minster in Midwest Athletic Conference action.

MINSTER 3, ELIDA 2

MINSTER — The Minster Wildcats volleyball team held on to a five-set win against Elida, 24-27, 25-22, 25-23, 20-25, 15-5 in non-conference action on Monday.

Ivy Wolf led the Wildcats (7-3) with 20 kills, followed by 10 kills each from Alyssa Niemeyer, Brynn Oldiges and Dana Prenger.

Ava Sharp recorded 32 digs, followed by 23 from Wolf and 27 from Niemeyer. Ella Mescher tallied four blocks, four services aces and nine kills. Jayden Clune collected 48 assists.

Minster will host New Knoxville on Tuesday.

OHIO SCHOLASTIC SOCCER COACHES ASSOCIATION POLL

The St. Marys Roughriders girls soccer team made an appearance on the Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association poll, landing 19th.

The Roughriders (5-3-1) are winners of five straight after beginning the season 1-3-1.

Fellow Western Buckeye League school Bath (81-0) is ranked fifth with 107 points.

The Roughriders will host Bath Oct. 1.