Dukes, Panthers and Phoenix win in tourney

In Division III action in the Elyria District on Oct. 17, Wellington, Elyria Catholic and Oberlin advanced as easy winners.

Wellington defeated Warrensville Heights while Elyria Catholic swept Beachwood and Oberlin easily handled Lutheran East.

The Dukes were firing on all cylinders, putting together one of their best and most wellrounded performances to overwhelm Warrensville Heights, and coach Rebecca Rohrbach said she’s finally starting to see her team play with confidence.

“I have seen these girls grow. This is my second year with them. I’ve seen them mature, I’ve seen them gain their confidence and then it goes back a little bit. They go four steps forward and two steps back and then they would get down,” Rohrbach said. “They’re getting it. They are getting it and they’re starting to believe.”

Junior Alexis Lehmkuhl finished with 12 kills and eight assists for Wellington (6-17), and said she and her teammates have been practicing better than ever lately and are starting to

play more cohesively, something the Dukes have struggled with all season.

“Recently we’ve been playing awesome,” Lehmkuhl said. “We’ve been working as a team. Communication’s coming together. We’re just learning how to finish still.

“We’ve been working hard in practice . ... I think we’re just getting better as we go.”

Erin Frenck added nine kills and two blocks, Jalen Gibbs had four kills and three blocks and Amber Wetherbee had 10 assists for Wellington.

Wetherbee added an impressive 12-point service run to open the third set, putting the Dukes up 13-0 before cruising to a 25-7 win to take the match.

Wellington advances to face No. 1 seed Independence Oct. 19 at Elyria in a sectional final, and Rohrbach is ready to see if that “fighter” mentality she has

been teaching all season can pay off in what will certainly be one of the Dukes’ toughest tests this season.

“We have really been focusing on mental toughness, trying to put ourselves in situations where you have to be mentally strong to get out, and they’re starting to get that,” Rohrbach said.

“So, did they play well today? Yes. Do I think they can play better? Yes, because I have seen it in practices.

“I told them (it’s) second season. Never say never.”

Wellington will play Independence at 6 p.m. on Oct. 19 at Elyria High School.

Panthers win

Elyria Catholic swept Beachwood in a Division III sectional semifinal at Elyria Oct. 17.

The Panthers started sluggishly against a hardhitting Beachwood team but picked up the intensity the next two sets to advance to face second-seeded Brooklyn in a sectional final.

“I think it took us a while to kind of warm up and get our heads in the game,” Elyria Catholic coach Barb Schuckman said.

“They needed to start off (the way they finished). It took a while but they got there.

“They needed to communicate more. They needed to be louder, create some intensity on the court, and they started doing that as the match went on.”

The players agreed, and senior Haley Raible said it was the team’s mentality more than anything that held it back in the first set.

“We were more focused at the end,” Raible said. “We picked it up and we knew what we had to do.

“We knew we had to pick up on some easy balls. Once we got our passes up we could run more quick things. We knew we had to pick up our pace.”

Raible finished with a game-high 12 kills, Julia Allegretto had 10 kills and setter Jordyn Kuchta had 33 assists for Elyria Catholic.

The Panthers were able to quicken their offense,

thanks in large part to Kuchta as the junior was all over the floor picking up every pass, and Schuckman said her setter has improved tremendously from the start of the season till now.

“Jordyn’s improved dramatically over the season and so wherever the pass goes off serve receive, she hustles to get there and does the best she can with it,” Schuckman said. “I’m very proud.”

“Once we get the passes up we can run anything,” Raible said of her teammate. “(Kuchta) knows what she has to do and she puts the ball there.”

The seventh-seeded Panthers have used a tough regular-season schedule to prepare for this moment and, underdog or not, feel they have as good a chance as any to win the sectional final.

The difference will certainly be whether Elyria Catholic can start the match as it finished this one.

“We’re going to walk in with confidence and go in with the mindset of wanting

to win,” Raible said.

The Panthers next opponent will be Brooklyn at 11 a.m. on Oct. 21 at Elyria High School.

Oberlin rolls

Oberlin cruised to a 3-0 win over Lutheran East in a Division III sectional semifinal at Elyria Oct. 17.

The Phoenix completely out-matched Lutheran East but found different ways to challenge themselves throughout the game as they prepare to face Patriot Athletic Conference foe Columbia in a sectional semifinal on Oct. 21.

“I gave them different challenges on each set that they had to work on,” Oberlin coach Sharhonda Rankin said. “In one set they couldn’t swing, they had to find spots and work on tipping...so we tried to do things that were at least keeping them challenged and every point had to be loud so they could keep their energy up.”

Oberlin has struggled keeping energy up all season with no substitutes on the bench, but with many

JV players making the trip and the motivation for another shot at Columbia, the Phoenix stayed energized and even improved their communication.

“Our biggest one was just talking to each other,” Rankin said. “I don’t care if it’s really loud but just let each other know where you are on the court, help each other out, so they completed most of their challenges for the day.”

Oberlin totaled 23 kills which is a bit low for the hard-hitting Phoenix, but Rankin was nonetheless pleased with the offense.

Karissa Rankin led with eight kills and Lauren Sands had seven for Oberlin (11-12), but it’s the defense that will have to be on top of its game if the Phoenix have a shot at advancing to a district semifinal.

“Their offense is there. They just have to come with some grit and be willing to not let that ball fall,” Rankin said.

The Phoenix and Raiders will clash at 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 21 at Elyria High School.