Liberty, Jerome, Desales claim regional titles
In what has been a dominating season for the Olentangy Liberty boys volleyball team, coach David Hale was impressed with how the Patriots responded to a challenge Saturday against Mount Vernon.
After dropping the first set, topseeded Liberty rallied for a 23-25, 2522, 25-14, 25-15 victory in the Division I, Region 1 final at Upper Arlington, earning its third consecutive state berth.
In the sport’s first state tournament run by the OHSAA, the Patriots (22-4) will play Dublin Jerome in a semifinal next Saturday at Wittenberg.
Liberty lost in state quarterfinals the previous two seasons. The sport previously had an additional round at state.
“We’re technically further along,” Hale said. “Last year, we were in the (quarterfinals) and now we’re in the (semifinals). It does make a difference. It makes it sweet as far as being in the final four this year.’’
The Liberty-jerome winner plays two-time defending state champion Cincinnati Moeller or Hudson in the state final Sunday at Wittenberg.
Led by outside hitter Parker Gantt, setter Cooper Carpenter, middle blocker Zach Karns, outside hitter Hunter Thompson and right-side hitter Ethan
Cline, third-seeded Mount Vernon opened an 8-3 lead in the first set before withstanding several rallies.
Liberty jumped out to a 14-6 advantage in the second set before holding off the Yellow Jackets to even the match.
Behind outside hitter Caden Whiteside and setter Connor Severson, the Patriots controlled the final two sets, and middle hitter Jack Koch’s kill clinched the win in the fourth set. Whiteside finished with 15 kills, 13 digs and one block.
Severson had 38 assists and nine digs, libero Jack Sullenberger had 23 digs and Koch had eight kills, three blocks and three digs. Outside hitter/defensive specialist Ryan Severson and middle hitter Jack Torson each added seven kills.
Dublin Jerome 3, Hilliard Darby 0
The third-seeded Celtics (22-3) earned a return trip to state with a 25-15, 32-30, 25-16 win over the second-seeded Panthers (20-6) in the Region 3 final at Centerville.
Jerome made its first state appearance a season ago, losing in a quarterfinal.
“We knew Darby was going to be a huge test and we jumped on them in that first set 25-15,” Celtics coach Phil Cagnoli said. “We told our kids after the first set, ‘The match starts now.’ After we had the first set victory, we knew that set two was going to be where they mounted a big push to come back and luckily we were able to survive it. It went deep into those extra points. It was two power teams going at it and luckily we were able to come out on top.”
Cagnoli said contributions from his seniors, including Henry Guerrera, Aidan Eberhardt, Connor Kemp, Thomas Terrell and Cameron Eckelberry, helped make the difference.
Desales 3, St. Charles 0
Since falling to St. Charles in a CCL match April 18, Desales coach Andy Feltz and his team had been looking forward to a potential rematch with the Cardinals.
The Stallions seized their opportunity, defeating St. Charles 25-20, 25-20, 25-20 in the Division II, Region 5 final at Westerville Central for their second consecutive regional title and fifth overall.
Desales played the April 18 match without 6-foot-8 senior setter Cameron Hoying, out with a sprained ankle.
Hoying led Desales with 22 assists, six digs and three kills. Camren White had 10 kills and three digs, and Evan Holthouse had seven kills and three digs.
Desales (18-4) will play Independence, a suburban Cleveland school, in a state semifinal Saturday at Wittenberg. The winner plays Akron St. Vincent-st. Mary or Cincinnati Mcnicholas for the title the next day.