EBENSBURG — When the Colts battle on the volleyball court, the Northern Cambria community follows them down the road.
That occurs for a number of reasons, such as the successful tradition that coach Mike Hogan has built with the Colts. In addition, the Colts’ followers are excited by their undefeated record and a No. 1 ranking among Class A schools in the state by the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association.
The 2009 squad would love to emulate the Colts’ 2005 performance and return to Northern Cambria this weekend with the PIAA gold. The Colts earned the state silver in 2004 and 2006, and they have captured six consecutive District 6-A championships.
Northern Cambria advanced to the state quarterfinals Tuesday night at Central Cambria High School, winning their 22nd consecutive match by dispatching Jefferson-Morgan in three games: 25-18, 25-12 and 25-17.
Hogan is pleased with his squad’s performance this year as they continue to build upon that NC legacy.
“Tradition is the key. We’ve been there, we know what it takes, and we know how you have to perform,” Hogan said after the match. “We know that you can’t get caught up in ‘What are we going to do tomorrow?’ We have to focus on the present, deal with what we have to today and deal with what is coming up. Tradition helps a tremendous amount.”
Despite that ranking, the Rockets, the third-place team in District 7, demonstrated at the outset of the match that they were not intimidated by that Northern Cambria legacy or state ranking.
Jefferson-Morgan charged out to a 6-0 lead, stunning the large Northern Cambria contingent – led by an excited and vociferous student body
– and silencing them for a short time.
The Rockets built that lead with a strong game at the net, taking advantage of two monster kills by 5-foot,
11-inch senior middle hitter Mabel Culp to build that lead.
“We said that if we made it easy for them to contact the ball, they have some good hitters and they’re going to bring some heat at you,” Hogan said about the start.
“They were prepared and came out, and I think that it kind of woke us up a little bit. We’re in a ball game now, and we have to forget the hype and go out and play. Once we got rolling and got a couple of key plays on our side of the net, things went pretty well for us.”
Down 6-0, the Colts reeled off seven consecutive points off the service of Ariel Rocco to stem the Rockets’ momentum and assert control of the game.
The score was tied four times after that until Northern Cambria outscored its District 7 opponent 8-1 down the stretch to earn a 25-18 victory.
Jefferson-Morgan coach Ron Headlee was pleased with his team’s start, although disappointed that they could not sustain it.
“We gave all those points that we earned right back to them, so that part hurt a little bit,” Headlee said.
“We kept playing basically in their home gym here with the home crowd here. I thought that our girls responded real well for being here in the state playoffs for the first time.”
Hogan has a veteran squad with four seniors on his starting lineup: Brianna Kochinsky, Ariel and Jess Rocco, and Janae Dunchak. The group has worked hard to return to the state competition.
“Last year, we were confident, but we were not as much leaders as we are this year since we’re all seniors,” Kochinsky said. “We wanted it so bad because this is our senior year.”
The Colts advance to the state quarterfinals Friday at Central York High School.
High School Sports
Related Photos
-
Northern Cambria’s Jessica Rocco dives for the ball during Tuesday’s match against Jefferson-Morgan. Dave Lloyd
Discussion
Northern Cambria advances to quarters
- High School Sports
-
-
Richland's Lumley settles for pair of silver medals
Paige Lumley was on an emotional roller coaster and seeing silver on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Richland senior had state record jumps twice during the triple jump competition, but ended up with a silver–medal leap of 40 feet,
1¾ inches.
Defending state champion, second-seeded junior Lanae Newsome of Brookville, won with a jump of 40-3½. -
Ridge’s Dull takes second with school-record time
Matt Dull finished his athletic career with his best on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Chestnut Ridge senior ran a career-best time of 38.12 to finish second in the 300 hurdles final, also setting another school record. -
Young takes silver in state triple jump
Chestnut Ridge senior Michael Young capped six years of triple jumping with a silver medal Friday on the first day of the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Seth Grove Stadium on the campus of Shippensburg University.
Young had a career-best leap of 45-9¼ just behind Jared Horne of Schuylkill Valley whose winning jump was 46-9. -
Forest Hills’ Smay places fifth in Class AA long jump
Brooke Smay is moving on up.
The Forest Hills junior earned a fifth-place position in the Class AA long jump with a leap of 17 feet, 3 ½ inches Friday on the first day of the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University. -
Bishop McCort wins District 6-A baseball crown
Bishop McCort truly won the District 6 Class A baseball championship as a team on Friday at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
There were more than a few huge plays. Of course a number of individuals stepped up to secure a 3-1 victory over LHAC rival Bishop Guilfoyle. -
Somerset denied 6-AAA baseball title
Hollidaysburg pitcher Dom Viduya and his Golden Tigers teammates beat defending champion Somerset 3-1 in Thursday’s District 6 Class AAA championship game at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
-
Pitcher's 'bad day' results in no-hitter
Bridgit Yothers struggled on the mound on Thursday.
But the Chestnut Ridge right-hander was able to persevere through her issues, throwing a no-hitter against Bedford in their District 5 Class AA semifinal and helping the Lions to a 5-0 victory. -
Local athletes look to shine at PIAA track and field meet
Each of the nearly 50 area athletes who will be competing at this weekend’s PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University, will be looking for his or her best performance of the season, but only the top eight finishers in each event for both boys and girls will stand on the podium in front of the crowd at Seth Grove Stadium.
-
Westmont, Somerset represented at PIAA Class AA tennis tourney
The PIAA Class AA tennis tournament showcases the top players in the state, which includes three area athletes, when it begins today at the Hershey Racquet Club.
-
Corridini’s hit propels Shade
Tasha Corridini had been having a tough time at the plate on Wednesday.
The Shade leftfielder had struck out twice in her prior two at-bats against Shanksville-Stonycreek pitcher Kayla Stockenus.
But in the bottom of the seventh of a scoreless game with Kaily Karl on first, Corridini clubbed a triple out to the fence, scoring Karl and giving the Panthers a walk-off 1-0 win over the Vikings in a District 5 Class A softball quarterfinal. - More High School Sports Headlines
-
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
