JOHNSTOWN —
Name: Taylor Freeman
School: Penn Cambria
Year: Senior
Sport: Volleyball
Freeman’s week: Freeman, an outside hitter, hit 19 kills and added 16 digs in helping Penn Cambria defeat Philipsburg-Osceola 25-12, 16-25,
28-26, 25-18 in the District 6 Class AA championship match.
It was Penn Cambria’s second district title in three years.
“It feels absolutely amazing,” Freeman said. “This year has definitely been awesome. This year, the chemistry of the team has been phenomenal and it’s led us to some really great accomplishments.”
In the semifinals, Freeman had 18 kills and 14 digs as Penn Cambria defeated Ligonier Valley in straight sets.
“She’s just so athletic,” Penn Cambria coach Leah Montgomery said. “She reads the court well. She reads the defense and she’s quick. Most of all, she’s positive. She doesn’t get down and she doesn’t let the team get down.”
Horsing around: Montgomery, who has coached Penn Cambria for 11 years, uses a certain phrase to describe Freeman.
“She jumps like a horse,” the coach said.
It’s something Freeman hears frequently.
“I do hear that a lot, but it’s not something I ever noticed until she said something,” Freeman said. “The girls joke around with me about it all the time.”
The sporting life: Freeman tried her hand at many sports growing up. She played basketball, softball, ran track and even golfed.
In high school, Freeman’s focus turned to volleyball and softball. She’s the starting shortstop for Penn Cambria and her favorite sport depends on the season.
“I had absolutely no knowledge about volleyball when I started playing in seventh grade,” she said. “At first, it was just something to do to stay in condition for other sports.”
A couple of firsts: Penn Cambria won the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference and entered the PIAA Class AA playoffs with a 21-0 record. It marked the first time in school history the Panthers went through the regular season and district playoffs unbeaten.
Penn Cambria’s season ended Tuesday with a loss to Hopewell in the first round of the state tournament.
“The difference this year is we have a good group and they are a team,” Montgomery said. “There’s been no drama or attitude.”
Given all of Freeman’s activities, there’s little time for drama, unless it’s being part of the drama club.
She’s ranked first in her class and is the senior class president. Freeman is a member of the National Honor Society, student council and the forensics club.
HS Sports Penn Cambria
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Taylor Freeman is the Athlete of the Week
- HS Sports Penn Cambria
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Westmont, Penn Cambria beaten in District 6-AA duals
Westmont Hilltop won its first match in the District 6 Class AA Duals but was eliminated by Huntingdon in the quarterfinal round.
The seventh-seeded Hilltoppers (8-3) beat No. 11 Claysburg-Kimmel 60-18 in the opening match at Huntingdon. -
Four area squads qualify for District 6-AA tournament
Four local wrestling teams have qualified for the District 6 Class AA dual-meet tournament, but they’re all going to have to travel to compete in it.
Westmont Hilltop is the highest-seeded local team at No. 7, but the Hilltoppers will have to head to Huntingdon on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. match with No. 10 Claysburg-Kimmel. The winner of that match will take on No. 2 Huntingdon at 8 p.m. -
Richland-Penn Cambria rematch highlights Class AA
Since Richland and Penn Cambria last met, a lot has changed in the football landscape in Cresson and in the District 6 Class AA playoff chase.
Richland left Penn Cambria with a 30-12 victory over the Panthers in what proved to be coach Ernie Fetzer’s last game at Penn Cambria. After Fetzer’s sudden resignation, the Panthers (6-4) rallied to halt a four-game skid to score two straight wins and qualify for the
6-AA tournament as its eighth seed with Tony Tomaselli at the helm. -
Taylor Freeman is the Athlete of the Week
Name: Taylor Freeman
School: Penn Cambria
Year: Senior
Sport: Volleyball -
Penn Cambria rallies to beat Somerset
Play like there is tomorrow. Penn Cambria has had that mindset the last two weeks as they needed to win their last two games just to make it into the playoffs.
Mission accomplished. -
Penn Cambria wins 6-AA volleyball final
The Penn Cambria volleyball team used its assets to win the District 6 Class AA championship on Saturday at Altoona High School.
The Panthers downed Philipsburg-Osceola 25-12, 16-25, 28-26 25-18 to win the crown, their second in three seasons. -
Penn Cambria rallies to trounce Westmont
Penn Cambria concluded a week of surprises, distractions and uncertainty with a decisive performance on the field.
Unfortunately for Westmont Hilltop, the Panthers brought an attitude to Price Field on Saturday afternoon. This motivated group shrugged off the stunning news of coach Ernie Fetzer’s abrupt midweek resignation and resembled the unit many had picked to win the LHAC during the preseason. -
Penn Cambria girls remain undefeated
Volleyball coaches hope for late-season tests to see what their teams can improve on for a long, successful playoff run.
Both Penn Cambria and Bishop Carroll head coaches were thrilled their teams played each other so late in the season to access where their teams stood before the District 6 playoffs start next week. -
Friday preview: Forest Hills concerned about Bishop Guilfoyle
Bishop Guilfoyle accomplished something not many believed possible during last week’s win against Cambria Heights. The Marauders significantly hampered the Highlanders’ high-powered run game.
Don’t be surprised if Bishop Guilfoyle’s blueprint for defensive success is copied by other members of the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference when going against Cambria Heights. -
Forest Hills girls prove themselves the team to beat
The Forest Hills girls soccer team no longer feels the need to prove itself to anyone, but that doesn’t mean that the Rangers haven’t set some lofty goals for themselves this season.
“This year there is more pressure on the girls and I can see it, especially on the seniors,” said Forest Hills coach Donna Gallaher after her team defeated Penn Cambria 13-0 on Monday to raise it record to 6-0-1. - More HS Sports Penn Cambria Headlines
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Westmont, Penn Cambria beaten in District 6-AA duals
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