Thanks, that just doesn't make sense...............its a pretty long trip, Thursday and then Saturday. The trip to Barberton and then Hudson 2 years ago, and Lake-then Hudson last year was a lot more fan friendly.
On the other hand, we have to win to get there. 2 Years ago, N Canton was undefeated, a girl got ill, and then we upset them in 5 at barberton. Anything can happen, but Jeff will have them grounded.
Where are the other 2 locations, in addition to Hudson and Hilliard? I got lost in the OHSAA site.
I would assume one in the NW part of the state and one in the Dayton or Cincinnati area?
The other two are Lebanon and Norwalk.
I didn't realize that Jackson's regional assignment got changed. They would have to get through possibly Dublin Coffman or Pickerington North to get to State. Should be a competitive Regional.
2 N Canton, very good, plays well, plays hard every play, injury has hurt this team badly
3 Boardman, I apologize for underestimating them earlier
4 Lake, best of the middle tier
5 GlenOak, very young
6 Perry, don't look down, that loss to McKinley was costly
7 McKinley, getting better, very well coached
The teams are settling in, the tournament is less than a month away, good luck to all, great health to all, and to those with injuries, get better quickly and completely.
With Jackson High School’s size and skill both at the net and on the back row, it’s exceedingly difficult to score points on the Polar Bears volleyball team.
Add to that a Jackson service game that comes in hard and low and to a spot and, well, it’s a recipe for a three-set loss for its opponents.
The visiting Polar Bears smacked 15 aces against Perry in Thursday night’s Federal League match. Those easy points, coupled with stout defense, a good passing game and some fine hitting, led Jackson to a 25-20, 25-7, 25-19 triumph over the Panthers.
“We spent a lot of time in practice this week on (serving),” junior defensive specialist Kate Regas said. “Not just serving to people, but to spots.
“We put tarps down on the floor, and we had to touch the corners (with serves). Most of us jump serve, and this was a bigger gym, so we had a lot of space. ... We tried to serve strategically.”
In Jackson’s first rotation of the night, Paige Hill, Kristin Cardwell and Rachel Seifert each ripped off an ace to get a slim lead. Cardwell and Seifert each added another their next service en route to closing out what was a close game.
Then Laura Kelly and Regas took over games 2 and 3 with their serves.
Kelly started Game 2 with three good serves that Hill used for two easy kills, and Stephanie Spencer added one. Kelly then ran off three straight aces her next serve, with two that crept over the net and one to the back line, for an insurmountable 21-6 lead.
Then Regas scored five quick points in Game 3, including her own spurt of three straight aces. Jackson’s final ace of the night, Seifert’s third, gave the Polar Bears a 14-6 lead they never lost, though an ankle injury to Jackson freshman Brooke Bailey stalled momentum and the Panthers rallied to make it a game.
A block by Devin Lawrence and a tip from Brittany Miner scored two points on Mallory Vodopich’s serve. That brought Perry within two at 19-17 to get the home fans into it.
A kill by Maddy Busch, though, forced a sideout and three more bullets on Kelly’s serve led to Busch adding three more kills that choked the comeback.
“They serve aggressively,” Perry head coach John Vodopich said of Jackson. “We worked hard on (serve receive) yesterday in practice ... our serve-receive game hurt us tonight.
“I was happy with our overall effort, except in the second game.”
Jackson’s passing game was solid. Cardwell had 31 assists and the Polar Bears spread the ball around to Hill (14 kills), Busch (8), Bailey (7) and Stephanie Spencer (7).
Jackson rolled to a 10-0 start, beating rival Perry in three sets. Laura Kelly led visiting Jackson with 14 points and three aces, while Paige Hill picked up 14 kills, 14 digs and three blocks. Kristen Cardwell had 31 assists for the Polar Bears. Perry was paced by Cassy Swihart’s five points and an ace. Katy Frease had five kills and two blocks for the Panthers, while Breanna Miner had nine assists, Mallory Vodopich had six digs, and both Devin Lawrence and Brittany Miner had two blocks each.
The win improves Jackson to 7-0 in the Federal League. Perry falls to 6-7 overall and 2-5 in the league.
Northwest jumped on visiting Hoover to win the first two sets, but the Vikings roared back to win the final three to claim the match. Madison Grogan led the Indians with 14 points and five aces. Lizzie Jacobs had a team-high 18 kills, while Sara Eisenmann had 43 assists and Hannah Gordon picked up 22 good serve receptions and 17 digs.
Newcomers step up — big — for Jackson volleyball team
As the high school volleyball season reaches its midpoint, Jeff Walck is feeling a little better about his Jackson Polar Bears than he did a month ago.
A 10-0 start will do that for a coach.
Walck had plenty of reasons to feel confident going into his fourth season on Jackson’s bench. After all, he had led the Bears to a 27-1 record and a berth in a Division I regional title match last fall.
However, after losing versatile Katie Zito to graduation and having veteran Laura Kelly volunteer to fill a defensive role as a libero, Walck suddenly found himself short on experienced hitters in the offseason.
“We graduated some pretty good players and I was a little nervous coming in, because I knew we’d have some youth and players who wouldn’t have a lot of varsity experience,” Walck said. “The team has gelled very fast, though, and they just keep getting better each week. It’s been a pretty gratifying feeling so far.”
Walck knew his offense would be centered around 6-foot-1 senior middle blocker Paige Hill. What he didn’t know was how many other reliable options senior setter Kristin Cardwell would have at her disposal.
Enter freshman Brooke Bailey, sophomore Stephanie Spencer, junior Jen Slogar and senior Maddy Busch.
The newcomers have integrated themselves seamlessly into Jackson’s fast-paced offense, in the process helping deflect attention from Hill, a Miami (Ohio) University recruit.
The result is Jackson, two-time defending Federal League champion, is a perfect 7-0 in league play after Thursday’s win over Perry. The Bears entered Thursday’s match against Perry not having dropped a set this season.
“The other kids have rallied around them and have been helping them out all the time,” Walck said. “The young ones are awesome in practice; they’re like sponges and they want to learn everything you can teach them.
While Walck is thankful for the younger players’ work ethic, he’s even more grateful for their physical attributes. When he convened practice, Walck couldn’t hide his enthusiasm about how they might fit into his scheme. His only worry was how quickly they would adapt to varsity action.
“When we took a look at the newcomers, one of the most intriguing things was their size,” Walck said. “Most of them were touching 6-foot, and we were real happy with that part. We just knew they needed some experience. They were plenty athletic and they just flew around and did wonderful things on the court. They just lacked that experience.
We’re starting a sophomore and a freshman as our two outside hitters. I don’t think anyone who’s watched us play will tell you they’re a liability. They’re a definite asset.”
Those two hitters are Bailey, who’s “probably closer to 6-1 than 6-foot” in Walck’s estimation, and Spencer, who stands nearly 6-foot. Toss in Slogar, another 6-footer who teams with Hill in the middle, and Busch, a 5-11 opposite side hitter, and the Bears cast a very long shadow at the net.
“This is the biggest team I’ve ever coached in high school,” Walck said. “Most times, you get one or two kids who are tall, and if you’re lucky, you might get another that’s close and is in the mix. In all my years of coaching, this is the biggest high school team I’ve been blessed to have.”
Aside from making life difficult for opponents, the influx in height allows the Bears to affect many more balls on both sides of the net.
“It allows us to control the net a little bit better, not just offensively, even though that’s the first thing people will think of, but also defensively,” Walck said. “With those kids and their height, even if they’re not blocking the ball, we’re probably altering shots. If teams do get blocked, maybe they come back with a tip or a roll the next time, which benefits our defense.
“That height plays big at the net.”
Walck will get another chance to see how that height plays when the Bears host the Jackson Invitational on Saturday at 10 a.m. Orrville, West Holmes, Tallmadge and Louisville are among the seven teams visiting Jackson for the afternoon, guaranteeing the Bears a glimpse of several styles. That’s exactly what Walck wants this time of year.
“You want to have someone throw something different at you, someone you don’t know and haven’t had the chance to scout,” Walck said. “You’re going to play them blind so that the players and coaches have to adjust. It’s good for everyone involved.”
Then Regas scored five quick points in Game 3, including her own spurt of three straight aces. Jackson’s final ace of the night, Seifert’s third, gave the Polar Bears a 14-6 lead they never lost, though an ankle injury to Jackson freshman Brooke Bailey stalled momentum and the Panthers rallied to make it a game.
Bailey is 6' 1 Outside hitter, We will see how this plays out.
I, fear injuries. They hurt the player, the team, and all involved. I know how they have hurt N Canton , we just hope everyone gets healthy. We hope Brooke is Ok soon, we need her for the stretch run.
BTW Power rankings
#1 JV.................Jackson, hands down
#1 frosh.......tie Jackson and N Canton, Jackson has beaten good frosh teams at GlenOak and Perry. If we beat N canton at home, its a tie, at worst.
I, fear injuries. They hurt the player, the team, and all involved. I know how they have hurt N Canton , we just hope everyone gets healthy. We hope Brooke is Ok soon, we need her for the stretch run.
BTW Power rankings
#1 JV.................Jackson, hands down
#1 frosh.......tie Jackson and N Canton, Jackson has beaten good frosh teams at GlenOak and Perry. If we beat N canton at home, its a tie, at worst.
Frosh rankings
1. Hoover by virtue of their win over the Polar Bears at leat until the rematch.
2. Jackson- If they win the return match at Jackson....then you can call it a tie.
1. Hoover by virtue of their win over the Polar Bears at leat until the rematch.
2. Jackson- If they win the return match at Jackson....then you can call it a tie.
Oh CC,
Really your nit picking over someone's perception of the Frosh Rankings that do not agree with yours. This is not making you look good. Your better than that and just give it a break until they play each other at Jackson.
First round—
West Holmes d. Northwest 30-28, 25-20;
Louisville d. Copley 18-25, 25-22, 25-9;
Jackson d. Tallmadge 25-21, 25-18;
Orrville d. Southeast 25-12, 27-25.
Second round—
Jackson d. Orrville 25-8, 25-6;
Louisville d. West Holmes 25-19, 25-19;
Southeast 19-25-25, Tallmadge 19-25, 25-22, 25-20;
Northwest d. Copley 25-22, 21-25, 25-18.
Seventh place—Tallmadge d. Copley 25-22, 25-9.
Fifth place—Southeast d. Northwest 15-25, 25-23, 25-23.
Third place—West Holmes d. Orrville 25-18, 25-17.
Championship—Jackson d. Louisville 25-15, 25-12.
GlenOak 11-25-25,
Norton 25-11-21
Top servers—Adams (GO) 16 points.
Kill leaders—Watson (GO) 8.
Assist leaders—Adams (GO) 16.
Top defensive players—Garman (GO), Anderson (GO), Watson (GO) 9 digs; Watson (GO), Zorc (GO) 2 blocks.
GlenOak 25-25,
Akron Firestone 18-20
Top servers—Anderson (GO) 8 points.
Kill leaders—Watson (GO) 6.
Assist leaders—Adams (GO) 12.
Top defensive players—McVay (GO) 4 digs; Moore (GO) 2 blocks.
GlenOak 25-17-25,
Bay Village 16-25-17
Top servers—Watson (GO) 11 points.
Kill leaders—Moore (GO) 6.
Assist leaders—Adams (GO) 21.
Top defensive players—Garman (GO) 12 digs; Moore (GO) 6 blocks.
Really your nit picking over someone's perception of the Frosh Rankings that do not agree with yours. This is not making you look good. Your better than that and just give it a break until they play each other at Jackson.
Why would the teams be considered tied when one team beat the other?
No one else is really worth talking about in the Fed when it comes to this statement about NE Ohio. But, until Jackson beats Walsh, not a fair statement. Other teams to consider in NE Ohio would include Beaumont, Lake Catholic, Kenston and Solon.
NPVB, looks like you will get your wish this weekend, Jackson plays Solon again and Walsh on Saturday at NEO Power tourney in Mentor.
Mallory Vodopich led the Panthers (6-8, 2-6) with 11 points. Katy Frease had a team-best 10 kills and three blocks, while Kassidy Whitaker posted 14 assists and Cassy Swihart had 12 digs.
Jackson moved to 14-0 overall and 8-0 in the Federal League with a dominant three-set win.
Laura Kelly accounted for a single set herself with a whopping 27 service points, including nine aces. Paige Hill and Stephanie Spencer each finished with nine kills for Jackson, which also got 23 assists from Kristin Cardwell. Kelly added seven digs and Hill provided three blocks on defense.
The Massillon Tigers couldn’t get over the hump and fell to visiting GlenOak in three sets.
“It’s been a struggle all season to finish off games,” Massillon coach Lindsay Moretta said. “The girls have the talent. We just need to finish better.”
Amari Pierce had six kills for the Tigers, who also received four blocks and eight digs from Sam Barboza. Taylor Young chipped in seven assists and Malia Turley served up 11 points and an ace.
The Jackson Polar Bears stayed perfect with a three-set win over Boardman in Federal League play.
Kristin Cardwell did a little of everything for Jackson, as the senior setter finshed with 16 points, three aces and 31 assists.
Paige Hill paced the Bears’ attack at the net with 14 kills and four blocks. Jen Slogar added four blocks. Karlie DiRuzza and Laura Kelly each finished with nine digs.
Jackson is 15-0 overall and 9-0 in the league.
The Perry Panthers fell in three sets to Lake in a Federal League match.
Mallory Vodopich’s six service points led Perry, which also got 19 assists from Kassidy Whitaker.
Good luck this weekend to the Lady Polar Bears ! Stay healthy, and win, almost tournament time. Federal League showdown is Tuesday at our place, # 1 vs # 2.
Same with JV and Frosh.
CC Runner, I hear that your senior is out, all of us at Jackson wish her a speedy recovery in time for track season, and hope that she has multiple scholarship offers, it's so sad that she has missed so much of Senior VB season. And those feelings are so sincere.
Good luck to all the Ladies !!, power rankings due on Monday !
Is that doctor available to write another prescription tomorrow night
Oct. 2nd?
Whatever it takes to motivate you as a fan!!!
Maybe if the Doctor could combine Hoover with Brecksville then maybe all would be well for you CC. Hope you can make it to the game.
Last edited by Darksider_99 : 10-01-12 at 07:24 PM.
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