Tag: "girls volleyball"
Hammering home its point: Rockford overpowers Lake Orion to win Class A state title
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com BATTLE CREEK — With a deep well of hitters, Rockford has proved to be too much to overcome for many opponents this season. The Rams again proved that on the prep volleyball season’s final day. Rockford made it win No. 60 on the season and it came on the […]
Lake Orion, Rockford set to battle for first-time state crown
FOR MORE VOLLEYBALL COVERAGE, visit http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=volleyball&x=10&y=12 BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com BATTLE CREEK — Nearly three hours apart, Rockford and Lake Orion are truly on opposite side of the state. But they both share some common threads being from the state’s two largest metropolitan areas. Rockford is 20 miles north of the heart of […]
On the big stage: No secrets between rivals Lake Orion and Clarkston in state semifinals
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com BATTLE CREEK — There will be no secrets Thursday when Clarkston and Lake Orion take the volleyball court. The two large neighboring schools, less than 15 miles apart, both play in the OAA Red Division, with Clarkston winning the division this season and the Dragons finishing second. They have […]
Avenall the right choice to lead Clarkston into volleyball history
CLARKSTON — Kelly Avenall doesn’t always speak kindly of herself as a high school student. That’s common when a teacher and coach looks back on their youth. “I was kind of a band geek in high school,” she laughed. Avenall is a 1989 graduate of Clarkston High School. She played the rare instrument Oboe, a […]
TAKING CENTER COURT — VOLLEYBALL FINAL FOUR
FINAL FOUR Below are the 2011 MHSAA girls volleyball state semifinals, which are slated for Nov. 17-18 at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek. The state finals are set for Nov. 19. CLASS A Thursday, Nov. 17 Rockford (58-8-0) vs. Temperance Bedford (65-10-1), 5:30 p.m. Clarkston (55-5-0) vs. Lake Orion (53-12-3), 7:15 p.m. CLASS B Friday, Nov. 18 East Grand […]
Long time coming: Dragons overcome slow start, Dakota to reach semifinals for first time in 23 years
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com ST. CLAIR SHORES — Lake Orion has been infamous for slow starts this season on the volleyball court. Fortunately, the Dragons have the firepower to recover. That was the case Tuesday in Lake Orion’s first state quarterfinals game in 23 years. The Dragons rallied for a 3-2 victory over […]
Breaking the seal: Clarkston edges Canton in wild quarterfinal game to keep title hopes alive
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com FENTON — Any volleyball team that makes a long run to the Final Four must enjoy a little bit of luck along way. Clarkston feels quite blessed after Tuesday’s marathon battle. A close call in Game 5 was ruled in Clarkston’s favor and the Wolves went on to topple […]
Elite Eight: Clarkston making back-to-back trips to quarters for first time
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com CLARKSTON — It was a year ago when Clarkston ended a 34-year drought and won a regional title in girls volleyball. The Wolves gained the right to play in the state quarterfinals for the first time since 1976. Now, Clarkston is making such long postseason trips a habit rather […]
Refuse to lose: Dragons combine talent, chemistry to make run to Elite Eight
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com LAKE ORION — On Friday night, Lake Orion’s volleyball team took a short road trip. It wasn’t to see the latest flick at AMC or to hang out for some food at Buffalo Wild Wings. It was, of course, volleyball related. “I think they needed a night away from […]
Marysville ousts Notre Dame Prep in regional finals
ARMADA — Marysville knocked Pontiac Notre Dame Prep out of the postseason Thursday for the fifth time in nine seasons. The Vikings posted a 3-0 victory over the Fighting Irish in a Class B girls volleyball regional final at Armada High School. Marysville posted wins of 25-23, 25-20 and 25-22. Notre Dame Prep (36-19-4) held […]
Troy volleyball season ends at the hands of Lake Orion
BY JAKE LOURIM STUDENT CORRESPONDENT j.lourim@comcast.net LAKE ORION — It was freezing, it was snowing in early November, and the team bus was late. Even with these omens, though, nobody could have expected the Troy volleyball team’s sore spot to be in serving —14 service errors doomed Troy in a 17-25, 21-25, 21-25 loss to […]
Clarkston delivers Chemics knockout poison in regional finals
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com LAPEER — It’s not surprising that Clarkston defended its regional volleyball championship this season. What surprises many is the fact the Wolves did so despite graduating over half of its team from last year. The third-ranked Wolves are making a statement that they could be even better than a […]
Troy punches in, punches out Southfield to advance to regional finals
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com LAKE ORION — After suffering a first-round exit from last year’s postseason, Troy was eager to return to the spot of being one of Oakland County’s top volleyball teams this season, a position the Colts had enjoyed for many seasons in the past decade. The Colts have opted to […]
Troy sweeps Southfield to reach regional finals
BY JAKE LOURIM STUDENT CORRESPONDENT j.lourim@comcast.net LAKE ORION — Southfield volleyball had improved since the last time Troy played the Blue Jays. But they’ll have to improve a lot more to play with Troy. The Colts spread things around in a mostly lopsided regional final, advancing to Thursday’s match against Lake Orion. Ten players recorded […]
Clarkston, WOLL remain alive in regional play
LAPEER — Clarkston received a scare Tuesday night. The state-ranked Wolves left it as just a scare. Flushing built a 1-0 lead on Clarkston before the Wolves rallied with three straight wins for 3-1 victory over the Raiders in a Class A girls volleyball regional semifinal at Lapeer West High School. Clarkston, ranked third in […]
Notre Dame Prep advances to regional finals
ARMADA — One step further. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep has advanced at least one step further than last season, as the Fighting Irish swept Madison Heights Lamphere, 3-0, Tuesday in a Class B girls volleyball regional semifinal at Armada High School. Notre Dame Prep posted scores of 25-19, 25-14 and 25-7, overpowering the Rams in […]
Swinging some revenge: Dragons stun defending state champion Marian
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com LAKE ORION — More than any sport, momentum can make a major difference in volleyball. Once the pendulum swings, it’s hard to gain the momentum back. Birmingham Marian found that out the hard way Tuesday night. Regional host Lake Orion dropped Game 1 of its Class A regional semifinal […]
Youthful Notre Dame Prep back in familiar spot in regional play
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com PONTIAC — When Pontiac Notre Dame Prep walked off the volleyball court Saturday afternoon, the Fighting Irish were in a familiar position — they captured another district championship. Yet veteran coach Betty Wroubel admits that she didn’t know if this group could do it after an up-and-down regular season. […]
