Local Sports

Rebels enjoy home-field advantage

COLUMBIANA -- Crestview’s volleyball program has enjoyed its time in the current Rebel gymnasium. Its opponents certainly have not.

The Rebels clinched a share of their 11th straight league title with a 25-13, 25-4, 25-7 win over Champion on Thursday in what is likely the final volleyball senior night in the gym.

“It makes me a little sad because there is so much history in this gym,” Crestview coach Alisha Auer said. “We’ve created an environment where this is our home. It’s hard for other schools to play here. We’re very proud of playing here and we’re going to miss this.”

Crestview grades 5 through 12 are set to move into the new school next door in the winter barring any construction hangups.

“I think it’s really special that we get to be the last group in here,” Crestview senior Cambriauna Davidson said. “It’s been a different year for us because we don’t have any huge stars like we’ve had in the past. It’s been fun to come together and play.”

Crestview is 16-3 and 12-0 in the MVAC Gray. Second-place Garfield had two losses coming into the night.

“It was tougher this year,” Auer said. “Some of the teams were stronger and we had some nights where we weren’t as strong.”

This season featured two five-set victories over Newton Falls who sits in fourth place. Champion, who is 2-16 overall and 0-12 in the MVAC Gray, even took a set from the Rebels earlier this season.

“It was a lot more work I had to do in the years before,” senior Kerrigan Miller said. “Last year we had people in big roles filled in. This year we kind of had to help underclassmen work their way into feeling comfortable.”

Miller, who had 24 points including 19 straight in the second game, has been a part of seven MVAC Gray titles including three in basketball.

“I’m very lucky to have been a part of so many teams that have won championships,” Miller said.

Miller, the libero, added 18 digs and 11 aces. Davidson had eight kills, five assists and two aces. Senior Phiatra Bradley had seven kills. Senior setter Addison Wendell had 19 assists and six digs.

The Rebels have three regular season matches remaining including Monday at Lakeview, Tuesday at Garfield and the regular season home finale against LaBrae next Thursday.

On Sunday the tournament draw will be held and the Rebels will be looking at a high seed but maybe not as high as in the past.

“I’m shooting for top six, but I think we will be in the top eight,” Auer said. “That’s realistic with the records of the teams and the way we are ranked on MaxPreps. There are a lot of teams in this district and a lot of teams with similar records.”

MATCH NOTES

• Crestview’s game at Lakeview on Monday will be the WKBN Volleyball Game of the Week. Lakeview is also having a strong season at 16-3.

• Crestview’s league titles spread over the last 11 years include Inter-Trip County League, All-American Conference, Ohio Valley Athletic Conference and MVAC titles.

• This will also be the last school year for the MVAC as most of the schools are headed to new conferences. The Rebels are likely to be in the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference next season.

• U.S. Navy veteran Allan Riggs who raised the colors during the United States’ 200th and 250th birthdays did an honorary coin toss before the match.

• Crestview won the jayvee match 25-12, 25-16. Jewlnetta Bradley had eight kills. Madison Keyser added four kills.