Volleyball: A Look Back at Saturday's State Title Games

Loudoun County: AA state title match press conference - Part 1

Loudoun County: AA state title match press conference - Part 2

Stone Bridge: AAA state title match press conference - Part 1

Stone Bridge AAA state title match press conference - Part 2


On the Sidelines with Dan Sousa

(Nov. 24, 2010) - The Loudoun County High School girls volleyball team is rewriting the VHSL record books as the Raiders became the first team to ever win four straight state titles. And there isn't any reason why the Raiders -- with the top AA player in the state returning in Jenna Strange -- can't do it again next year.

Covering the Raiders -- as I have had the pleasure of four straight trips to Richmond to witness the state titles and I missed the trip in 2006 when County fell in the finals -- is like covering the New York Yankees during the 1920s or the Boston Celtics during the 1960s or the Roman Empire during the second century. You marvel at the winning. You marvel at the program.

Year-after-Year, Raiders coach Jenica Matthias and her brother, assistant coach Jarod Brown, along with the rest of their talented staff, are able to put forth total effort from August thru November.

37 Raiders have celebrated on the Siegel Center court since 2007 with Strange a chance to become the first ever County girls to win four straight state titles and probably won of the few in VHSL history.

On Saturday for County it was almost like another day at the office as Grafton, trying perhaps too hard to control their own destiny, went for it ... scoring some nice winners but way too many errors and you can't make an error when you are facing Goliath ... you better make every pebble count and the Clippers didn't.

When County did waiver a point here or there, Strange was on hand to get the serve back with a kill. And seniors Kathleen Horvath, Rachel Arigo and Sammy Dormio finished out as 3-time champions as they showed calm and maturity. Dormio had tears of joy in her eyes after as she poised for photos with the state title trophy.

And the rest of the state must surely shake their head when they see that the Raiders return Strange and another big hitter in Katrina Kirby as well as Libero Gabby Serafin and one of their top servers in Jordan Leiter as well as impressive young talent such as freshman Maggie Phillips and sophomore Taylor Huewe.

In the second game Saturday, Stone Bridge surely thought going in that they would make it a Loudoun back-to-back state title night, just like in 2009 when County and Valley did the trick, but the Kellam team that showed Saturday was not the team the Bulldogs scouted Thursday.

Kellam had just a bit more depth with their service game in top form from every spot and their block and defense were almost perfect as they stopped the senior-led Bulldog group. Stone Bridge's only loss prior to Saturday was to County early in the season.

It was a sad ending for senior setter Amanda Miller and senior Libero Amy Christensen and senior big hitter Christine Beckham who attended the postmatch press conference with coach Jill Raschiatore. Hurting as much as they were, this trio of girls and their coach showed courage and class and made me proud to be a Loudoun journalist. We will miss covering them next year.

The trick now for Stone Bridge, is can the Bulldogs quickly rebuild around the 6-foot-4 middle blocker Alex Heyn and booming outside hitter Ryan Ackermann and super server Mariah Brantley as well as promising sophomore middle Haley McClure.

County somehow has perfected the blueprint for reloading instead of rebuilding. Next year, the biggest challenge for the Raiders might not come in the region or the state but from within their own district as premier programs Heritage and Loudoun Valley return to the Dulles District.

For me, the next prep volleyball season can't come fast enough. Follow the jump for state title match stats as well as a look at the girls who have won rings for the Raiders the past four years!


AA State Title Match Final Stats
Loudoun County
Kills: Strange 9, Dormio 6, Arigo 4, Kirby 3, Phillips 2, Harrison 2.
Blocks: Strange 2, Huewe 1, Kirby 1, Harrison 1.
Serves: Strange 18, Leiter 15, Bowlds 11, Serafin 11, Horvath 10, Dormio 4, Fox 1.
Aces: Strange 3, Leiter 3, Bowlds 1, Serafin 1.

Grafton
Kills: Hall 12, Kline 9, Soerenson 4, Meharg 2, Mahony 1.
Blocks: Hall 2, Kline 1.
Serves: Richards 12, Sorenson 9, Kline 9, Baxley 8, Hall 7, Heath 7.
Aces: Kline 1.

AAA State Title Match Final Stats
Stone Bridge
Kill: Beckham 18, Ackermann 12, Heyn 7, Paige 2, Miller 1, McClure 1.
Blocks: Heyn 4, Paige 1, Beckham 1, McClure 1.
Serves: Beckham 18, Brantley 17, Ackermann 14, Chudasama 13, Christensen 12, Miller 9.
Aces: Beckham 5, Brantley 1.

Kellam
Kills: James 15, Darden 10, Rehuss 9, Catterton 9, King 4, Crooks 1.
Blocks: James 2, Catterton 2, Darden 1, Rehuss 1.
Serves: Crooks 19, Darden 17, James 15, Cascio 15, Eagan 15, Bologna 11.
Aces: Crooks 3, Darden 2, James 1, Cascio 1, Eagan 1.


Loudoun County Rosters During 5-Year Run
2006: Michelle Puckli (SR), Libby Messina (JR), Marguerite Hanna (JR), Rebecca Dancy (JR), Kerry Sarver (SO), Kristi Cook (JR), Paige Knudsen (SR), Shaylin O’Connell (SO), Amanda Arbogast (SR), Morgan Petkovich (JR), Katie Martin (SO), Juliane Hanna (FR), Sara Reilly (JR). 13 players (1 FR, 3 SO, 6 JR, 3 SR)

2007: Sara Muse (JR), Messina (SR), M. Hanna (SR), Dancy (SR), Sarver (JR), Cook (SR), Rochelle Latka (JR), O’Connell (JR), Ali Richards (SR), Petkovich (SR), Katie Gloe (JR), Martin (JR), J. Hanna (SO), Reilly (SR). 14 players (0 FR, 1 SO, 6 JR, 7 SR - Returning 10).

2008: Jenna Strange (FR), Paige Sigmon (JR), Emily Vandegrift (JR), Hannah Arnold (JR), Sarver (SR), Kathleen Horvath (SO), Latka (SR), O’Connell (SR), Sammy Dormio (SO), Rachel Arigo (SO), Gloe (SR), Martin (SR), J.Hanna (JR), Robin Marsala (JR). 14 players (1 FR, 3 SO, 5 JR, 5 SR - Returning 6).

2009: Allie Cain (JR), Gabby Serafin (SO), Danielle Cullen (SO), Arnold (SR), Colleen Bowlds (JR), Horvath (JR), Erin Dancy (SO), Vandegrift (SR), Dormio (JR), Molly Baldwin (SR), Arigo (JR), Strange (S0), Katrina Kirby (SO) J.Hanna (SR), Marsala (SR). 15 players (0 FR, 5 SO, 5 JR, 5 SR - Returning 8).

2010: Bowlds (SR), Serafin (JR), Rachel Harrison (SR), Dormio (SR), Jordan Leiter (JR), Horvath (SR), Georgi Fox (JR), Cullen (JR), Megan Fox (SO), Kelsey Andersen (FR), Strange (JR), Arigo (SR), Rachel Roberts (SO), Kirby (JR), Maggie Phillips (FR), Taylor Huewe (SO). 16 players (2 FR, 3 SO, 6 JR, 5 SR - Returning 8).

Rings (37 players total during 4 state titles)
*-still playing

3 Rings (5 players)
Juliane Hanna (07, 08, 09)
Kathleen Horvath 08, 09, 10)
Sammy Dormio (08, 09, 10)
Rachel Arigo (08, 09, 10)
Jenna Strange* (08, 09, 10)

2 Rings (12 players)
Kerry Sarver (07, 08)
Rochelle Latka (07, 08)
Shaylin O'Connell (07, 08)
Katie Gloe (07, 08)
Katie Martin (07, 08)
Emily Vandegrift (08, 09)
Hannah Arnold (08, 09)
Robin Marsala (08, 09)
Gabby Serafin* (09, 10)
Danielle Cullen* (09, 10)
Colleen Bowlds (09, 10)
Katrina Kirby* (09, 10)

1 Ring (20 players)
Sara Muse (07)
Libby Messina (07)
Marguerite Hanna (07)
Rebecca Dancy (07)
Kristi Cook (07)
Ali Richards (07)
Morgan Petkovich (07)
Sara Reilly (07)
Paige Sigmon (08)
Allie Kain (09)
Erin Dancy (09)
Molly Baldwin (09)
Rachel Harrison (10)
Jordan Leiter* (10)
Georgi Fox* (10)
Megan Fox* (10)
Kelsey Andersen* (10)
Rachel Roberts* (10)
Maggie Phillips* (10)
Taylor Huewe* (10)