Two words every member of Varsity has waited months to say, and the moment finally arrived. This week featured a pair of games, and a win in either would bring Stratford the title.

Tuesday brought a feisty Cy Ridge team to our gym for a matchup with the Rams. Cy Ridge was fighting for a playoff spot and wasn’t going to back down from anyone. Though undersized by some standards, their defense has proved elite. Throughout three sets, the Rams seemed in the right place at the right time for digs and blocks. But even with many points extended into longer rallies, the Spartans built up leads in each set and eventually pulled away for yet another straight set win.

The team celebrated on the court the long journey to the District title, taking pictures with Sparty and living the moment well beyond the final point. The title is Stratford’s first since 2012 and gives the Spartans a leg up on seeding for the upcoming playoffs. The playoff meeting for Round 1 is this Wednesday morning, so stay tuned for opponent, time, location, and date!

On Friday, Varsity squared off with arch-nemesis Memorial. With the District title wrapped up, this one was for pride and the history books, as well as wanting to be firing on all cylinders come playoff time. The Spartans hadn’t swept the Mustangs since 2008. The time had come!

Stratford gradually built a lead and took the first set 25-18. The Spartans then finished off the Mustangs 25-12 and 25-18 to complete the three-set sweep of the match and to complete the series sweep.

Friday was also Senior Night, and the program celebrated the accomplishments and contributions of our senior players and managers. In a ceremony on court before the game, each senior manager and player was introduced, and Coach A shared with everyone some of the many things that make each of these young women so special. Our senior managers and players include:

Olivia Abbott – our libero and a team captain. Liv’s role on our team exemplifies “defense wins championships” and if you’re never seen her compete, it’s definitely impressive. She is such a relatable teammate to her peers and has an incredible mindset when approaching matches.

Mackenzie Arend – defensive specialist. Mackenzie is one of the kindest, most selfless people on our team. She takes care of “little things” that most people wouldn’t even notice (like constantly shagging balls when she’s not in a drill). It keeps our practices running smoothly. She is very easy for the girls to talk to and is a wonderful teammate to everyone.

Lauren Boerm – manager. Lauren is part of a group of managers that help make so many things happen for both the players and coaching staff. She is part of the heart of this team with her infectious smile, selfless attitude, and ability to get the team pumped before a match.

Sophia Cornell – right side. Sophia has solidified a very important position in volleyball that creates a well-rounded team. Her blocking and attacking on the right side has helped to balance our offense and give us a very unpredictable look for opponents.

Ella Everett – manager. Ella was unable to attend Senior Night as she was overseas with her family. Ella is one of the most responsible people we get to work with – she remembers the tiny details of her role and definitely helps to keep things moving.

Keeley Fitzpatrick – middle blocker. Keeley is, without a doubt, the heart and soul of this team. Her infectious, selfless energy gives every player exactly what she needs to contribute to our success. She is a force to be reckoned with and her positivity is an enormous part of our success.

Skylar George – outside hitter and a captain. Skylar’s evolved into the complete package for us this season. Not only does she put up huge offensive numbers, but her passing, defense, and serving has enabled us to open up our offense, allowing every player the opportunity to take big swings.

Emma Hickman – middle blocker and a captain. Emma does an incredible job of distracting our opponents to open up the options for our hitters. She is huge at the net, very quick off the ground, and lightning fast laterally. Being incredibly intelligent, Emma’s analyzing of the game has helped to become a huge part of our success.

Sharlotte McClintock – middle blocker and a captain. Sharlotte has the uncanny ability to always be one step ahead of everyone else – she sees problems before they happen and manages to fix them without anyone really knowing. She has put up enormous blocks for us this year, is very effective offensively, and serves the toughest ball on our team.

Julia Petruzzi – manager. Julia migrated to the role of manager last spring and has excelled at this new position. She was a huge leader for us in our volunteering at Big Day and she takes care of literally everything. She has incredible drive and determination to accomplish her goals and is one of the most hardworking student-athletes we have.

Nina Terry – setter. Nina is definitely part of the brains behind our successful offense. She is good at reading the block to give us the best match-ups possible and has played some lights-out defense when a lot of setters…don’t. She is incredibly steady as the “quarterback” of our team.

We will miss this big group of seniors so much next year. Words just pale in comparison to their contribution to our program – both as athletes, leaders, and people. They have made a lasting impact on things for Stratford volleyball.

Next week Varsity concludes District play with an away match against Jersey Village on Tuesday at 5:30. A victory in that match would give the Spartans an undefeated 14-0 record in District, a feat not accomplished by Varsity since 2008. We’d love to have you make the short drive up the Beltway to come watch history. Playoffs would then start the following Monday or Tuesday with time and location to be determined.

The past week also saw a number of players reach impressive individual statistical milestones. The team celebrated Skylar George’s 1,000th kill for her high school career, and also celebrated Sharlotte McClintock and Emma Hickman both reaching 100 blocks this season. Well done Skylar, Sharlotte, and Emma!

This week’s stats include:

Skylar George – 33 kills (.438 hitting efficiency), 2 aces, 25 digs (including 2 double-doubles)

Sharlotte McClintock – 13 kills (.417 hitting efficiency), 8 blocks

Olivia Abbott – 23 digs, 3 aces, 8 assists

Sophia Cornell – 15 kills (.538 hitting efficiency), 4 blocks

Emma Hickman – 6 (.417 hitting efficiency), 4 blocks

Audrey Cook – 44 assists, 8 digs

Nina Terry – 17 assists, 11 digs

Sophie Corbeil – 15 kills (.389 hitting efficiency)

Jaelyn Chen – 11 assists