That was state championship level stuff right there

11/2/2023

There are no gimmies when it comes to Cochranton and Maplewood volleyball.
Every ball is contested.
Every point is a battle.
The game I photographed tonight, I photographed decades ago. Some of the coaches were players then, some of the coaches then are still on the bench now.
And this is volleyball.

Aye Caramba, what I witnessed tonight was state championship level.

No questions asked.

Either team could've found the groove to take momentum, but the other team, point after point said, 'wait a minute, we're still here.'

In the end, it was Maplewood this year that hoisted the district trophy again this year. They did last year, the year before it was Cochranton. Many times it is one of them, but Crawford County is a girls volleyball Mecca.

Thankfully, this year they both get to go forward into the state playoffs because they both are that good. They both had one regular seaso loss in the region and it was against each other.

In the late 1990s I remember taking a big pocketfuls of film on a road trip that began around 3 a.m. to photograph Cochranton playing in a state championship down at Shippensburg University.

I swear that team that year, never let a ball spiked in their direction hit the floor.

They contested everything.

They didn't end up winning that year but did a few years later.

I have been privileged to photograph battles between these two squads for a very long time.

Each team reloads year after year and it's a toss up who might emerge wielding the trophy. Though, in Crawford County, there are also other schools like Cambridge Springs or Saegertown that challenge every few years.

I didn't realize when I was asked to help out photographing this match what it would do to the nostalgia in me.

There I was looking into the stands for Lisa Byers (Renwick) taking notes. She was the Meadville Tribune expert on volleyball for years.

I was just getting situatuated to take some match photos when I received a message from Brian Hanley, someone I have known from the early days of his kids playing sports. He saw me at the game and decided it would be funny to let me know there was already an "ugly photographer" at the game and I didn't need to come. (yes I love you too Brian!). When you've been around awhile these things are funny. Trust me.

So old memories surfaced, even though the faces of the players are different. Lisa and I covered many matches over the years that had very similar folks playing very similar roles.

She and I made a pact tonight that if Maplewood and Cochranton meet again in the semi-finals, we'll both try to be there to cover the match together like we've done dozens of times before.

The refs were the same. George Schroeder, Vic Carr, John Chapman and Randy Sovisky, though the latter were accomplished coaches 20 years ago.

This volleyball match was just fun to watch and be a small part in documenting. I am thankful I was there.

It was also nice to share a few words with Marci Malliard after the match. Coaches don't realize how much we respect them and that is ok, but it was really nice to see her still on the sidelines even though she has given the reigns to one of her best setters and assistant coaches Leirin (Baker) Schmader.

Both teams will move on into the state playoffs. Maplewood is a six time state champion and is looking to repeat after winning in 2022.

Below are more photos from the match. More photos can be viewed at: sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p433053205