After finishing as state runner-up two years ago, the volleyball team from Cumberland Center’s Greely High School has gotten the hang of this state title stuff.
The Rangers won their second straight state championship and haven’t lost a single set in state-finals action in two years.
With that kind of success, it’s no surprise the Rangers have placed three players on the 2004 All-State Volleyball Team. Greely seniors Bethany Carle, Michelle Robb, and Erica Davis are joined by Woodland teammates Megan Woodruff (senior) and Michelle Ferry (junior) and Gorham senior Ashley Towle.
“I’ll tell you, [Greely looks] like college players out there on the court,” said Ferry. “They’re big, they’re athletic, and they’re really good.”
The second team features state runner-up Mount Desert Island outside hitter Brianne Records and defensive specialist Brienna Tinker, both juniors; Yarmouth senior outside hitter Caroline Simms; Gorham junior middle hitter Morgan Carlson; Woodland senior outside hitter Tiffany Crowe; and Greely junior middle hitter Amanda Gray.
Towle led the Rams with 111 aces – best in the state – and 115 kills. The middle hitter also had 55 digs and 12.
Carle, an outside hitter, hit 94 percent of her serves (111 of 118) along with 17 aces and 24 digs.
Robb served 139 of her 158 serves inbounds for an accuracy rate of 88 percent. The setter totaled 172 assists, 37 aces, 30 digs and 15 kills.
Woodruff, who may attend the University of Maine to pursue an engineering degree, set school records for match (36) and season assists (338) and did a little bit of everything for her Dragons. She also had 49 digs, 23 aces and 21 kills. The setter served at a 91 percent accuracy (194 of 213).
“I definitely worked on my serve a lot in the offseason and the summer. I did a lot of reps and kept doing it over and over again,” said Woodruff, who was surprised to be a first-team selection. “I just found out about five minutes ago and I didn’t know what to think. I was sitting on my couch working on my calculus homework, which is going to be hard to concentrate on now.”
Ferry notched 108 kills, 64 digs, 33 assists and 31 aces as she hit 84 percent (132 of 157) of her serves. The outside hitter was a second-team selection last year.
“It’s awesome. It’s like I’m representing all the towns in our area and it’s a real honor,” said Ferry, who used an offseason training regimen to improve her skills. “I worked on my timing when I hit as well as my approach to shots and I lifted weights to help my strength.”
Davis, a middle hitter, totaled 30 aces, 30 kills and 28 digs while hitting 111 of 132 serves.
Records recorded 51 aces while hitting 90 percent of her serves, Simms had 33 aces and led Yarmouth with 77 aces and 92 digs in 61 games, Carlson had 138 kills and 60 digs, Crowe tallied 109 kills and was 27-for-39 serving, Tinker served 91 percent with 43 aces, and Gray hit 108 of 124 saves with 32 kills.
All-state honorable mention selections included Aylie Baker of Yarmouth, Washington Academy’s Maya Vyssokikh and Ashley Tilton, Machias’ Monique St. Pierre, Michelle Pickrell of Gorham, Rene Jordan of Greely, Biddeford’s Caitlin Laverrier, Megan McGinley and Danielle O’Brien of Calais, Lubec’s Kara Scoville, Jonesport-Beals’ Sarah Beal, and MDI’s Lynne Bowden.
The teams are selected on votes from the volleyball coaches.
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