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Maplewood’s Emily Merritt and Madalyn Nicols were among five District 10 girls named to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class A All-State Team today.

Cochranton’s Aubrey Hering and Sharpsville’s Paige Scurpa and Kristen Scurpa also claimed spots on the team.

Merritt is a 5-foot 6-inch senior libero who recently was named to the District 10 All-Star Team. Nicols, just a sophomore, is a 5-foot 8-inch outside hitter. The duo helped the Tigers to a District 10 Class A title.

Hering, a 5-foot 10-inch senior, was a standout middle hitter for the Cardinals.

Kristen Scurpa, a 5-foot 7-inch senior setter, and Paige Scurpa, a 5-foot 9-inch senior outside hitter, helped Sharpsville to a runner-up finish in D-10 Class A. Kristen Scurpa recently was selected to the District 10 All-Star Team.

Last week, McDowell’s Danielle Hayes landed a spot on to the Class AAA all-state team.

The PVCA has not released its Class AA all-state team.

Check out the entire Class A all-state team.

McDowell volleyball star Danielle Hayes signed her letter of intent to play for California (Pa.) next season. Hayes is a three-time all-region selection, the Region 6 Player of the Year and was named to the Erie Times-News All-District 10 team. She won four District 10 Class AAAA championships and finished her impressive high school career with 650 kills, 131 aces, 69 digs and 105 blocks. As a senior, she recorded 362 kills, 93 aces, 61 digs and 80 blocks.

–Tom Reisenweber

Leah Vensel

McDowell sophomore Leah Vensel has carried over her impressive freshman season into an even better sophomore year.

Vensel, an all-Region 6 first-team setter in 2011, has dominated 
for the Trojans, including an outstanding night against Mercyhurst Prep.

Vensel had 27 assists, five digs and six aces in a sweep of the Lakers. She also had 16 assists for McDowell in a sweep of Villa Maria.

The Trojans are rolling 
against Class AAA opponents 
this season and Vensel is a big reason why McDowell is on 
track to repeat as the District 10 champion.

Poll results:

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McDowell Trojans
Coach (season, record): Jamie Soboleski (10th season, 131-15)
2011 overall record: 17-1
2011 region record (place): 12-0 (champion)
2011 playoff results: Defeated Mercyhurst Prep 25-5, 25-12, 25-17 in the District 10 Class AAA championship. McDowell then defeated DuBois 25-14, 25-17, 25-13 in a PIAA subregion match, before losing to Pine-Richland 25-19, 25-22, 25-19 in the first round of the PIAA playoffs.
Top players lost: Haley Hahesy, Courtney Hopson, Erin Osiecki
Top returning players: Danielle Hayes, Caryn Kopay, Hailey Wilwohl, Ashley Yost, Maggie Murray, Leah Vensel
Outlook: McDowell rolled to another District 10 Class AAA championship and advanced past DuBois before losing in the first round of the PIAA playoffs to Pine-Richland. The Trojans have a strong group back but will have to replace Haley Hahesy, Courtney Hopson and Erin Osiecki. Hopson was an all-district pick along with an all-region first-team selection at outside hitter. Osiecki (middle hitter) and Hahesy (libero) were first-team selections as well. The Trojans have experienced players back, including Danielle Hayes, Caryn Kopay, Hailey Wilwohl, Ashley Yost, Maggie Murray and Leah Vensel. Hayes (middle hitter) and Vensel (setter) were voted to the first team and Kopay (outside hitter) to the second team. McDowell will need to get contributions from some of the younger players but should be in line, once again, to win the region and district titles. The Trojans loaded its schedule with new powerhouse Conneaut along with Shaler and Sharpsville. McDowell will need to use its schedule to prepare for a run in the PIAA Class AAA playoffs.

Schedule
September
4 Conneaut 7:30
6 at Meadville 7:30
11 Strong Vincent* 7:30
13 Central Tech* 7:30
20 at Harbor Creek* 7:30
25 Mercyhurst Prep* 7:30
26 Villa Maria* 7:30
October
2 at East* 7:30
4 at Strong Vincent* 7:30
9 at Central Tech* 7:30
15 Shaler 7:30
16 Harbor Creek* 7:30
17 at Sharpsville 7:30
18 at Mercyhurst Prep* 7:30
23 at Villa Maria* 7:30
25 East* 7:30
*Region 6 matches

Saturday: Meadville and Mercer

– Tom Reisenweber

The Iroquois and Harbor Creek girls volleyball teams held their annual Dig Pink match on Monday to support the American Cancer Society and now McDowell and Mercyhurst Prep are joining up as well. The Trojans and Lakers will play their regularly scheduled region match on Sept. 20 to support the fight against breast cancer. Players from both teams will wear pink socks and headbands during the match with pink t-shirts being sold as well. Everyone who purchases a shirt will be entered into a raffle for a $100 gift card from Best Buy. There will also be a Chinese auction with than 20 baskets of items raffled off. The event is being billed as the “M+M=M: Making a Difference. Volley for a Cure.”

– Tom Reisenweber

McDowell Trojans
Coach (season, record): Jamie Soboleski (7th season at McDowell, 9th season overall, 114-14)
2010 overall record: 15-5
2010 region record (place): 12-0 (champion)
2010 playoff results: Won the District 10 Class AAA championship. Lost in PIAA pool play.
Top players lost: Bethany Burns, Danielle Sample, Emily Mitchell, Kelsie Reese
Top returning players: Courtney Hopson, Danielle Hayes, Haley Hahesy, Erin Osiecki, Hailey Wilwohl, Caryn Kopay, Kenzie Ryback
Assistant coaches: Paige Pauer, Diana Barnes
Outlook: McDowell continued its dominance of District 10 Class AAA volleyball by winning the D-10 title last fall. The Trojans had several outstanding players graduate and will need to fill in some holes left in camp. Kelsie Reese and Bethany Burns are all-district selections that are gone, along with all-region picks Emily Mitchell and Danielle Sample. The Trojans have reloaded in their history instead of rebuilding and they have some standout players back from last year. Outside hitter Courtney Hopson was voted to the all-region first team last fall after a stellar junior season, while junior Danielle Hayes was an all-region second-team selection as a sophomore. The two return to lead a young but experienced group. Haley Hahesy, Erin Osiecki, Hailey Wilwohl, Caryn Kopay and Kenzie Ryback are also back to help contribute this fall. Coach Jamie Soboleski expects McDowell to compete for a region and district title this season and despite the loss of several solid players, the Trojans are primed for another run deep into the playoffs.

Schedule
September
6 at Meadville 7:15
13 at Harbor Creek* 7:15
15 East* 7:15
20 Mercyhurst Prep* 7:15
27 Villa Maria* 7:15
29 at Strong Vincent* 7:15
October
4 at Central Tech* 7:15
6 Harbor Creek* 7:15
7 Seneca Valley 7:15
11 at East* 7:15
13 at Mercyhurst Prep* 7:15
20 at Villa Maria* 7:15
25 Strong Vincent* 7:15
27 Central Tech* 7:15
29 Meadville 2:30

Sunday: Meadville, Mercer

– Tom Reisenweber