'Second to none': Kings sweeps Olentangy Orange for DI volleyball state title

A masterpiece.

That's just one of a few terms that could describe Kings' state volleyball championship win over the Olentangy Orange and really the Knights' season as a whole.

After losing to St. Ursula on Aug. 28, the Knights won 25 straight matches, a feat just three teams in the state accomplished this season. Kings ended the season with a 4-1 record against the Girls Greater Catholic League and an 8-1 record in matches that went more than three sets.

"That kind of kicked us in the butt and really got us going," senior Sydney Barrett said of the lone blemish to the record.

In the final victory, Kings left no doubt that they were the top dogs with a convincing final score of 25-16, 25-10 and 25-21.

"We knew that it could be difficult and we were going to keep focusing on the next point. It could be amazing and we were going to keep focusing on the next point," Kings head coach Amanda Meadows said.

The Knights had five separate rallies of four or more points in the first two sets. In that same time, setter Abby Yoder assisted on 31 of 33 kills. Elise Marchal was the only player for either team to finish the match with double-digit kills.

The offense was possible because of Kings' impenetrable defense. Sydney Barrett, Ava McIntyre and Dakota Henry combined for 40 of the team's 58 digs as they allowed the Pioneers to kill just 27 attacks.

"We knew that everyone was going to be where they needed to be, and I think just the work that we put in practice has really helped. Just constantly working on our defense, our work ethic, everything," Henry said.

It was a complete, all-around display of dominance to cap off one of the greatest seasons in Cincinnati high school volleyball history. In fact, it was the first year three Cincinnati teams - Kings (DI), Mercy McAuley (DII) and McNicholas (DIII) - made it to the championship game in the same season.

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The red sea

Kings' success wasn't lost on its community. Across all four divisions, the Knights had one of, if not the biggest cheering section all weekend.

"Talk about a community. Ours is the best, second to none. Look at all that red out there," Meadows said. "Did anybody see anything even come close to our sea of red? I don't think so."

More history than meets the eye

Everyone started to look at Lakota's state championship in 1994 and wondered if Kings could be the first Cincinnati public school to end the drought. That squad also had just one loss in its fourth championship season.

In the championship match, Elise Marchal did what no player had done before. She set a new all-division record for individual kills in a three-set match at the state tournament.

"I couldn't do it without Abby, without everyone at this table, like, our back row keeping the ball off the floor, Abby trusting in me and giving me the ball. I just couldn't do it without them," Marchal said.

Unbeknownst to Marchal, she also set the school record for single-season kills against St. Joseph Academy the day before; she finished the season with 479 kills. Abby Yoder finishes her career with the all-time assists record (3,163), Sydney Barrett also holds the record for most aces in a season with 86.

That's just a small sample of how this senior class has impacted the program.

Leaving a legacy

A 28-1 season gives Barrett, Henry, Marchal, Yoder, Cate Freeman and Abby Trapp an 88-15 record in their four years at Kings. Meadows has been coaching them since the fourth grade, and they have talked about this moment ever since.

"Our school finally got a youth team when we were in fifth grade, I believe. So then we all started playing together in sixth grade and club teams, too. And we've stuck together through it all," Marchal said.

Added Meadows: "I praise God all the time for gifting me the opportunity to coach these girls. They are amazing."

But as they have said so many times, it is the impact they have on the younger members of the team that truly cements their status. Sophomores McIntyre, Sophia Richardson and Ava Schroeder were in the starting lineup this season. Making an impact on a championship team provides valuable experience; the mentorship from the seniors is why they'll succeed in the next two seasons. Schroeder, who is in her first season of varsity, secured the final point of the season.

"For them to get to play with these girls as mentors, as people, it's a whole another level. It doesn't seem like it could get better than the experience of winning a state title, but the experience of having mentors like these, that is what's priceless," Meadows said.