State Champions

by Allan Hitchcock

“Amazing” said Senior Liz Twilley over and over when asked questions about the game on Monday, November 17. Twilley and her team had participated in one of the best games known to Frederick County because they were the first volleyball team in the county to ever claim a state championship. Defeating a team that had only lost one set all year and was expecting to win was just “amazing.”

“We had to begin preparing mentally for the most important match of our lives,” Twilley said when asked how they prepared for states.

Oakdale (18-2) had been strolling through competition all season with only a few minor bumps on the way to their road to glory. This includes Middletown, who ended the team’s undefeated streak in regular season. The Bears claimed their revenge in the first round of playoffs defeating the Knights as one of the team’s best game of the season, reported Abbie Harry. The Bears kept breezing through playoffs and finally made it to their goal.

States was an extra special night for Twilley, as she had already signed her scholarship to The University of Maryland. The very place where she ended her high school career is the same place of the birth of her new one.

“Definitely to go to states.” Londan Caliskan replied after being asked earlier in the season what the team’s goals were by The Frederick News Post.

The team dominated the whole game not letting up starting up 10-4 in the first set, and just rolling from there. It was not just one individual creating all the points for the Bears but a team effort. When top scorers Twilly and Harry were not scoring points Rebekkah Gull, Eleanor Saylor, and Cameron Pitts stepped up to dominate. Caliskan had 34 assists helping out the Bears tremendously also helping further push the team to the amazing win. The Bears won their first set 25-17 then continued to show up Rising Sun in the next two sets 25-10 and finally 25-18. The crowd was ecstatic when the final block by Gull secured the game. Smiles and tears wrapped together for the perfect win.

“This was a very special night,” Head coach Jim Dorsch said when asked questions about their game that made history for not only the Oakdale Bears but for Frederick County. This will be a game remembered forever and will be seen hanging from a banner in the Oakdale gym for years and years.