Unfazed underdogs

On one hand, the Archbold Blue Streaks are undefeated. They have lost only three games all season, and are ranked No. 2 in Division III.

On the other hand, Fort Recovery is one of only two teams to have taken a game from Marion Local. The Flyers are two-time defending state champion and ranked No. 1 in Division IV at 23-0.

So while the Indians are underdogs heading into Wednesday's district semifinal match - they play at Napoleon at 6:15 p.m. - they also carry with them a confidence that are capable to defeating any opponent.

"We know that we can be really good," said senior Chelsey Leuthold in reference to the Marion Local match. "We've just got to come out and play."

Wednesday's other district semifinal match at Napoleon pits Parkway (17-6), a team Fort Recovery has split with this season, against Evergreen (19-5). The winners will advance to play in a Halloween district championship match Saturday at 6 p.m.

Fort Recovery (14-10) has had a bit of a roller-coaster season.

The team opened with a 5-1 record, winning the St. Marys Invitational, but then lost seven of its next eight matches. However, after dropping below .500, the Indians have bounced back to win 7-of-8 heading into their battle with Archbold.

The only loss in that stretch came against powerhouse Marion Local, 25-13, 25-22, 22-25, 25-12.

Rammel and her players said that taking the third game from the Flyers, and feeling as if they could have won the second game as well, was a confidence builder. They also seem undaunted by the specter of taking on another undefeated team with their tournament life on the line.

"I think when it comes to tournament time, records don't matter," said senior setter Carly Staugler (284 assists). "We play better under pressure."

A Northwest Ohio Athletic League team, Archbold (24-0) has had a season similar to that of the Flyers. It opened with 10 consecutive sweeps before finally dropping the first game of an invitational match to Springfield, a Division I school, and then coming back to win 19-25, 25-22, 25-17.

The Blue Streaks lost their only other games to Kalida, the squad coach Julie Nofziger said pushed her team the most this year, and league-rival Delta.

"We have nine seniors, and three of those seniors are third-year starters," said Nofziger, whose team lost to St. Henry in the 2007 district championship match and last won a district title in 2002. "That, I think, plays a roll in the success we've had.

"I've seen Parkway, Coldwater, Versailles and Delphos St. John's play. We know (the Indians) play a really tough schedule, so I think their record is really quite deceiving."

Archbold spreads out its offense as four players have recorded more than 130 kills this year.

That group is led by Devin Newman, a 5-foot-7-inch senior, who is the Blue Streaks' all-around leader. To go along with her 166 kills she has a team-high 239 digs and also leads Archbold in serve receive percentage (94).

Emily Snyder, a 5-foot-9 senior, adds 153 kills and 66 blocks, and 5-foot-7 senior setter Stacy Wyse, one of the three-year starters, has 572 assists and 49 aces.

"We're pretty balanced," said Nofziger. "We run a five-one, so our setter of course has a big impact.

"We really spread it out a lot. I think that's been a key."

Fort Recovery can match Archbold's offensive production.

Nicole Pottkotter and Holly Brunswick have both surpassed the 200-kill mark this year (see related story). Leuthold adds 138 kills, and Olivia Thien has 102.

The Indians' passing was just as key to winning their first sectional championship since 1994. In that category senior Emily May leads the Tribe with 407 digs and 341 serve receptions.

Seniors Alyssa Brackman, Leuthold and Pottkotter all have more than 100 digs for the season.

"It just takes a lot of discipline and confidence," said Rammel in looking at what her team has accomplished in the tournament thus far and what it will take to beat the undefeated Blue Streaks. "Nothing bothers these girls. A bad play, they just shake it off. ...

"They're not the type of kids to let little things bother them. ..."

Rammel said she's known for a long time that her seniors were a special group.

"I have had these kids since the eighth grade," she said. "And in the eighth grade they came in as runners-up to Marion Local in the (Midwest Athletic Conference) tournament (by two points).

"At that point I knew that this team had potential."

A year later Rammel took over the varsity program at mid season.

Her team in that 2006 season lost in the sectional tournament to eventual state champion New Knoxville. And in each of the last two seasons Marion Local, on the way to its back-to-back state crowns, has eliminated the Tribe.

Like their coach, the Indians do not forget those defeats, even going back as far as middle school.

"Ever since the eighth grade, we've always gotten second," said Guggenbiller. "We want to make a name for ourselves."[[In-content Ad]]