Cards in regional finals Nov. 8

by Richard Lamb–Outlook Publisher

A hurdle has been cleared for the Onaway volleyball team as it finally got by the Pellston Hornets in a playoff match.

The Cards lost the first set of the match 35-22 but roared back to swat the Hornets out of the MHSAA playoffs. Onaway won sets two through four by scores of 25-22, 25-20 and 25-19.

“It seems like each time we play them they play better,” said Cardinal coach Steve Watson. “Their defense has gotten substantially better and they played really good defense tonight.”

Clearing Pellston in a post-season match is big for the Cardinal volleyball program, a roadblock for prior good Cardinal teams in the tournament brackets.

“Its big for the fans. They are a great program with a great team and great coach, but we are not satisfied. We want to move forward. Our sights are set up the road still,” Watson said.

Onaway has made the regional finals three times under Watson, losing twice to Pellston.

The Cards play in the regional finals Thursday at 6:30 against Rudyard, a winner over St. Ignace in the other regional semifinals. The regional winner will play in the Class D quarterfinal Tuesday at 7 p.m. Petoskey High School.

The quarterfinal winner goes on to the state semifinals Friday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek. The state finals are set for Saturday, Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. at the Kellogg Center.

(More details are in this week’s Outlook)