Freeport finally gets the gold
JOHNSTOWN — When the Freeport volleyball team returned home dejected after a loss in the WPIAL 2A championship match, senior libero Claire Crytzer made a comment that would galvanize the Yellowjackets going forward.
“Claire said, 'Well, you know what, if we can't win the WPIAL gold then we're going for the other one,” said Freeport coach Tom Phillips. “And she meant it. She absolutely meant it.”
That “other one” was the PIAA championship and Crytzer and her Freeport teammates delivered, bouncing back from a first-game loss to beat Delone Catholic, 23-25, 25-9, 25-23, 25-22 for the 2A title Saturday afternoon at Richland High School.
Freeport (23-3) won four consecutive state games after their WPIAL final setback against Beaver, including a measure of revenge when they beat the Bobcats in the state semifinals Tuesday.
“I don't think we'd be here right now if we didn't lose that match,” Crytzer said about the WPIAL final loss to Beaver. “We realized we really had to take control if we wanted to win this. We really had to put our foot on the gas.”
Winning it was surreal for Phillips, who has had exceptional players and teams over his 16-plus years as the coach at Freeport, but had never climbed to the state summit.
“To me right now, personally, it's an absolute dream come true to be a state champ,” Phillips said. “It's a marvelous feeling.”
Crytzer, holding the championship trophy at her waist, also had a difficult time wrapping her mind around what the Yellowjackets had just accomplished.
“It's indescribable,” she said. “This is what we've been talking about for a year. I can remember since my freshman year we've been dreaming of this moment and now that it's come true at the end of my senior year — it's incredible.”
After dropping the first game, Freeport quickly rebounded and rolled to a 25-9 win in the second set to seize the momentum.
That carried over into the next two games.
Freeport frustrated Delone Catholic with its stellar defense — and penchant for keeping rallies alive.Sophomore Tori Radvan raced well off the court near the basketball court baseline to keep the ball alive. Haley Graham made three miraculous digs that kept points in play that the Yellowjackets eventually won.“To win those long rallies — that's deflating to the other team,” Phillips said. “Some of the saves we made, some of the things we did, was just amazing.”So was the play of Ally DeJidas on the right side.The junior had 20 kills for Freeport and was a force that Delone Catholic simply couldn't neutralize.“(Friday) at practice, we thought our matchups were OK on that right side and (Saturday) when we got off the bus, I said to (Ally), 'You're going to be our go-to girl,'” Phillips said. “She carried that weight well.”DeJidas was just happy she was able to make such an impact in the biggest match of the year and her career.“It's unbelievable,” she said. “I can't even describe the feeling. Everyone played so well. We played great defense and our setters were awesome.”Crytzer had a front-row seat for DeJidas' dominance.She said she had a feeling her teammate would have a big impact leading into the championship match.“We knew coming in that Ally could dominate this game,” Cryzter said. “She continued to hit that same shot and it was amazing.”Freeport actually got to celebrate twice.The Yellowjackets thought they had won on a kill by Sarah Hettich, but were called for a net violation.But two points later, DeJidas ended it with a kill and sent the Yellowjackets into a celebratory frenzy.Again.“When we first went out and went crazy celebrating and then it wasn't, I was like 'Oh, no,'” Graham said. “Then we got the point and it was an incredible feeling. I really have no words.”Freeport's win is the first PIAA championship in school history in any sport.The hockey team won a state title, but hockey was not affiliated with the PIAA.The Yellowjackets' three losses this season came to the PIAA 4A champion (North Allegheny), the PIAA 3A champion (Knoch) and the WPIAL 2A champion (Beaver).“Just the effort that we made to never stop is something I'll always remember,” Graham said, a smile wide and beaming, “I'm just so proud of our team.”
