Unreal Underdogs
BUFFALO TWP — Last season when the Freeport volleyball team lost in the WPIAL 2A final to Beaver, it served as a catapult to a state title for the Yellowjackets.
History may be on the way to repeating itself.
Again this year, Freeport's hopes of a WPIAL title were dashed.
Frazier did the deed in the semifinals this time around, handing the Yellowjackets a crushing 3-1 loss that had the team soul-searching.
But since then, the Yellowjackets have won two state playoff games, including an impressive five-set thriller over previously unbeaten North Catholic on Saturday.
Now Freeport is just one more win away from returning to the PIAA 2A final and a chance to defend its state title.
“I just can't say enough about these girls,” said Freeport coach Tom Phillips.
Injuries have slowed the Yellowjackets this season.
Junior Tori Radvan suffered a torn ACL earlier this season. Senior Haley Graham has battled a knee injury and the team's big presence in the middle at the net, senior Sarah Hettich, missed a large chunk of the stretch run with an ankle injury.
“We've been bitten pretty bad with the injury bug, but we've been battling and battling and working on things,” Phillips said. “We stayed the course, though, and that's the big thing.”
Graham didn't play against North Catholic on Saturday.
“I thought about switching things out with Haley because she's a great motivator and a spark plug and that Energized Bunny, if you will, but I was just so afraid of making changes, you know. I think we were playing well and I didn't want to make any changes.”
Graham, though, was a big part of the run to the state title last season and figures to be in the plans Tuesday against Bald Eagle.
Defense has keyed this latest Yellowjacket run.
It was stellar again against North Catholic.
“We have a little saying in our gym — we call it Freeport Volleyball,” Phillips said. “We don't let a ball hit the floor. There's not a ball in our gym that's in the air that we don't pursue.”
Freeport is once again pursuing a championship — something few outside of the gym thought was possible after the humbling loss to Frazier.
“Not being in that final match was kind of motivation to prove we are good, to prove that we are still Freeport,” said junior Lauren Lampus.
Once again, a loss has served as fuel for the Yellowjackets.
“When people tell you that you're not going to make it and that there's no way you're going to be good enough, it just gives you motivation to prove them wrong,” Lampus said.
