MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — It’s been a slow opening for a young Morgantown High volleyball squad, but the Mohigans are showing potential to reclaim their position as a Region I giant and Class AAA state tournament contender.
Although the Mohigans (3-4, 2-2) are trailing region foes like Wheeling Park (5-2) and University (3-1), the group is showing promise coming out of the Endless Summer Volleyball Tournament in Virginia Beach, Va.
And as the numbers show, the Mohigans’ full potential lies in the hands of a senior, a junior and a sophomore.
Sophomore Grace Washburn has come into her own this season, leading the team in hitting percentage (47.2), kill percentage (58.3) and successful serve percentage (93.1). As if that’s not impressive enough, she left Virginia Beach with 23 kills, bringing her season total to 38. With an unparalleled court vision challenged only by her teammate Alayna Corwin, Washburn is able to turn the ball on a dime to avoid blockers and trick the remaining defenders. Her season-high eight kills were key in the Mohigans 2-1 win over Cosby (Va.).
“The girls push me to do better which is really helpful,” Washburn said. “Sage and Alayna are the go-to hitters, so they’ll take an out of system pass. If there’s a good pass, they’ll set me.”
Corwin, a junior, is vicious at the net with a season total 60 kills – 27 coming in the Virginia Beach tournament. She’s also the most active on offense with 78 attack attempts. Corwin’s play style is tactical, making opponents guess if she’ll tip it or release havoc. In addition to her fantastic court vision, her shots are hard to return.
“I think that my setters and I have a good connection,” Corwin, a former setter for MHS, said. “We talk a lot, and communication is the most important thing in volleyball. They know where to push the ball and that I’m always open and an option. I love to be aggressive and see open spots, and if those spots aren’t open, I just swing and hope the ball hits the floor.”
An example of Corwin’s court vision and volleyball IQ comes in her own words, saying she likes giving free balls to opposing setters because it “knocks them out of whack.”
“It makes another girl try and push the ball out. Usually, their second hands aren’t the best which puts them at a disadvantage. Hopefully, that gives us a free ball so we can run a play and put the ball down.”
Senior Sage Halbritter is a happy medium between the two, with 41 kills and an 82.5 success rate in serving. Halbritter is especially deadly on a fast ball, positioning herself to splice it into tight spots on the floor or into the weak spots in the backlines.
“Alayna and I are opposites on the court, and that’s cool when you play the same position,” Halbritter said. “I know we both have a lot of energy and a want to put the ball down, and we encourage each other to do that. With Grace, I play with her up on the net so we’re talking to each other a lot which makes the process flow better.”
This is the first year the three-year varsity starter is playing outside, switching from the middle in her final high school stanza.
“A lot more of the sets go to the outside – for middle you have to have a perfect pass to run them – and I’ve had more touches and having to find new angles to put the ball away,” she said. “My style of play is aggressive and smart. I see what’s open to get a point rather than trying to kill the ball every time.”
A new face
Taking over the program from Nick Lusk who led the team to a 17-5, 10-2 record in 2018, former Class AAA state champion Erica Manor is one of the best options to help unlock the Mohigans’ potential to power through the rest of the year and reach the state tournament for the sixth year in a row. Manor’s history also gives her an opportunity for longevity with the program.
Hailing from Inwood, Manor was on the 2008 Musselman state title team. It was the first state championship the Lady Applemen secured in the history of the school, and a few years later under current head coach Shawn Martz, Manor won her second state title for the green and white.
Now she’s going to try and do that with the blue and red.
“I believe every kid on my team has an exceptional work ethic, and going through different schools it’s honestly it’s something I haven’t seen before,” she said. “They’re hungry every day. They all bring something different to the table and the variety of experience is all over the place, but they’re very committed to coming in and getting better 2 percent every day. That’s exactly what they’re doing.”
Building a culture
Most teams claim that they’re family, but Morgantown’s actions speak louder than their words. Nonetheless, the Halbritter and Corwin were adamant that the group is nothing short of “family.”
“A lot of what we’ve said is, ‘Play for each other, not yourself,’ ” Halbritter said. “Especially after our tournament last week in Virginia Beach, we talked about going out and playing fearless.”
“This is one of the first years there’s no drama and we have love for each other, and you can see that on the court. It’s awesome.”
And even though the team has many goals, Corwin’s main goal of making states has one stipulation.
“States is a big goal for us, but I want our team to bond. Most teams don’t bond, and I really want us to be a family this year and play for each other,” Corwin said. “That’s a big thing in our practices, and we want to play for each other, and we want to keep a good energy and flow on the court. It’s important off the court that we’re best friends so we can show each other on the court that we trust each other with passing, setting and hitting.”
“Sage and Grace are great. I love being co-captains with Sage; we have a great dynamic and bring a lot of experience to the team. I coach her and she coaches me. The same thing with Grace, if I’m in the back row I tell her where to swing. I want to help them learn and get better.”
And about their new coach?
“We’re happy to have a really solid coach (in Erika) this year,” Corwin said.
That thought process, though exuded by the team, wouldn’t work if it didn’t also exist at the top levels of the program. Luckily for the Mohigans, it does.
“Getting to states is a big goal and dream for a lot of these girls,” Manor said. “And if you look at our roster we have a very young team, so most of them haven’t got a touch of what it’s like to compete at states. But ultimately it’s coming in and playing for each other and really encouraging a team dynamic and culture where you’re supporting and believe in one another.
“We focus on the skills and refining those when necessary instead of the winning and losing outcome. We stick to our own responsibilities, and the wins will come and the losses we’ll learn from.”
“Alayna is a special kid. She’s played a lot of roles in the program, and this year she’s stepped up as an outside hitter. She has dominated,” Manor continued. “She’s thirsty for more knowledge and more reps to continue to get better. The sky’s the limit for her and clearly she’s showing that in the stats.
“We’re continuing to enhance everyone’s volleyball IQ. With Grace she’s young and very much engaged and willing to learn and that’s been a big portion of our success so far. I’m excited for her and the rest of our team, and what this year and the next couple years will look like. If we continue to build, I believe we’ll be unstoppable.”
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