Smith snags 1,000th assist as Athens sweeps Wellston

THE PLAINS — Everything was grand at Athens High School on Thursday night.

After the first set of Athens’ (14-3, 8-0 Tri-Valley Conference-Ohio) dominant three-set sweep over Wellston (6-11, 3-6 TVC-Ohio) at home, a different cause took the forefront. Partnering with Chix 4 a Cure, a non-profit volunteer organization that helps raise cancer awareness, there was a mid-game auction of a signed volleyball with the proceeds going to the organization.

In an extended group effort, a collective pledge of $1000 was made for the ball with a litany of other silent auction items being sold as well in a powerful, productive night in The Plains.

“I think cancer has affected everyone in some capacity so it’s really, really rewarding to be able to give back to the community,” Hailee Hart, the head coach of Athens said following the win when asked about what it means to her and the program to be able to support the cause. “You never know when it’s going to be your family and you’re going to be the one in need, it’s nice to be selfless.”

Coincidentally enough, it wasn’t the only 1,000 figure people worried about on the night. Just a few moments later, the Bulldogs’ Sofia Smith added on to the celebration.

Setting up a kill early in the second set, the junior eclipsed the 1,000 assist mark in a milestone night for the setter. The game was then stopped once again for a few moments as her teammates and family celebrated the achievement.

“Being a setter, you’re sort of the unsung hero. Her personality matches that. She’s not a flashy kid, not a loud attention kid, so to be able to celebrate her, kind of without her knowing, was really exciting for everyone on the team.” Hart said when asked about what the junior means to the program.

Aside from the heart-filling moments, it was just another night on the court for Athens. Jumping back into TVC-Ohio play following a tough loss to a Top-20 state ranked Marietta team, the Bulldogs continued bashing in their league.

With the scoreboard reading 25-16, 25-12, 25-20 by the end of the night, Athens stayed undefeated in conference play as the regular season starts to reach the end point.

“I thought after Tuesday that moral would be down but we had a great practice,” Hart noted about bouncing back from the loss to Marietta. “That next game mentality is sinking in and I’m super proud of that.”

On the night, it was a team effort all-around with five different players recording at least four kills in the win. Mabel Monday led the way with nine while Rylee Toadvine (8), Caitlyn Hayes (7), Maeve Schwarzel (5) and Smith (4) supplemented the attack. Including her 1,000th career one, Smith finished with 29 assists.

On the defensive side of the ball, Alexa Reed and Grace Inboden took the charge with 16 and 11 digs respectively. Hayes added three blocks at the net while Schwarzel and Monday each blocked two balls.

On the court, Athens got off to a bit of a slow start, sitting tied 6-6 with the Rockets before catching fire and taking over. The team then instantly went on a 8-2 run, forcing Wellston into a timeout after an ace from Hayes.

The Bulldogs didn’t necessarily run away with the set after grabbing the significant lead but it wasn’t exactly close either. Holding a roughly 6-7 point lead for the next few minutes, a pair of emphatic blocks from Schwarzel at the net acted as clutch points before eventually securing the set.

An impressive ace from Inboden that clipped the top of the net served as the final point of the set.

Following the extended break after the first, Athens went right back to action. Smith’s 1,000th assist came early in the frame as the team built an initial lead. Wellston eventually closed the gap to just four points but Inboden’s serving prowess came to the forefront.

Behind three straight aces from the libero, Athens built up an 18-10 lead before Wellston was forced into its first timeout of the set. Continuing the barrage, the Bulldogs finished off the set with a hit into the net from the Rockets serving as the final point as Athens took a commanding 2-0 lead.

As if it was going to be any different, the Bulldogs took early control of the final set and seemingly ran away with it. Athens held a 24-14 lead before Wellston made one final comeback effort but a fancy touch from Smith over the net clinched the victory.

Athens next hits the road this Saturday for a morning tilt against a 3-14 Amanda-Clearcreek team.