Eaton remains unbeaten at 5-0 (3-0). Bellbrook falls to 3-2 (2-1).
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“This is my third year on varsity and we’ve never beaten them anywhere, let alone at Bellbrook,” Eaton senior Shaylen Perry said. “This is a really big win for us. We are really excited.”
Since winning an outright SWBL divisional title in 2004, Eaton, traditionally a league heavyweight, has added only one more – a shared championship with Bellbrook in 2015. The Golden Eagles own nine titles over that same span.
“This win … for us?” Huge.” Eaton head coach Parker Fields said. “Every time you are competing for a league championship it is going to go through Bellbrook. The biggest thing you can do is go on the road and win at Bellbrook. I’ve been at Eaton for six years and this is the first time I’ve ever won here.”
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Over the last six years Bellbrook owns 122 wins (20.3 per season) and five straight SWBL titles. The Golden Eagles, however, are replacing seven seniors and six all-league players, including three first teamers and two-time SWBL player of the year Kira Merkle (Ferris State University).
Only two players who logged more than 12 varsity sets last year – seniors Lexi Crockett (libero) and Emily Weslow (setter) – return for the Golden Eagles, who along with Franklin and Monroe of the SWBL moved up to Division I.
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Freshman McKenna Melton and junior Emily Heebsh lead Bellbrook in kills, while sophomores Mallory Gedeon, Meredith Greathouse and Rachel Cordonnier and freshman Ashley Frantz give the Eagles four players 5 feet 11 or taller.
“(Bellbrook is) young and big,” Fields said. “They are going to be tough to beat moving forward.”
So is Eaton.
Despite graduating seven seniors of their own, the Fighting Eagles return Perry (first team All-SWBL) and a talented mixture of youth and experience. Senior Makenzi Cooper (right side), juniors Libby Giffen (outside hitter) and Carson Lamers (setter) and freshmen Olivia Baumann (outside hitter) and Bailey Jerdon (setter) create a formidable hurdle.
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“This is not a real technical group, but they’re fighters,” Fields said. “It’s never too late for them. I’ve never had to challenge their effort. Hopefully, we can continue that and build off this.”
Perhaps the best team in the division is Brookville, which is looking for its first SWBL title since winning back-to-back championships in 2009-10. The Blue Devils (6-0, 2-0) return four All-SWBL players in senior Summer Scherer (first team) and juniors Emily Mason (second team), Grace Adams (honorable mention) and Marissa Neff (honorable mention).
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“I think Brookville is the most complete team,” Fields said. “But I think it’s a three-horse race. We’re all pretty comparable.”
Brookville hosts Bellbrook on Tuesday.
“(Winning a league title) has been our goal for awhile, we just haven’t been able to get there,” Perry said. “We’ve been right on the edge, but I feel like this is our year to win.”
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“We’ve got big goals.”
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