NEW WASHINGTON - One down, one to go.
Buckeye Central secured the Silver Division crown with a 25-11, 25-14, 25-4 win Thursday over Bucyrus, moving one step closer to the outright North Central Conference crown.
Thursday's result marked the first time the Buckettes had earned five consecutive NCC titles. But with the conference switching to division play last year, coach Bill Bonham said the goal entering the year went beyond the reigning overall champs settling for their second divisional crown.
"Technically, they've got the five titles in a row, but they want the overall," Bonham said. "That was the goal coming into the season for the seniors."
The Buckettes (17-2, 11-0 NCC) have conference matches remaining Tuesday and Thursday, with Thursday's finale coming at home against Wynford, which leads the Black Division.
Thursday, Maddie Williams keyed Buckeye Central's charge by serving 11 of the team's 21 aces and adding 11 digs and seven kills.
Sami Marcum added 10 kills, seven digs and four aces, Kilee Kimmel had 15 assists and five aces and Emily Weithman turned in 14 assists and seven digs.
Kendra Schultz backed them up with nine kills on 11 swings, and four blocks. Jenna Delarber smacked seven kills and three blocks.
Blue Jackets waylay Bobcats
BETTSVILLE - Lauren Ladd smashed 15 kills, Cassandra Acree had 20 assists and New Riegel allowed just 10 points over three games in a 25-6, 25-3, 25-1 win over Bettsville.
New Riegel upped its record to 18-1, 7-1 in the Midland Athletic League.
The Blue Jackets' Taylor Arbogast delivered eight digs and 11 kills, Kara Scherger had seven digs, six aces and eight kills.
Brittany Gillig notched three aces, while Morgan Noftz had four assists.
Blue Devils find winning side of MAL
CAREY - Carey secured its first winning season in league play since 2001 by upending Old Fort 25-11, 23-25, 22-25, 25-13, 15-9 Thursday.
The victory bumped the Blue Devils to 12-5 overall and 6-3 in the Midland Athletic League.
Hannah Tong and Sydney Wentling put up some big numbers to make it happen.
Tong hammered 30 kills by going 51 of 57 hitting, adding 25 digs, eight blocks and four aces.
Wentling handed out 47 assists on a 116-of-121 setting effort. She also served four aces.
Logan Johnson chipped in 25 digs and nine kills, Makenzie Wentling (2 aces) came up with 23 digs, Shelby Kin slammed eight kills and four blocks and Taylor Fletcher served two aces.
Krista Ward's 23 assists, six aces, three kills and three digs led the Stockaders.
Kristin Bender added 18 kills, 11 digs and six blocks and Shelby Bilger came up with 10 digs.
Sam Hartsel hammered six kills and Sammy Miller accounted for seven digs.
Chieftains inch above .500 in league
BASCOM - Logan Frank and Racquel Hossler turned in double-doubles and Courtney Burns nearly did the same Thursday in Hopewell-Loudon's 25-8, 25-16, 25-17 Midland Athletic League win over North Baltimore.
Frank's 11 kills, 10 digs and six aces led the way for the Chieftains (8-12, 5-4 MAL).
Hossler backed her with 10 assists and 10 digs, and Burns had 17 assists, eight kills and six digs.
Kassie Shaver chipped in eight digs, seven kills and six aces, and Shelby Sauber (2 aces) came up with eight digs.
Raiders outlast SE
KANSAS - Lakota turned back Seneca East in five games Thursday to improve to 4-5 in the Midland Athletic League.
The Raiders (7-10) won 22-25, 25-10, 26-24, 21-25, 15-10 behind Stephanie Miller's 25 assists, 17 digs and two aces.
Alaina Bickford registered 35 digs, Katie Park hammered 20 kills and five aces and Kyleigh Harrison had 17 digs.
Khilee Baltz chipped in 14 digs, Makayla Kiser tallied 13 digs and eight assists, Makayla Kiser ended with 13 digs and eight assists, Rachel Feick (2 aces) lined nine kills and Destiny Long-Meyer thumped six blocks and five kills.
St. Joe drops Mohawks
FOSTORIA - Fremont St. Joe defeated Midland Athletic League foe St. Wendelin 25-17, 25-22, 25-15 Thursday.
Colleen Fondessy had 12 kills and seven digs for the Mohawks (9-10, 2-7 MAL) in the loss and Allie Rutter registered 16 assists and six digs.
Meghan Reiter finished with 12 digs, Ali Mowrey slammed eight kills, Adrienne Emerine had 16 digs and Georgia Kitchen added 10 digs.
