vikingssportsn The Hopewell Lady Vikings 8th Grade squad didn’t just show up to the Central Valley Spikefest, they took it over.
From the first whistle to the final point, Hopewell went a perfect 7–0, leaving no doubt who the top team in the tournament was.
Pool Play: Early Statement Made (4–0)
*Hopewell came out firing and never let up:
· Match #1 vs New Brighton – 25–12, 25–11
· Match #2 vs Central Valley (White) – 25–6, 25–7
· Match #3 vs Blackhawk – 25–14, 25–14
· Match #4 vs Beaver Falls – 25–6, 25–17
Flat-out dominance.
The Vikings racked up 59 aces in pool play alone, overwhelming opponents with relentless serving pressure and energy. Every rotation brought a new run, and every player contributed.
Bracket Play: Finishing the Job (3–0)
*Hopewell carried that momentum into bracket play and didn’t slow down:
· Bracket Game #1 vs Central Valley (White) – 25–6
· Bracket Game #2 vs Blackhawk – 25–7
· Championship Match vs Quaker Valley – 25–13
In the championship, Hopewell played one of their most complete sets of the season—jumping out early and never looking back.
A&S Federal Credit Union are proud sponsors of Hopewell Boys and Girls High School, Junior High and Youth Sports.
Standout Performances
-Brooke Otto (#10) was electric from the service line all day, leading multiple matches with double-digit aces and setting the tone for the entire team. On the day: 88 serves, 38 aces, just 3 errors, all while running the offense from her setter position.
-Afton Budris (#8) was a force on the outside, delivering big swings for kills throughout the day, while adding 30 serves and 9 aces.
-Stella Sannan (#9) anchored the back row at libero, controlling serve receive with consistent, high-quality passes and contributing 34 serves and 7 aces.
-Ellie McCoy (#21) turned in her strongest performance of the season at middle, dominating at the net with her blocking and showing growth by placing attacks effectively to the corners.
Complete Team Effort
–Sam Holsinger (#1), Alyssa Phillips (#3), Arionna Shell (#2), Amiyah Shell (#13), and Leah Buettner (#18) all stepped up in a big way.
With key front-row player Ariana Fischer (#16) unavailable, the team didn’t miss a beat. Budris, McCoy, Phillips, and the Shell sisters handled the front row with confidence and physicality.
Buettner made the most of her serving opportunity, delivering 24 serves and 10 aces, while manning her normal back row defensive position as well.
Holsinger and Otto consistently put hitters in position to succeed with strong, steady setting as they’ve been doing all season.
The Bottom Line
-This wasn’t just a tournament win… This was a statement.
-A complete team effort built on depth, chemistry, and trust—and a clear sign that the future is very bright for Hopewell Volleyball.
Hopewell Lady Vikings 7th Grade Holds Their Own
To further reinforce just how bright the future is, the 7th Grade team also competed in this tournament, and made a statement of their own.
Facing an uphill challenge, they opened pool play against a slate of strong 8th grade competition in Central Valley Navy, Fort Cherry, and Quaker Valley. While they dropped those first three matches, the scores didn’t tell the full story. This group battled, stayed composed, and proved they weren’t intimidated by older, more experienced teams.
That resilience paid off in a big way.
In their final pool play match, they took on Rochester and delivered a dominant performance, winning 25–11 and 25–13. It was a huge emotional win and a clear turning point for the team.
Riding that momentum, they entered bracket play as the #8 seed and matched up against #9 New Brighton. The confidence carried over, as they secured another hard-fought victory, 25–21.
That win advanced them to the Quarterfinals against #2 seed Fort Cherry. The team came out strong and competed early, but ultimately fell 25–14. Still, there’s absolutely nothing to hang their heads about.
Playing up an age group, this team showed grit, growth, and the ability to compete at a higher level. The progress they’ve made this season has been nothing short of phenomenal, and it’s a glimpse of what’s to come.
Final Week of the Season
This week marks the final stretch of the season for both teams.
They’ll hit the road on Tuesday to take on Fort Cherry, before closing things out at home on Thursday (3/26) against Montour.
Do yourself a favor and come out to support them on Thursday.
7th Grade starts at 3:30 PM, with 8th Grade immediately following (around 4:30 PM).
These girls have put in the work all season long and have shown tremendous growth along the way. Let’s celebrate their effort, their progress, and their final match by packing the gym and bringing the energy!
