WAPAKONETA (Crawford County Now) — Trailing 24-13 in the third set already down 2-0 in the match, Colonel Crawford‘s Reese Redman smashed a ball through the New Bremen block and out of bounds for a kill.
The top-seed Cardinals, the No. 1 team in Division VI, thought they had won their seventh straight district championship, but the down referee said it was tipped, and play went on despite the bench storming the court.
An outmatched Colonel Crawford proceeded to go on a 5-0 run led by freshman Redman’s phenomenal serving to extend the Eagles’ season by 10 minutes before New Bremen closed out for the 25-11, 25-11, 25-18 sweep.
“In the huddle before we went on that little run, we just talked about the pressure’s off,” Colonel Crawford coach Jaime Valentine said. “Now just have fun and relax, and that’s what they did. They proved to themselves that they can compete if we’re not in our heads and worried about making mistakes and worrying about being perfect.”
The Eagles finished as district runner-up for possibly the first time in program history; reliable district tournament records through the OHSAA website go back to 2000.
“I’m just loving this,” Valentine said. “I’m loving being a part of this and watching these kids develop. I love this game and I’m passionate about it, that’s why I came back.
“We’re a young team and it’s just a great experience for them to get here. Now the goal is to get back and move forward from here — that’s what we’re gonna do.”
Two-seed Colonel Crawford wasn’t as devastated as most teams would be after seeing their season come to an end.
Part of it was knowing the quality of opponent New Bremen was; the Cardinals won state titles in 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2023, along with runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2020.
“That’s a high caliber team, and they’re young,” Valentine said. “It’ll be interesting to see how far they go because they definitely have the tools for sure. It’s a well-known program, an established program, and they got some kids that can swing on the ball.”
Part of it was this trio of seniors going out doing something they never dreamt imaginable. Ella Agee, Tori Spitler, and Arabella Stratton played JV as freshmen due to varsity boasting eight seniors who helped guide the program to its first sectional championship in a decade.
Thrust into the limelight as sophomores, they won just two games in what was Valentine’s first season at the helm. Junior year wasn’t much better, but the win total improved to four. Now, they just capped off a 16-win season — tied for the second-most wins over the last decade — and secured what is potentially the program’s first ever district runner-up trophy.
“It’s definitely something I didn’t expect to happen,” Agee, the newest member of the 1,000-assist club, said of finishing her career with a medal draped around her neck. “A couple years ago when I was a sophomore, we were really bad. Then last year was kind of rough, too. This year we really built ourselves up after figuring ourselves out the past two years. We really worked together as a team more … we practiced harder, took practice more serious, and we did it.
“This is something that’s going to go in the Colonel Crawford record books. And to be a part of that team is a surreal feeling. I’m just blessed and grateful that we made it this far.”
The trio was right there alongside Valentine for the bumpy journey here, and without them, she doesn’t think this season pans out the way it did.
“These three seniors have been through the fire for sure,” Valentine said. “When we first came in, it was not easy to be a part of a losing program. They decided at the beginning of this season that they weren’t going to let the negativity hinder us like it had the previous two years.
“They worked hard to develop their leadership skills and to put team first, and I think they did that. I think that has a lot to do with why we were able to get the growth we had because they were understanding of their leadership roles and what the importance of being a team player is.”
Part of it was knowing they’ll return a strong core next fall that just gained valuable experience.
“I’m excited, honestly, for where we can get with this group of kids — the future is bright for us,” Valentine said. “The coaches and I, when we were doing the trophy and the ceremony, we were already excited about next year. It’s sad that it’s over because it has been such a fun ride this season watching these kids grow and develop, but the sky’s the limit for them.”
“I think we’ll be even better next year,” Agee added. “They just gotta come in, practice hard every day, and the friendships will stay there, and everyone will still get along. They can make it even further.”
And it’s easy to see why she feels that way, too.
Redman, sophomore Alaina Parr, and junior Emmi Powers led the team in kills with 300-plus, 150-plus, and close to 150 respectively. Sophomore Sophia Gray had nearly 50 aces, Parr approached 40, while Redman, sophomore Saylor Holt, and junior Lila Plesac all had more than 20.
Powers, Holt, and Redman led the team in blocks with more than 30 each. Gray and Redman had more than 200 digs, Parr topped 150. Plesac acted as the secondary setter and still had more than 280 assists this season. Gray had 430-plus receptions, Redman more than 280, and Parr hit 200 against New Bremen.
“It’s exciting to see that we are so young and we did as well as we did this year, that’s only going to continue,” Valentine said. “But they gotta put the work in during the off-season, and that’s difficult because a lot of them are multi-sport athletes. That’s just the nature of the game … and I’m excited to watch them on the basketball court, on the track, wherever.
“I look back and think what my thoughts were when I first went to my first open gym. I thought – oh boy, what have I gotten myself into? The key was to get better every single time we step on the floor and improve, that’s what we’ve done.
“This season is a testament to all of that and I’m just super excited for the future — I’m ready to put Colonel Crawford volleyball on the map.”