Clermont Northeastern’s volleyball team finished second in the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference National Division. Team members are, from left: front, Sydney Norton, Grace Adkins, Anya Nelsen, Bri Ruehl, Makayla Blankenship, Mya Amann and Bella Bosley; back, assistant coach Katie Sedziol, assistant coach Megan Goldfuss, Bella Freeman, Jenna Brown and Reagan Crutcher and head coach Emma Keough. Photo courtesy Clermont Northeastern Athletic Department.
Desire to improve. Willingness to play through adversity, to and through the final point, regardless of score. Those attributes made the 2023 Clermont Northeastern High School volleyball team’s season successful.
That season came to an earlier-than-hoped conclusion last week in the first round of the Division III sectional tournament, when the Rockets lost to Mariemont in four sets, at Mariemont. CNE finished 13-10 overall, but 10-2 in Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference National Division, in second place behind Williamsburg; both league losses were to the Wildcats.
With seven seniors on the roster, and coming off of a 12-12 season, expectations were high for the Rockets when practice started in mid-summer. Tenth-year head coach Emma Keough relied on that leadership and experience, but her veterans went beyond.
“I always feel like I know my teams pretty well, but probably their willingness to embrace constant improvement has been the most pleasing thing I’ve seen,” Keough said. “This is unique, especially when the majority of your team is made up of seniors.”
Middle blocker/outside hitter Sydney Norton is one of the seniors who stepped up their game this season, Keough said. In her third year on varsity, Norton played in 71 sets, with 94 kills, 113 digs and a team-best 39 service aces.
“She has really developed offensively. She has been persistent in wanting to connect with her attacking and it’s clicking. She is a steady force for us in the back row, both on defense and in serve receive,” Keough said. “Sydney is willing to sacrifice her body to make the hard play and continues to try and make the next play, even if she makes an error. I’ve seen a lot of maturity in her play and leadership.”
Grace Adkins, Mya Amann, Makayla Blankenship, Bella Bosley, Anya Nelson and Bri Ruehl are the other seniors. Bosley led the team in kills, with 127; Blankenship was second with 123. Ruehl had the most digs (117).
CNE also had a strong core of underclassmen. Freshman Jenna Brown played in 76 sets (tied with Blankenship, Bosley, Nelsen and junior Reagan Crutcher for most on the team), and was the Rockets’ playmaker with 267 assists; she was third in service aces with 37. Her ability to play multiple positions was a benefit.
“(She) stepped into a role that you don’t typically see with a young player. She is playing six rotations for us as a setter, defender and attacker,” Keough said. “Her ability to pick up the game so quickly has been wonderful. She is extremely coachable and is a great teammate. Jenna relies on her teammates for help, but isn’t afraid to take on leadership roles as well.”
The Rockets won their first three matches, against Georgetown, East Clinton and Felicity-Franklin, and were 6-2 in early September before hitting a four-match skid. That adversity only steeled their resolve. CNE went on a six-match winning streak. The fourth match in that run was Sept. 26 at East Clinton the Astros’ first match on their new gym floor.
East Clinton won the first two sets, 25-13 and 25-21; the Rockets won the last three, 25-15, 25-19, 15-12, confirming Keough’s beliefs about her team’s resiliency.
“I was so proud. East Clinton is a strong opponent and finishing a reverse sweep is hard regardless, but playing in the environment we were made the victory that much sweeter,” she said.
The final record is just a snapshot of the Rockets’ season; the true picture is in the point-after-point, set-after-set, match-after-match determination.
“We have had a couple of very tough matches where we never stopped playing, despite the outcome of the match,” Keough said. “That is hard to do, especially when the odds are stacked against you.
“This team is a special one as we have seven seniors who bring a lot of experience and enjoyment to the game. I have enjoyed working with them and watching them develop into not only the athletes I expect, but the people as well. Their dedication to the process and buying in to our system has led us to a very successful season.”
Clermont Northeastern roster
Seniors – Grace Adkins, Mya Amann, Makayla Blankenship, Bella Bosley, Anya Nelsen, Sydney Norton, Bri Ruehl.
Juniors – Reagan Crutcher, Bella Freeman.
Sophomores – Karli Eichenlaub, Gracie Elfers.
Freshmen – Jenna Brown.