Tigers can clinch top D-10 seed with win over Spa

By Lisa Byers

May 15, 2008 May 14, 2008 11:17 pm

— Cambridge Springs, ranked second in the state in Class AA by the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association, will begin pursuit of its first-ever boys volleyball state championship against Conneaut Valley in the opening round of the District 10 Tournament at Meadville High School.
That, however, is about as much that is known for sure with less than a week remaining until the start of the tournament.
Cambridge Springs and Conneaut Valley will meet as the fourth and fifth seeds, respectively. Three other seeds have been determined with Cochranton owning the sixth seed, Farrell the seventh seed and Rocky Grove the eighth seed.
The remaining three seeds have yet to be determined. That will change tonight.
Maplewood, Meadville and Saegertown are all competing for one of those top three spots.
The Tigers (11-2) hold the upperhand for the No. 1 seed with complete control over their fate. A win over Cambridge Springs would give Maplewood the top seed regardless of what Saegertown (11-2) or Meadville (10-3) do, because the Tigers own tiebreakers over the Panthers and Bulldogs.
Maplewood is the only team with such luxury.
“I don’t have to sit back and wait for a phone call to see what someone else did,” Maplewood coach Sheila Bancroft said. “When we walk out of the gym (today), we’ll know where we stand.”
Should the Tigers lose, though, the playoff picture becomes a bit more complicated. Here is a look:
n Maplewood can still clinch the top seed with a loss as long if the Panthers follow suit against Cochranton (3-10).
n Saegertown clinches the top seed with a win over Cochranton and a Maplewood loss. In that event, Maplewood would then become the No. 2 seed and Meadville the No. 3.
n Meadville can secure the second seed in the event of a three-way tie with Saegertown and Maplewood. The Bulldogs own the tiebreaker over Saegertown. The two teams split during the regular season, but the Bulldogs own a 4-3 advantage in games played.
n Meadville also takes the second seed with a win and a Saegertown loss.
n Saegertown would earn the second seed should all three teams finish out the season with wins today or with a Maplewood win and Meadville loss to Conneaut Valley (5-7).
It’s all a matter really of what Maplewood does against Cambridge Springs. The Tigers are treating the game like an early playoff contest not only because of the No. 1 seed being on the line, but the Region 1 title is also at stake.
The Tigers are looking for their second straight conference title and sixth in eight seasons.
“This is very good,” Maplewood coach Sheila Bancroft said of tonight’s contest. “It’s a good opportunity to be in a playoff situation really. We control our own destiny. This is like the postseason. We just have to step up and play a few days earlier.”
The top seed earns the right to play District 9 representative Rocky Grove in the opening round of the District 10 Tournament Tuesday. The second seed will play Farrell (1-14) and the third seed will play Cochranton.
Three rounds of competition will be played Tuesday. Play resumes Thursday back at MASH with the winner’s bracket final highlighting the night’s events.
The championship match will be played Friday.

Walking wounded

As Maplewood prepared for its showdown with PENNCREST School District rival Cambridge Springs Wednesday, it was presented with some unfortunate news.
The Tigers learned yesterday that junior outside hitter Jackson Ferringer will be forced to miss the remainder of the season with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Ferringer injured the knee in a collision while trying to dig up a kill in a loss to Saegertown on May 8.
Ferringer is scheduled to have surgery on Friday. He is also expected to miss the Junior Olympic season, including the USA Junior Olympic Boys Volleyball Championships in Sandy City, Utah.
“I feel really bad for him and the team,” Bancroft said.
Ferringer was having an outstanding season for the Tigers. Bancroft said the Tigers will not only miss his presence offensively at the net, but the “little things” he did, particularly with his ball-handling skills.
“We were hoping he’d be able to come back,” Bancroft said. “But now we have to move on without him. Everyone else is going to have to step up and pick up the slack.”
Junior Stan Spoharski will fill Ferringer’s position.
Also on the injury front, Cambridge Springs’ Lucas Acker missed Tuesday’s match against Saegertown with an injury. Spa head coach Rick Welker said the junior is expected t be back soon.
Conneaut Valley setter Eric Smith is also out with an injury. Valley coach John Chapman said Smith could return to the lineup for tonight’s match with Meadville. If not, he should be ready to go by districts.