by Seneca Contomanolis
DigitalSports Richmond
scontomanolis@digitalsports.com
The Thomas Dale boys volleyball team has accomplished many things over the years.
Something they had never done was defeat perrenial powerhouse Clover Hill.
That changed Monday night when the Knights beat the Cavaliers 3-1.
“We came in and saw all the banners, all the success Clover Hill has had,” Thomas Dale coach Mike Walker said. “Everybody is measured by them and what they have done.”
Since Walker began coaching the Knights eight years ago Clover Hill has won two state Group AAA titles (2001, 2005) and five Central Region championships.
That is the past and Thomas Dale is now the defending state champs but Clover Hill was still able to hand the Knights only their third game loss all season. Cosby took the other two games from Thomas Dale.
Senior Bradley Johnston had fifteen kills, 11 assists and four blocks and junior Zach Seymour produced 14 assists and eight kills for the Knights, ranked No. 1 in the DigitalSports Top 10.
“I thought we played really well in the first and second games,” Walker said. “We lost a little focus but good teams refocus and play better.”
The seventh-ranked Cavaliers led 12-11 in Game 1 but behind two consecutive aces by Matt Knickerbocker and a few Johnston kills Thomas Dale closed the game on a 14-6 run to take it 25-17.
Some more strong serving from Knickerbocker pushed the Knights out to a 9-1 advantage in Game 2 and Thomas Dale rolled 25-11.
The Cavaliers showed no quit in the third game and Tony Song and Hunter Tatum‘s kills helped put them up 9-5. Clover Hill held the lead until the Knights surged ahead late 22-20 but the Cavaliers got a side out and Mike Smith served them to a 25-22 win.
“Momentum is important,” Clover Hill coach Georjean Lampley. “The running off of five or six points in a row helps. The energy, the gym that all effects it.”
The momentum didn’t carry over to the fourth game, though, as Johnston, Seymour and the rest of the Knights began to assert themselves winning 25-14.
Donnie Hevener added three kills and two blocks for Thomas Dale.
Song led the Cavaliers with seven kills and six digs and Zane Pinkleton had 22 assists.
It wasn’t for a title and it wasn’t even a district match but the victory for the Knights was still an important one.
“Countless times through the years we have lost to them,” Walker said. “It feels good to know we can beat a program of this stature.”
Thomas Dale 25 25 22 25
Clover Hill 17 11 25 14
Records: Thomas Dale (15-0); Clover Hill (9-6)
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