The Dragons celebrated their third home win of the week with the student cheering section, The Flannel Panel. Submitted Photo

It’s a nice time of year to peak.

Warren swept visiting Maplewood, 25-18, 25-17, 25-17, Thursday at Warren Area High School.

“Great crowd on hand for the final home game of the season,” said Warren coach Mike Dolan. “The Flannel Panel (student cheering section) really energized the team to put forward a great effort tonight against a very good Maplewood team. Defense was the key, starting with the terrific blocking of Kylie Fehlman, Alexia Bowers, Halee Mineweaser and Carly Beers, and the back-row play of Katie Madigan, Summer Lucks, and Ellee Irwin. Brooke Edwards did a great job serving as well. It’s good to play well against these really good teams heading into playoffs.”

Katie Madigan led the way again with 18 kills and 17 digs; Halee Mineweaser had 28 assists, three blocks and eight digs; Kylie Fehlman seven kills and two blocks; Summer Lucks 13 digs; Carly Beers five kills, two aces and four digs; Alexia Bowers three blocks and one kill; Ellee Irwin two kills, seven digs and one ace, and Brooke Edwards two aces and three digs.

Warren’s last regular season game is Saturday at Corry.

Maplewood won Thursday’s junior varsity match, 25-21 and 25-18. Maddy Jones led Warren with five kills, Lindsay Madigan, Lilly Hokel and Gabby Pritzl added two each, Sophie Walker had 20 digs, and Bailey Roudybush three aces.

YOUNGSVILLE

TIDIOUTE — Youngsville traveled to Tidioute on Tuesday when the Bulldogs were celebrating their seniors, Aspen Fors and Boo Sabella, but the Eagles claimed the fifth set, 15-11, to finish the long match.

“Our team hasn’t gone five sets all season,” Youngsville coach Hannah Bulard said. “They rose to the occasion tonight.””Kenzie (Olewine), Mia (Rafalski) and Sam played phenomenal defense in the back row, combining for 121 digs. Unfortunately, we lose that next year (because) our three best defensive players will be graduating. These underclassman are really going to have to work hard on defense this offseason. They have so much potential I know they can do it.”

Mia Rafalski and Olivia Darling both had nine kills for the Eagles, with Molly Helman adding seven and Lynzee Higley six. Kenzie Olewine led the defense with 63 digs , Rafalski added 34, and the third part of the trio, Sam, digging 24 balls. Dilyn Moore had 31 assists and five aces and both Moore and Allyson Johnson had 20 digs.

Not only did Bulard compliment her team, but also praised the Bulldogs.

“They played scrappy and hustled hard after every ball which is one thing we lack and need to improve on. They are doing great things down there, and the growth in their program is really showing,”

The Tidioute seniors led the Bulldogs. Sabella had 16 digs, 10 kills, and three assists and Fors added11 assists, eight digs and one kill.

Youngsville also won the junior varsity match, 25-17, 25-12. Shea Walton had four kills, Alyssa Gentz had 11 digs and Ireland Abraham had five aces.

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On Monday, Youngsville suffered a tough loss to Titusville.

“The girls played hard tonight,” Bulard said. “It was the seniors last home game and to not get a win really hurts. Overall, they played very well. We know we can dig ourselves out of the holes we get into, but we struggle with holding a lead. We need to learn how to win and I hope we can do that in these final two games.”

The Eagles did just that as they dug themselves out of several holes to take the lead throughout the three sets, but could not put any of them away, losing the first two, 20-25 and 25-27. The third set the Titusville Rockets took a bigger lead at 25-13.

“Barb (Lutton, the volunteer coach) said it best tonight. Our girls need to learn how to hustle. … They don’t go that extra mile to get those saves on the floor, which unfortunately meant the difference in winning or losing tonight. We lose our two best defensive players this year and my underclassmen are really going to need to step it up next year.”

Mia Rafalski led the offense with six kills and two aces and Kenzie Olewine led the defense with 19 digs and five aces. Dilyn Moore had seven assists and seven digs, and Allyson Johnson also had seven digs.

Youngsville’s junior varsity also lost to the Rockets, 9-25 and 12-25. Jurney Mennetti had five digs and Alyssa Gentz and Madilynn Johnson both added four digs.

SHEFFIELD

Sheffield fell to Ridgway on Thursday, 19-25-27-29, 16-25.

Kadence Steffan had 21 assists; Emily Foster five kills and three blocks; Kassidy Orinko six kills, five blocks and eight digs; and Ana McCracken nine digs.

The Wolverines also lost the junior varsity match, 18-25, 25-11, 8-15.

Lily Benton had eight digs and five assists; Emily Foster had eight kills; and Syrena Antonuccio collected seven assists for Sheffield.