×

Wild Warriors

Brookfield team has fun while winning

Special to the Tribune | Dianna Oatridge The Brookfield volleyball team celebrates their 3-0 victory over Maplewood in the Division IV Sectional Final at Chalker High School on Thursday.

SOUTHINGTON — The sounds of the Village People were blaring over the sound system inside Chalker High School Thursday during the Division IV district volleyball tournament.

The Brookfield girls, huddled after a dominant first set, were making the hand motions of the Y, M, C and A. The good times permeated throughout this fourth-seeded Warriors team as they dominated fifth-seeded Maplewood, 25-12, 25-16, 25-19, in a sectional bracket final.

Brookfield coach Brooke Hiner looked on and smiled at her team. Whether it’s Y.M.C.A., Abba’s “Dancing Queen,” or some classic hit reverberating around the Chalker gym, these Warriors remain upbeat between games.

“Our girls have a good time,” Hiner said. “I honestly think that’s what makes our team, our team.”

Bailey Drapola, who proudly displayed her jumping ability after every one of her 10 kills, celebrating with her teammates, knows a relaxed team is one that plays well.

Special to the Tribune | Dianna Oatridge Maplewood's Hannah Thomas attempts a kill as Brookfield's Bailey Drapola goes up to block during their Division IV Sectional Final at Chalker High School on Thursday. The Warriors won 3-0.

“If you’re stiff, you’re not going to play your best,” she said. “I always preach that at practice and we translate in the games. I’m very proud of my team.”

Brookfield (13-10) has every reason to take pride in Thursday’s performance. It’s result is the team’s first appearance in a district semifinal since 2007 when the Warriors made it in the Division III Salem District.

“This was a big moment for us,” Drapola said.

Top-seeded Ashtabula St. John, normally one of the better teams in northeast Ohio, dispatched of ninth-seeded Mathews in Thursday’s other sectional bracket final, 25-12, 25-7, 25-19.

St. John and Brookfield square off Wednesday at 6 p.m., back at the Chalker gym.

Special to the Tribune | Dianna Oatridge Brookfield libero Katie Rogers Vadala receives a serve from Maplewood as her teammate Anna Reichart looks on during their Division IV Sectional Final at Chalker High School on Thursday. The Warriors won 3-0.

“We need to keep that adrenaline going, the cheering, picking each other up, getting into the other team’s head,” Hiner said. “If we can do that, I think we’ll get it.”

Maplewood (9-13) was dominated by the happy-go-lucky Brookfield team in the first two sets, but rallied in the third with an early 8-3 lead on a block of Drapola by Hannah Thomas.

The Rockets are a young team with only three seniors, but know with that effort in the third set it gives coach Christen Clemson some hope for the future.

“When you’re competing against a team like Brookfield, momentum is everything.,” she said. “We have to do a little better job of capitalizing off the good things we do. That will come a little bit with age.”

Drapola, a senior, knows her team can capitalize off of that momentum, better known as rally scoring in volleyball.

They’ll need every bit of it when the Warriors face a stalwart like St. John.

“It gives us a good push into the next game and motivates us,” Drapola said. “That was one of the best games we’ve ever played.

“As long as we play together, play loose and rely on each other, I always tell them don’t give up on your teammates.”

Brookfield’s fun-loving team keeps dancing into next week’s district semifinal.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
     

Starting at $4.85/week.

Subscribe Today