<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2uIT5A_1GyIZqXJ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2uIT5A_1GyIZqXJ00" width="671" height="699" ><figcaption>Kaylynn Johnson sends the ball over the net. Photos by Wendi Reardon Price</figcaption></figure>LAKE ORION — The Wolves proudly hoisted up the MHSAA Division 1 Girls Volleyball District 8 Championship trophy after defeating foes Oxford and Lake Orion, 3-0, last week to reclaim the district championship.The Clarkston Girls Varsity Volleyball team opened the playoffs last Wednesday in the district semifinals against Oxford, who they lost the district title to last year.“We were very much in our nerves,” said Ali Smith, head coach. “We were kind of in our feelings. The match was very choppy. I didn’t feel like we found a lot of great rhythm. It got better as it went.”The Wildcats won the first set, 25-22.The Wolves came back to win the next three sets, 25-21, 25-13, 26-25.“I think we had some nerves to get out,” Smith said. “You would like to think that last year is in the past, but I still think there were some strong feelings about that so we needed to kind of work our way through that and find our brand of volleyball again.”<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0mLcny_1GyIZqXJ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0mLcny_1GyIZqXJ00" width="672" height="783" ><figcaption>Josie Seets serves the ball against Lake Orion in the district championship.</figcaption></figure>She added even though they beat Oxford twice during the season it doesn’t matter in playoffs.“Once you get to playoffs, people have a newfound sense of energy and everybody starts 0-0,” she said. “You’ve got to go out and you’ve got to compete at the highest level every single day. I also think our ranking – it makes people want to beat us. Everybody’s going to come at us with their best game.”Josie Seets had 25 kills and 12 digs. Maya Kuebler had 17 kills and 21 digs. Stella Smith had 24 digs and nine assists. Marlie Smith had 50 assists, 16 digs and two blocks. Reagan Minto had 12 kills.The Wolves returned on Thursday, Nov. 5, defeating Lake Orion for the district championship, 3-0.“Today, the whole day felt different,” Smith said. “The vibe for today felt different. Today, they felt locked in, focused, fearless. All the things that you would hope that you would feel on a championship day.”The Wolves took the first set 25-17 with Seets, Kuebler and Lily Partchenko scoring the last five points.Clarkston continued the momentum, winning the next two sets 25-18 and 25-11.“We managed the game extremely well,” Smith said. “I thought we made excellent offensive decisions, not only Marlie, but our attackers. We talked about open spaces, talked about ways they would be able to score, and I think they executed that very well. I also think we served tougher tonight than we did last night, so that helped us put our defense in a little bit better position today as well.”Seets had 15 kills, seven digs and two aces. S. Smith had 15 digs and five assists. M. Smith had 32 assists. Kuebler had eight kills and two aces. Kaylynn Johnson and Minto each had two blocks.“It was so balanced,” Smith added. “Our right side’s getting kills. Setters, getting kills. Middles getting kills. Left sides are getting kills. It’s hard to slow down when you have no idea where they ball is going. Kudos to our kids, too, for passing well and playing great defense. We were in system most of the match.”She added the leadership has been amazing.“We’ve got Marlie, Maya and Josie, who have all been four-year varsity players,” she said. “The confidence in the composure that they have shown really over the whole season but really over the last month has been amazing. They draw from the experiences they have had and put it to good use.”The Wolves (29-5) played South Lyon East (38-7) in the MHSAA Division 1 Girls Volleyball Regional 2 Semifinal on Tuesday.“They’ve got an outside hitter, Lexi Coleman, who’s dominant,” said Smith. “We’re going to have to try to either slow her down or just stop everyone else.”The winner moves on to play the Brighton/Bloomfield Hills winner on Thursday for the regional championship at Lake Orion High School, 7 p.m.The MHSAA Division 1 Girls Volleyball Quarterfinal 1 is Tuesday, Nov. 17 at Flushing High School, 6:30 p.m.</div></body>

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LAKE ORION — The Wolves proudly hoisted up the MHSAA Division 1 Girls Volleyball District 8 Championship trophy after defeating foes Oxford and Lake Orion, 3-0, last week to reclaim the district championship. The Clarkston Girls Varsity Volleyball team opened the playoffs last Wednesday in the district semifinals against...

Wolves down Dragons, Wildcats for district title

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LAKE ORION — The Wolves proudly hoisted up the MHSAA Division 1 Girls Volleyball District 8 Championship trophy after defeating foes Oxford and Lake Orion,

Wolves down Dragons, Wildcats for district title

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