Written in November 2017- Journalism Class @ Cosby High in Midlothian
—Christian Clark, Staff Writer, PR—
RICHMOND- No more next year! “The Best High School in the Nation” is bringing home the hardware. For the first time in school history, Cosby Boys Volleyball tasted victory at the Siegel Center, taking home the 2017 Class 6A State Championship by defeating Virginia Beach’s own Frank W. Cox 3-1 in best of five sets.
Last year, the Titans were ousted by their crosstown rival, the James River Rapids, in a 3-1 heartbreaker in this exact same spot inside the raucous Siegel Center in downtown Richmond. This year, it was time for redemption and Cosby was ready to flip the script and deliver a different ending. In the past few years, Cosby has had their fair share of success and dramatic runs to the title game but one thing had been elusive for this unit: a championship.
This matchup between Cosby and Cox does have some substance behind it. In 2012, the Falcons took down the Titans in straight sets (3-0) to complete an undefeated season (Richmond Times-Dispatch). Five years later, the Titans had a chance to return the favor.
The start to the game was not what Coach Frank Jenkins and the Titans had anticipated.
Following their dominating 3-0 sweep over Oscar Smith just two days prior in the state semifinal game at home, the Titans found themselves down early. Cox was able to start off strong and ride the momentum as they held on to the first set (25-22). However, Cosby was able to answer by winning the next two (25-23) and (25-21) to stage what would prove to be the decisive fourth set.
The Lightning Legion, Cosby’s official fan organization, was in full force as they tried to use their noise to give their school the edge. This match arguably contained the largest crowd a Cosby Varsity Volleyball game had ever seen. With chants supporting the players, such as one for fan favorite Ethan Speicher (also known as Spike Dog), the team was able to feed off of the energy from an electric environment under the bright lights.
With the Titans a point away, Coach Jenkins subbed in senior Justin Poindexter so that he could play in the final game of his career. Poindexter served it down the right sideline and Cox was forced to send a free ball over. As fate would have it, Poindexter delivered a picture perfect pass that senior James Morton was able to put away via the assist from senior setter Blake Jenkins, the coach's son, to ignite the celebration.
The top players of the evening for Cosby included Morton, an outside hitter, who led the way with twenty-four kills, five blocks, and eleven digs; senior libero Declan Mulvihill, who added eleven digs and six assists; and Blake Jenkins with his forty-six assists. Another outside hitter, junior Nick Selk, had one of the best games of his young Varsity career, recording 13 kills and 7 digs (Richmond Times Dispatch).
The Titans cap off the season with an impressive record of 15 wins to just 5 losses and rally to capture the championship in the biggest Varsity Volleyball game in school history.
Congratulations to Coach Jenkins and the Boys Volleyball Team for an amazing season!
Works Cited:
Times-Dispatch, CHRIS HARRIS Richmond. “Cox Sweeps Cosby to Win Boys Volleyball Title.” Richmond Times-Dispatch, 18 Nov. 2012, www.richmond.com/sports/high-school/volleyball/article_284a70f6-c94e-57e6-8393-86541115fd04.html.
reports, From staff. “Deep Run, Cosby Advance to Boys Volleyball Finals.” Richmond Times-Dispatch, 14 Nov. 2017, www.richmond.com/sports/high-school/schools/cosby/deep-run-cosby-advance-to-boys-volleyball-finals/article_f07ae9bf-7dc6-56dd-a8ee-69f67663cd3e.html#tncms-source=article-nav-next.
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