#TBT: Miss Volleyball Winners Hold Court
October 5, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
It was likely a coincidence that Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern’s Linsey Taatjes and Fraser’s Angie McGinnis both wore jersey No. 9 as their teams met in the 2003 Class A Volleyball Final at Western Michigan University.
It hardly was a coincidence that both had led their teams to the final day of the season – Taatjes, a senior, was named that winter the state’s first Miss Volleyball Award winner; McGinnis, a junior, would be named Miss Volleyball in 2004.
In fact, the teams also had met in the 2002 Class A Final, won in three sets by Forest Hills Northern.
But the rematch would go to Fraser. Forest Hills Northern still ranks fourth in MHSAA history for winning 81 matches in 2003 but suffered its only loss in that championship decider, winning the first set 15-9 before falling 15-11, 15-4 over the last two. Taatjes had a team-high 14 kills, plus three blocks, four assists, seven digs and a pair of aces. McGinnis, meanwhile, had 36 assists, 11 kills and 10 digs as the Ramblers won their first MHSAA title in the sport. They would go on to sweep East Kentwood in the 2004 Class A Final as well.
Taatjes went on to play at Taylor University in Indiana, an NAIA school, and she was named Mid-Central Conference Player of the Year in 2004.
McGinnis went on to become a three-time All-America selection and two-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year at Florida, finishing in 2007 as the program’s career leader in assists. She played in a number of events for the U.S. Women’s National Team and was an alternate for the 2008 Olympic team, and also played professionally overseas.
Click to visit the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association website for this year’s Miss Volleyball Award candidates and all past winners. Among finalists this time is Rockford setter Hailey Delacher, whose father Kelly was Forest Hills Northern’s coach during Taatjes’ career.
PHOTOS: Angie McGinnis, left, set Fraser to the win in the 2003 Class A Final, while inaugural Miss Volleyball Linsey Taatjes put up a strong block and plenty of hitting for Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern.
Volleyball Joins GR Christian Title Lore
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 17, 2018
BATTLE CREEK – Maria Bos’ eyes locked onto the MHSAA Division 2 volleyball championship trophy Saturday like they had locked onto every ball set her way that afternoon.
Although rather than spike it to the ground like she successfully did 21 times in the championship match, she joined her Grand Rapids Christian teammates in embracing and lifting the wooden mitten that previously had eluded the program.
“It doesn’t honestly feel real,” the senior outside hitter said. “You’re very tense the entire time, but still relaxed at the same time. All that tension just kind of lets itself go all at once, and I’ve been dreaming about this for all four years of high school. For it to finally happen on the last match of my senior year, it gets me, and it’s just the best.”
The Eagles swept 2017 Class B champion Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 25-19, 25-18, 25-21 at Kellogg Arena to claim the first Finals championship in program history. It also was the first time the Eagles had ever played in a Final, and rather than shrink from the moment, they soared.
“We kind of in our minds projected that we would be here,” Eagles coach Tiffannie Gates said. “We knew Notre Dame Prep was an amazing team, so we just talked about before we came out, no fear, just play aggressive, play to win and don’t try to worry about the outcome. Just play hard.”
Grand Rapids Christian (46-5) entered the postseason ranked No. 1 in the division, but the level of dominance against a veteran Irish team that had won 54 straight matches stunned most observers.
“We talked about mentally preparing for the fact to go five, and that it could be 16-14 in the fifth, and to not get down if they started to get a point run,” Gates said. “We made sure we played a very tough schedule this year, and we’ve beaten some really good teams, so we felt confident that we could battle these guys.”
The Eagles took control of all three sets relatively early, and then stifled any Irish attempt at a big run to get back into it – even in the third set when Notre Dame Prep made most every point interesting.
“They’re a very good team, as I’ve said all along, and they played well today,” Notre Dame Prep coach Betty Wroubel said. “We had a few hiccups. Every time we started to make a little bit of a run, we had an unforced error that would give them the ball back. I’m so proud of our kids; we had an awesome season. They played well, and we’re here – a lot of teams wish they were here. I’m proud of our kids. It’s the end of an era for these three seniors (Natalie Risi, Maria Famularo and Maddy Chinn), and that’s the saddest part.”
Chinn, who was named Miss Volleyball earlier this week, and Risi, who also finished in the top 10 in voting for the award, managed to get theirs in the attack, with Chinn tallying 17 kills and Risi 14. But the Eagles did a good job of staying away from Chinn’s blocking by attacking from multiple angles.
“That’s been our thing all year, running a fast offense,” Gates said. “I noticed that Betty moved Maddy to the right side to stop our outside hitters, so we did a good job of passing well enough to where we could run them out of the middle and avoid her big block for most of the night.”
Addie VanderWeide had 17 kills for the Eagles, adding three blocks. Lauren Peal had 12 digs, and Jordyn Gates had 38 assists and 29 digs to help her mom get her first coaching title.
“It was awesome,” Tiffannie Gates said. “I feel like they’re all my children right now. I really can’t point one out, I’m so proud of every single one of them. But, yeah, it was fun to be a part of it with her for sure.”
Risi added 12 digs for Notre Dame Prep (64-6), while Famularo had 14 assists and 14 digs, and Aly Borellis had 12 assists and nine digs.
PHOTOS: (Top) Grand Rapids Christian hoists its first volleyball championship trophy Saturday at Kellogg Arena. (Middle) The Eagles’ Maria Bos (2) and Olivia Nedd (3) put up a block as Notre Dame Prep’s Maddy Chinn follows through on a kill attempt.