For the 11th time, Coach Katie Ragan and her North Adams Lady Devils volleyball squad have captured the Southern Hills Athletic Conference gold ball trophy, finishing 13-0 in conference play after a three-set win at Peebles on October 11. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)

For the 11th time, Coach Katie Ragan and her North Adams Lady Devils volleyball squad have captured the Southern Hills Athletic Conference gold ball trophy, finishing 13-0 in conference play after a three-set win at Peebles on October 11. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)

<p>In the North Adams win at Peebles last Friday night, junior Natalie Ragan picked up her 2,000th career assist. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)</p>

In the North Adams win at Peebles last Friday night, junior Natalie Ragan picked up her 2,000th career assist. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)

By Mark Carpenter

People’s Defender

As you read in these pages about the same time a year ago, there are likely no success stories in the history of Adams County sports than that of Coach Katie Ragan and her North Adams Lady Devils volleyball program. A Southern Hills Athletic Conference dynasty might be an understatement, under the leadership of Coach Ragan the Lady Devils have now won 17 conference championships, going unbeaten in conference play and earning the coveted gold ball trophy with 11 of those titles.

The latest of those gold ball crowns was clinched on Friday, October 11 as the Lady Devils zipped up Route 41 to face the Peebles Lady Indians, the final regular season match for both squads. The home team put up their best effort and were close to extending the match to a fourth set, but the Lady Devils made the plays when they had to make the plays and prevailed over the hustling Lady Indians in three sets, 25-18, 25-17, 25-22.

“We’ve had a great season going undefeated again in the league,” said Coach Ragan in a postgame interview with C103’s Ken Smith. “We only lost one set in league matches the whole season and it’s just great for these kids. The gold ball is one of our goals every year.”

After Peebles took the JV match in two sets, the varsity crews took the court and it was the home team jumping to a quick 3-0 lead in the first set behind the serving of senior Abigail Smalley. Deficits never seem to phase the Lady Devils as they quickly bounced back by claiming 11 of the set’s next 13 points to flip the scoreboard to an 11-5 lead, most of that damage done with sophomore Elizabeth Raines on the service line and senior Katelynn chalking up the kills.

A pair of later service points from junior Paige Evans extended the North Adams advantage to 16-7 and they maintained that margin through the end of the set. The highlight for the Lady Devils in the opening set came on another Boerger kill which was also the 2,000th career assist for North Adams junior setter Natalie Ragan. Though the Lady Indians rallied late with a pair of service aces from junior Aiva Brumley, the visitors held on to capture set one, 25-18.

“Two thousand is a pretty impressive number, considering Natalie is just a junior,” said Coach Ragan. “The school record is held by Sierra Kendall with over 2,700, but of course Katelynn (Boerger) with her 1,000 kills has certainly helped Natalie out a lot.”

The second set began with Raines serving the Lady Devils to an early 4-1 lead and they would take that lead wire-to-wire. A quartet of service points from Boerger put the guests up 10-4. With Smalley serving again, the Lady Indians closed the gap to 15-12, but the resilient North Adams six got six of the next seven points to go on top 21-13. With North Adams in front 24-17, a long volley from both sides ended when a Peebles kill attempt was just inches long, giving the second set to the Lady Devils.

With their proverbial backs to the wall, the Lady Indians opened the third set with a pair of Smalley Service aces, only to see their county rival soccer the next five with Raines back at the service line. With the side out back and junior Kaylee Hanson serving, Peebles came back to take an 8-6 lead only to see the Lady Devils jump back in front 9-8. Later kills by Evans and Emma Pistole put North Adams up 12-9 but that only proceeded the best Peebles run of the night. The home side rattled off eight of the next nine points with Brumley and senior Lainee Barr serving, giving their team a 17-13 advantage.

Still trailing by four, the Lady Devils got kills from Boerger and Evans to deadlock the set at 21 and put the fans on both sides of the gym on the edge of their seats. An Angel Gray block put Peebles up by one, only to see North Adams reel off the final four points, three of them off Boerger serves as the Lady Devils took the set 25-22, the match 3-0, to finish off yet another unbeaten conference season, 13-0 in the SHAC.

The victorious Lady Devils had two players with double digit kills, Katelynn Boerger with 16 and 10 from Paige Evans, with Aulbrea Meade adding 8. Natalie Ragan dished out 39 assists as she surpassed the 2,000 mark for her career, with one high school season still left. Evans led the winners with 11 digs, with Ragan adding 10, Boerger 8, and 7 each from Meade and sophomore Morgan Wheeler.

There were no match statistics available at press time for Peebles.

Both teams now head into postseason action with the Lady Indians opening in Division VI on Tuesday, October 15 with a district quarterfinal trip to face fellow SHAC member Fairfield. In Division V, North Adams will play host to Portsmouth at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16, also a district quarterfinal match up.

“This year we still have to win three matches to win the district, it’s just labeled different now,” explained Coach Ragan. “We are one of the smaller schools in Division V but we still have to show up and win the match.”