Sidelines: 3 City League volleyball teams enjoy great seasons

Notre Dame s Paige Roback spikes against St.Ursula s Marissa Tashenberg. Notre Dame won the City League, while St. Ursula won a district title.

Three City League teams all had something to put in their respective trophy cases at season s end.

Notre Dame, coached by Scott Mattera, won its second straight CL championship led by junior Paige Roback and senior Jessica Batanian. League runner-up Central Catholic advanced to the Division II regional on the heels of its 2007 state championship.

Coach Melissa Belcher s Irish were paced by seniors Ashley Sujkowski and Anne McCarthy, and junior Julia Haupricht. Finally, St. Ursula s underclassmen-dominated lineup, which included just one senior (Maggie Naayers), caught fire late in the season to upset Notre Dame in the D-I district final. Veteran coach John Buck s Arrows then gave eventual state champion Olmsted Falls (29-0) a big scare in the regional semifinals before falling in a five-game battle.

In Michigan, Ida and Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central reached the state semifinals in classes B and C, respectively. Ida lost in the semis against Holland Christian to finish 47-10-2. Monroe SMCC dropped its semifinal against Calumet to end up 26-20-4.

Also, Suburban Lakes League champion Otsego reached the D-III district final before losing to 2007 state champion Lima Central Catholic, Greater Buckeye Conference champion Findlay reached the D-I regional semis before falling to Rocky River Magnificat, and Bowling Green won its fifth straight Northern Lakes League championship.