James Wood sweeps way to district volleyball crown

WINCHESTER — James Wood clinched the Class 4 Northwestern District regular-season volleyball title and earned a Region 4C playoff berth with a 25-15, 25-15, 25-17 sweep over second-place Millbrook on Thursday at Shirley Gymnasium.

The Colonels (19-3) completed a perfect 14-0 district season as they captured their first district crown since 2014. Millbrook finished 18-2, 12-2 and will be the second seed in the upcoming district tournament.

James Wood pulled away in the opening set. Leading 12-9, the Colonels used an 10-1 run to take a 22-10 lead. The Pioneers won five straight points to close to within 22-15, but the Colonels closed out the set. Grace Frigaard had five kills to pace Wood, while teammate Olivia Biggs added two kills and three aces.

James Wood raced out to a 7-2 lead in the second set behind two kills from Kristyna Van Sickler and kept on extending the lead. Van Sickler had five kills in the set, while Frigaard added four kills. Tori Johnson had four kills for the Pioneers.

The Colonels worked their way to a 15-10 lead in the third set and still held that margin at 20-15 behind three kills from Van Sickler. They closed out the set on a 5-2 run from there.

James Wood leaders: Van Sickler 11 kills, 5 digs, 2 aces; Frigaard 11 kills, 8 digs, 1 ace; Biggs 4 kills, 3 aces, 3 blocks; Hanna Plasters 20 assists, 6 digs, 2 aces; Lainie Putt 7 kills.

Millbrook leaders: Johnson 8 kills, Mikayla Ockerman 6 kills; Jordan Weir 5 blocks, Autumn Stroop, Madison Koeller 9 assists each, Jessica Cleveland 7 digs.