Relatively New Sport at Abington Makes History

The AHS Varsity Volleyball team makes tournament

AHS+Volleyball+Seniors+%28left+to+right%29+Seana+Phillips%2C+Vianne+Shao%2C+Erielle+Amboy%2C+Corin+Mahan%2C+Meagan+McCadden%2C+Jessica+Rix%2C+Keriann+Danahy%2C+Sophia+Villano%2C+Ailey+Riddick%2C+Manda+Riddick+at+their+Senior+Night+on+Oct.+22

AHS Volleyball Seniors (left to right) Seana Phillips, Vianne Shao, Erielle Amboy, Corin Mahan, Meagan McCadden, Jessica Rix, Keriann Danahy, Sophia Villano, Ailey Riddick, Manda Riddick at their Senior Night on Oct. 22

Elizabeth Roy, Staff Writer
December 13, 2019

On Wednesday, Oct. 23, the Abington High School Volleyball team made the Division 3 State Tournament. A few years ago, this sport did not exist as an official team at the high school. By 2017-2018, it had enough people interested to become a varisty team. And in only a few short years, the Volleyball team made history.

The tournament game took place on Nov. 2 at Sacred Heart in Kingston. Abington won two out of the five sets, ending their incredible season.

“

It seems like yesterday when I was a nervous sophomore, trying to get to know the sport more and improve gradually

— Meagan McCaddan

Judy Hamilton, a Spanish teacher in the Abington Middle School, started coaching the AHS varsity volleyball team in 2018. When asked if she thought the team was going to make tournament, she said, “I knew what I had for athletes. I knew what the teams we were playing where like. I knew the potential they had.”

Coach Hamilton said that in the future she hopes to “start a feeder program for Abington. All our other sports have feeder programs with the town or after school.” This would help expose younger athletes to volleyball before they enter high school.

This year’s Varsity Volleyball team consisted of ten seniors, one sophomore, and two freshmen. This year’s seniors have been with this program since it began their sophomore year.

Senior Meagan McCadden said, “It seems like yesterday when I was a nervous sophomore, trying to get to know the sport more and improve gradually.”

The captains this year were seniors Corin Mahan, Keriann Danahy, and Seana Phillips. Making tournament for the first time as a team was not an easy task. Coach Hamilton believes in both working hard and having fun.

“If you are having fun you are going to try harder. You will show-up and get the job done,” Coach Hamilton said.

Senior Sophia Villano said “We would take it seriously, but not too seriously so we could still have fun while practicing and playing.”

Although the AHS varsity volleyball team lost to Sacred Heart, to make tournament only after three years of a program is something that the team is very proud of. Senior Erielle Amboy said, “We all worked harder to encourage each other throughout practices and games.” Another senior Ailey Riddick said, “Positivity and keeping a good mindset is a big part of the game.”