GALION — The Tigers are on the prowl.
Galion is back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019 after stunning Huron, the state’s No. 2 team in Division III, in last week’s district finals at Seneca East.
The 17th-ranked Tigers will play No. 20 Milford Center Fairbanks in the early match of a Division III regional semifinal doubleheader at 6 p.m. Thursday at Millbury Lake High School. No. 4 Coldwater plays No. 10 Sherwood Fairview in the nightcap.
Galion (22-2) has won 18 straight matches, including last week’s come-from-behind victory over Huron. Galion won the first set 25-14, then dropped two in a row. The Tigers won the fourth 25-18 and rallied in the fifth for a 15-13 win.
The district championship victory came on the heels of a 3-1 decision over Colonel Crawford in the district semifinals. Galion dropped the second set against the Eagles before closing out its Crawford County rival.
“Once we lost the second set I got a little nervous,” Galion coach Kathleen Davis said at the time. “The girls kind of got down on themselves a little bit.
“After that second set I told the girls we cannot be afraid to be great. We can’t be afraid to take chances and push ourselves.”
Outside hitter Madelyn Schieber leads Galion with 246 kills. Fellow outside hitter Ashley Dyer has 206 kills while middle hitter Hailey Young has 215 kills and ranked second in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference with 75 blocks. Jillian Capretta has 155 kills and 61 blocks.
Setter Ella Payne led the MOAC with 943 assists. Libero Audrey Glew has 338 digs.
Winner of the Ohio Heritage Conference’s North Division, Fairbanks (23-2) hasn’t lost a set in three postseason matches. The Panthers blanked Worthington Christian in the Mount Vernon district final for their fourth straight victory after losing late in the regular season.
Sophie Little leads the Panthers with 327 kills. Caydee Breneman has 50 blocks and 168 kills. Setter Allie Boyd has 830 assists, while libero Grace Gorton has 336 digs.
A win Thursday would send Galion to the Elite Eight. The regional final will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Lake.
“We’ve been working really hard,” Davis said. “We’re just excited.”
