Sugar Valley Volleyball Makes First Playoff Appearance

LOGANTON, PA – It’s been quite the fall for athletics at Sugar Valley Rural Charter School. The school’s golf team recently participated in the District 4 postseason tournament, the school recently broke ground for construction of its first gymnasium, and now the Phoenix volleyball team participates for the first time in the District 4 playoffs.

The Phoenix finished the regular season with a best-ever 5-5 mark and earned a number four seed in the District 4 Class A playoffs. Semifinal round action will be Tuesday, the opponent No. 1 seed Canton (12-2), the contest played at Williamson High School.

Prior to the game, Phoenix coach J-T Bitner said, “If we play our best game of the year, I see nothing but success; I expect a win if we do.” Bitner, also the athletic director at the charter school, said it has been an exciting month for athletics at Sugar Valley, with the golf team success, the volleyball showing and the gymnasium construction.

Lack of a gym has forced the Phoenix to play all their games on the road. The team presently practices in the school’s multi-purpose room which is undersized for volleyball, making the squad’s accomplishments even more impressive.

The team has a 12-member varsity/junior varsity roster. It is led by three hitters/blockers in Carleigh Matter (sr), sister Kailee Matter (jr) and Isabela Blanco-Bello (jr). McKenna Fox is the go-to setter.

The other District 4 semifinal will see Northeast Bradford meeting Galeton.