Tip of the cap: Redskins back on the big stage

This year it was Ft. Loramie rejoicing on the floor and in the stands at Northmont 

Sometimes being a high school sports fan means celebrating my team's accomplishments. Other times it means accepting a tough loss and recognizing just how special the competition was on the other side of the court. Saturday was one of those days for me and my Russia Raiders.

There's no getting around the disappointment of watching a historical Russia volleyball season come to an end in the regional championship. I hoped to be writing a story this week about their return to the Final Four. Now I'm left wondering what might have been. Regardless, there's another team in Shelby County that deserves a lot of respect. The Ft. Loramie Redskins battled their way back to the OHSAA Division VII State Volleyball Tournament. Make no mistake, the 'Skins earned every bit of it.

Another memorable regional final

Redskins versus Raiders shenanigans 

Saturday's matchup at the Northmont High School Thunderdome was everything it's supposed to be in a regional title game. Two great teams that split during the regular season, a packed gymnasium with students dressed like crazy rivals, and five sets of volleyball that had spectators on the edge of their green seats. Ft. Loramie ultimately prevailed 24-26, 25-21, 20-25, 25-21, 15-13, in a marathon that could have gone either direction.

It was especially meaningful for the Redskins, who endured 12 months of waiting after losing to Russia in the same regional final a year ago. In 2025, the Raiders captured their first regional championship in program history, ending Ft. Loramie's season in five sets. This time, the Redskins found a way to flip the script and finish the job.

Trailing 20-18 in the fourth set, Ft. Loramie turned up the defense, allowing Russia just one more point and forcing a deciding fifth set. Then, after falling behind 10-6 in the final frame, the Redskins responded once again. With the match tied at 13-13, Ft. Loramie scored the last two points, as sophomore Olivia Brandewie delivered the match-ending block and sent the Redskins crowd into a frenzy. Simply put, that's resilience and that's a team that refused to let this opportunity slip away.

Regular season paying dividends

If you tuned into any of our Fish Report volleyball broadcasts this year, we often touted the strength of Russia's tough regular season schedule. Well, this year Ft. Loramie's schedule was arguably even more brutal. The Redskins were an impressive 18-4 before tournament, but that record doesn't tell the whole story. 

Take a closer look at their 22 regular season games. Ten were versus regional tournament qualifiers in Divisions V, VI, and VII. Let me rephrase that. Nearly half of their regular season matches were against teams playing in the Sweet Sixteen and five of those matches were against teams playing in the Final Four! OHSAA purists can say what they want about seven divisions. Nobody gets to state with a mediocre schedule. Russia understands that. All those tough matchups are a required deposit if you want to invest in elite volleyball at your school. Now, Ft. Loramie's investment is paying dividends when it matters the most in November.

Tradition of excellence

12 years ago Kelly Turner and the 
Redskins won their first state title

For anyone who follows volleyball in this part of Ohio, Ft. Loramie's postseason success is certainly nothing new. The Redskins are making another trip to the state tournament, adding to a program history that includes state championships in 2014 and 2024, along with a state runner-up finish in 2019.

Both of those championships are now worth revisiting. One of the eight seniors on the 2014 squad was the former Kelly Turner, now current head coach Kelly Hoying. Her coach that season was the legendary John Rodgers, who I witnessed in attendance this past Saturday cheering on his protégé and her team. The 2024 championship run was most notably highlighted by Ft. Loramie sweeping Tiffin Calvert in three sets in the title game. This weekend the Senecas are state-ranked #1 and have rattled off 56 consecutive wins since that loss to the Redskins two years ago, including the 2025 D-VII state championship.

The only thing that matters in 2026 though, is the Redskins are back with an opportunity to make even more history. While coaches change, players graduate, and every season presents new challenges, the expectations surrounding Ft. Loramie volleyball have been the same for decades. There's a tradition of excellence and this year's team is doing their part.

Road to another gold trophy

Now comes the biggest challenge of all. Ft. Loramie opens state tournament play this Thursday at 2:00 at Wright State's Nutter Center against Newark Catholic (20-5), last year's Division VI state champions. The other Division VII semifinal features undefeated Tiffin Calvert Catholic (27-0) against Westerville Northside Christian (25-2) at noon. If you care to look ahead, there's also a little more recent history in a potential Ft. Loramie-Tiffin Calvert finale as well.

Tiffin Calvert defeated Ft. Loramie in two sets 25-13, 25-21, back on August 22nd at the Coldwater Spikeoff. The Redskins would likely love nothing more than another chance to face the Senecas. Just like 2024, there would be another gold trophy on the line. The finale is scheduled for Friday at 6:00 at the Nutter Center.

That's a pretty impressive state tournament, for even the most casual volleyball fan. Ft. Loramie definitely has their work cut out for them, and wouldn't that make winning it all even better.

Rivalries help us all

The next generation of Russia and
Ft. Loramie is always fun to watch

All said, I still selfishly wish Saturday had ended differently and I was watching Russia this weekend. The Raiders put together a remarkable 23-4 season, established school records for wins and consecutive victories, and reached their second straight regional championship match. There are five seniors who ended their volleyball careers, and a tremendous amount of pride comes from what that group accomplished. But as a Fish Report sports broadcaster and writer, I also know enough about high school athletics to appreciate what Ft. Loramie has done.

Both programs pushed one another to higher levels. Last year, Russia celebrated its first regional championship at the expense of the Redskins. This year, Ft. Loramie enjoyed their opportunity to celebrate at the expense of the Raiders. That's sports. That's competition. That's what has always made Russia versus Ft. Loramie so special.

I can be disappointed without being anything less than respectful and appreciative of the opponent. Saturday's match was a reminder of just how fortunate we are to have this level of volleyball right here in our backyard. I genuinely tip my cap to Coach Hoying, her staff, the players, and the Loramie Army. Congratulations on all your success!

Now, bring that gold trophy back to Shelby County.

The best in the Southwest and maybe the best in all of Ohio