Performance: Novi's Ally Cummings
November 23, 2016
Ally Cummings
Novi senior - Volleyball
As the lone four-year varsity player on Class A champion Novi's roster, the 5-foot-11 Cummings has played a special role in helping the program rise to elite. Cummings – the Wildcats' right-side hitter and the state's Miss Volleyball Award runner-up this fall – finished a memorable high school career by leading Novi to a second straight Class A title last week to earn the Michigan National Guard's "Performance of the Week."
Cummings chipped in eight kills and nine digs in Tuesday's Quarterfinal win over Bloomfield Hills Marian, then led the team with 13 digs (to go with 15 kills) in the Semifinal sweep of Fenton. She finished with 10 kills, 14 digs and four blocks in a 3-1 win over Rockford in Saturday's Final; the Rams took only one of seven sets given up by Novi this season, and Cummings had four kills and all four of her blocks over the final two sets as the Wildcats pulled away. All three matches exemplified how Cummings has worked to become an all-around player, while remaining the threat who, as coach Jennifer Cottrill explained, doesn't allow teams to defend only one side of the court because if they do, "she will terminate" from the right.
In addition to the two Class A titles and 54-1 record this fall, Novi also finished Finals runner-up in 2014 and finished a combined 198-20 during Cummings' four years on varsity. She had 510 kills on a .346 attack percentage, plus 317 digs and 59 blocks this season, and finished with 1,042 kills, 183 blocks and 628 digs over her career. Cummings played club with five of this year's other Miss Volleyball finalists and finished runner-up for the award to Corunna's Meredith Norris, coming in second by only one vote. Also an academic all-state selection with a 3.8 grade-point average, Cummings will study psychology and continue her volleyball career next season at Valparaiso University.
Coach Jennifer Cottrill said: “The first couple of years I was here (2012 and 2013), we lost to Northville in the District Finals and never advanced past that in the postseason, and Ally was around for that – she’s the only one that was, and as we wanted to change that, she was the voice of change for us. … She’s always played so well in Battle Creek, all three of her years that we were there. Last night at our banquet, (I said) that’s where she eats pressure for breakfast. It doesn’t faze her. Other players, you see them run around the court, they’re nervous and do things that are uncharacteristic to the norm. But not Ally. She’s so solid in pressure situations.”
Performance Point: “My role was just to play consistently and help everyone to stay calm during stressful moments – be someone in pressure situations who could put the kill down, but mostly just to stay consistent the whole game. We have to make sure we stay in the game, don’t think too far ahead, and if we’re down, work point by point and get down the deficit. I think the whole time, for the most part, we were pretty calm during the games. They were all super-duper tight games, and we hadn’t had anything like that during the season.”
Lasting legacy: “I just hope they can think of me as a really good friend on the team. Not so much how I played during these years, just think ‘she’s such a good captain,’ that I had a good positive attitude and that I was able to be someone they can talk to. When we started this season, we all had roles as captains, and mine was to stay consistent and lead by example. Throughout the year, I think all of our captains accomplished what we set out to do.”
Quite a ride: “Playing on the team the last four years, I think I’ve really gotten better staying mentally strong during the game. There definitely were games I just played awful, but you’ve got to get back up, go to practice and get ready to get better again so the next game you can play better. … It feels so long ago; freshman year was the last year we lost in the first round, in Districts, and every year since we went to Battle Creek. We did a lot of team-building activities, working on our chemistry (after freshman year), and when we came in sophomore year, we were all already family on that team. … My senior year, I can definitely look back and think it was a successful one. It’s not really about me individually, but our team played so well together. For my senior year, to know the team played as well as possible, it’s an amazing feeling.”
It’s an honor: “I’m just so proud that I was able to come so close to winning (Miss Volleyball) against such amazing athletes in that kind of race. Being able to play with five of the other candidates, that makes the perspective bigger. They’re just great people and athletes, and to be able to come in second in that, it’s insane to me.”
Ready to help: “I’ve just always wanted to help people, and I know psychology, and working with kids, is something I wanted to do as well. I wanted to have a profession where I could help people out, and maybe with sports psychology so I can continue in the athletic area working with kids and athletic people. Growing up, you should always have a good support system, because that’s how you’ll act the rest of your life – how you’re taught as a kid. I want to have that positive influence.”
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2016-17 school year, Second Half and the Michigan National Guard will recognize a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2016-17 honorees:
Nov. 17: Chloe Idoni, Fenton volleyball – Read
Nov. 10: Adelyn Ackley, Hart cross country – Read
Nov. 3: Casey Kirkbride, Mattawan soccer – Read
Oct. 27: Colton Yesney, Negaunee cross country – Read
Oct. 20: Varun Shanker, Midland Dow tennis – Read
Oct. 13: Anne Forsyth, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country – Read
Oct. 6: Shuaib Aljabaly, Coldwater cross country – Read
Sept. 29: Taylor Seaman, Brighton swimming & diving – Read
Sept. 22: Maggie Farrell, Battle Creek Lakeview cross country – Read
Sept. 15: Franki Strefling, Buchanan volleyball – Read
Sept. 8: Noah Jacobs, Corunna cross country – Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Novi's Ally Cummings follows through on a kill attempt during Saturday's Class A Final win against Rockford. (Middle) Cummings takes her turn serving against the Rams.
Matchup of 1 vs 2 Goes to St Mary in 5
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 23, 2019
BATTLE CREEK – The Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central volleyball team didn’t mean to be prophetic when it made “I’ve got your six” its season motto.
But on Saturday, the saying’s original intent – that each team member had the other’s back – gained a new meaning as the Kestrels brought home the school’s sixth MHSAA Volleyball Finals title with a five-set victory against Schoolcraft.
St. Mary (50-2) won 25-27, 25-21, 19-25, 25-18, 15-12 at Kellogg Arena to claim the Division 3 championship, the program’s first since 2014.
“Being here last year and going through a five-set loss (in the Semifinals) really fueled us,” St. Mary coach Karen O’Brien said. “I just think to have that experience of playing in that gym with the lights and the fans helped us. We wanted this from Day 1. We knew this was our goal to be here. It’s great for the four seniors to be able to come back and win our sixth. I know the reporter Jeff Mead (Friday) asked, ‘Does that six mean the sixth state title?’ It never was intended to be that way. But it might be a coincidence.”
It’s the first title for the Kestrels under O’Brien, who previously coached at Eastern Michigan University. O’Brien underwent treatment earlier in the season for her third battle with ovarian cancer.
“I don’t want to do anything but coach them when I’m going through treatment,” O’Brien said. “Because it’s something to look forward to, and I can leave cancer (to the side).”
While going through treatment, O’Brien lost her hair and had a temporary tattoo on her forehead that symbolized the team’s other saying, “Allow your faith to be stronger than your fears.” She had one on her wrist Saturday, along with every member of the team.
“Last year when we were here, the fears got the best of us,” O’Brien said. “The tattoo is just a reminder to have faith, not only in God, but in our players and the coaches and the program. And it was really just a reminder of that.”
The Kestrels had to have faith Saturday, as the much-anticipated battle between the top two teams in the Division 3 rankings lived up to its billing. The teams proved to be very evenly matched, and any multi-point run seemed like a major victory.
“I think we played a great game, and if we play them again, maybe we beat them in five,” Schoolcraft coach Erin Onken said. “I think that matchup goes more sets than three every single time. We have a ton of respect for them, and we knew it was going to be tough.”
It was the No. 2 Kestrels who made the final run, winning the final three points. St. Mary senior Samantha Michael and junior Mikayla Haut combined for a block on Schoolcraft star Andelyn Simkins to close out the match.
“Coach O’Brien always says if you see a hitter moving in, you’ve gotta move with her,” Michael said. “We just got our hands up, we pressed the six and we got her. It was just like the best feeling. It felt unreal.”
Simkins led all players with 28 kills in her final match. She also had a team-high 23 digs for the Eagles (48-7-1).
“It’s definitely not easy (defending Simkins),” Michael said.
Schoolcraft raced to an 11-4 lead in the first set, but St. Mary came all the back and even led 20-19. A Simkins kill ended a back-and-forth finish to the set and gave Schoolcraft the initial match lead.
The second set was following the same back-and-forth path, until SMCC was able to open up a four-point lead at 19-15, forcing a Schoolcraft timeout. While the Eagles were able to match SMCC the rest of the way, they couldn’t get closer than three points and the Kestrels tied the match at a set apiece.
Simkins was a force in the third set, helping her team get a little bit of separation midway through. She had eight kills in the set, but that didn’t even cover the impact she made, as on multiple points she fired more than one spike at the SMCC defense to keep the Kestrels off balance. She closed out the set with a deft tip and put her team one set from a title.
The Kestrels had different plans, however, racing out to a 9-4 lead in the fourth set to force a Schoolcraft timeout. The Eagles fought back to within one at 14-13, as Simkins had four kills in a five-point stretch. But SMCC was able to stretch the lead back out and force the fifth and deciding set.
Haut led St. Mary with 27 kills and 24 digs, while junior Anna Dean added 12 kills. Senior Payton Osborne had 24 digs, junior Grace Lipford had 26 assists, and senior Sarah Reicker had 24 assists.
Schoolcraft junior Kayla Onken had 53 assists and 15 digs, while junior Anna Schuppel had 13 kills. Juniors Kelby Goldschmeding and Allie Goldschmeding added 21 and 16 digs, respectively.
PHOTOS: (Top) St. Mary’s Abby Costlow (4) winds up for a kill attempt during Saturday’s Division 3 Final. (Middle) Schoolcraft’s Maggie Morris (9) blocks a St. Mary attempt.