In the wake of seemingly insurmountable odds, the 7th-grade Girls Volleyball Team of CHSD170 defeated a pair of top-ranked opponents and stormed to victory in the IHSA Regional Girls Volleyball Tournament held last week at Coolidge Middle School in Phoenix.
The squad, coached by Kaitlin Damiani, defeated the tourney's top-seed, James Hart School of Homewood in a three-set thriller before disposing of third-ranked Columbia Central of Steger in the championship match.
The Lady Spartans will enter the upcoming Sectional Tournament at Columbia Central with a season record of 11-4.
The regional championship might have caught some by surprise, but Coach Damiani and District 170 Athletic Director Joe Barker were not among the rank of disbelievers.
"The 7th-grade team has worked all season tirelessly, and I couldn't be prouder of how far they've come and am thrilled to see them reap the rewards of their commitment to excellence by winning the Regional Championship," Damiani said.
"They are truly a great group of athletes to coach," she concluded.
Barker was quick to echo his coach's words of praise for the girls while extolling the virtues of the coach.
"Coach Damiani has been an excellent role model for her student-athletes all year," he said.
"Because of her commitment to making her team the very best that it could be it comes as no surprise that this talented group was able to accomplish such an amazing feat, and all of us at School District 170 are cheering them on as they compete for the sectional championship."
The roster of the Chicago Heights School District 170 7th Grade Girls Volleyball Team is made up of America Atunes of Wilson School; Adriana Barbosa of Greenbriar School; Jaidy Boyo of Grant School; Ciara Campbell of Kennedy School; Neveah Carbajal of Greenbriar School; Noraly Marin of Roosevelt School; Xiomara Marin of Roosevelt School; Martha Mendoza of Garfield School; and Alyssa Velazquez of the district's STEM Academy.
The squad will continue its season at the IHSA Sectional Championship on Monday, March 5, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. at Columbia Central School in Steger.