DISTRICT 4 VOLLEYBALL: ATHENS SWEEPS DANVILLE TO REPEAT AS CLASS 4 CHAMPION (November 4, 2026)


WILES RECORDS 1,000TH CAREER SETTER ASSIST

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
DANVILLE — Despite being the top seed, Athens faced a two-hour bus trip to play third-seeded Danville on its home floor for the District 4, Class 4A volleyball title. In the end, it didn't matter as the Wildcats turned in a dominant performance to win its second straight 4A title.

The Wildcats swept the Ironman by scores of 25-16, 25-16 and 25-10.

"It's exciting to get that title again," said Athens coach Heather Darrow. "The girls played like they were starting to figure more strengths and skills in their game. 

"We had some incredibly scrappy, never-let-the-ball-die type saves," she noted. "It looks like they are saying we want more and are ready to fight for it.

"It feels awesome," added Darrow. "It's amazing to see these girls have accomplished."

Darrow remembers the down years the program endured.

"I remember Denny Thomas when he hired me telling me 'you're rebuilding a program and it could take five years,'" said Darrow. "So when five years passed and it still wasn't happening, I was like, 'oh crap.'

"I'm glad to see it working out now," she laughed.

Athens advanced to the finals with a sweep of fourth-seeded Midd-West Monday, but Darrow was not happy with the Wildcats' performance.

"The girls were fired up tonight ... much different look than our Monday performance," she said.

"Monday, we were very flat and the girls have heard nothing but about how flat we were," noted Darrow. "We cannot ever go into a playoff game like that ever again. 

"We had a short, quick practice on Tuesday, and a lot of the lesson was 'you gotta come ready to go,' and I think the girls really got it.

"They were probably like, 'oh my God, shut up about it, we will do better,' but sometimes you really gotta bring home the point that you cannot do this and expect to win," added Darrow.

In the first set, the teams battled evenly, with Athens edging ahead at 14-12.

After a Danville side-out made it 15-12, junior Kendall Galasso served up eight straight points to make it 23-12.

After Danville sliced the lead to 23-16, Athens closed out the set on a kill by junior Ellie Mosher.

Athens edged ahead early in the second set, and pulled ahead 14-9 on a point that ended on a block by senior Emma Mallare, who had three blocks during the rally.

Junior Lainey Vosburgh served consecutive aces to give the Wildcats a 17-11 lead.

After a side-out, Mosher registered a kill for a Danville side-out to make it 18-12, then sophomore Kayla Forbes served up four straight points, including an ace, to give the Wildcats a commanding 22-12 lead on its way to the 25-16 victory.

Danville led 2-0 early in the third set, but Athens tied it at 3-3 on a side-out.

Forbes then served up six straight points to make it 9-3. The first point ended on a kill by Mosher, and the next two were aces.

The Wildcats stretched the lead to 10, at 20-10, on a Mosher kill, then Forbes finished off the match with five straight service points.

Darrow said her team's performance on the service line was a key in the win.

"I thought that was a big difference in the match," she said. "It was huge, the girls just really did a great job. 

"We're always practicing aggressive serving, and sometimes it can lead to missing some crucial serves, maybe being aggressive when it's not the right time to take an aggressive serve. 

"These girls, they love the serving game, and tonight they were on," added Darrow.

Senior Meg Wiles led Athens with 29 setter assists, including her 1,000th career assists, three points, and two kills.

"The hugest shout out to Meg Wiles for achieving 1,000 assists during this match," said Darrow.

"She had asked if it was mathematically possible to achieve and I got so fired up when she asked that," noted Darrow.

"Setters work their butt of to get every second ball and Meg showed coach Shay and I last year some of her potential, and we knew she'd be even stronger this year. 

"She set those goals high, and she achieved it," added Darrow. "I am so proud of her and the team for supporting her."

Forbes had 13 service points, including four aces, and 14 digs in the win, while Mosher had 11 kills, four points (two aces) and two digs, and Hannah Forbes had six digs and three points — all aces.

Mallare registered eight kills and four blocks, while Galasso had seven points and four points (three aces), freshman Evelyn Roy added five kills, and Vosburgh chipped in with eight digs and two points (two aces).

Athens, now 12-5, returns to action Wednesday at home in the opening round of the PIAA, Class 4A playoffs.

"It's insane to be home again," she said with a big smile. "I was already mentally preparing four a four-hour bus trip, and then to get a home game on a day off from school is pretty awesome.

"What I watched out here tonight was a team that can compete against that kind of play," added Darrow. "I'm very excited."

——————————

IN PHOTO 1: Athens sophomore Kayla Forbes. IN TOP PHOTO: The 2026 District 4, Class 4A champion Athens Wildcats. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.

Print Friendly Version