The girls JV Volleyball team had an exceptional season this year, finishing 1st in their conference and going undefeated. The team had many returning players, providing much experience, which allowed the team to do very well and compete to their best ability.

“Overall, our season was strong. We ended with only losing one set in league play, and getting conference champs,” said sophomore captain Ava Wilberding.

Before their conference games began, the girls competed in the Battle of the Hills tournament. They competed against Forest Hills Northern and Forest Hills Eastern. The Rangers beat both FHN and FHE in two sets, getting first place.

Coming off from these strong wins against yearly competitors, the girls were pumped for the beginning of their season.

“We all wanted the same thing, which was to win our conference,” said sophomore Julia Carlson.

To start off their conference season, the girls played against Cedar Springs. They defeated them in two sets. Sophomore Abby Berlin showed very will in this first game, allowing the team to have a great start to their season.

In the second game, FHC had to face off against their long-lasting rival: Forest Hills Northern. FHN is always a tough opponent, so the girls had to be ready to play their best. The Rangers ended up beating FHN in two sets, to get a much-deserved win. Sophomore Sophia Galan really stepped up in this game, leading her team to victory.

During the season FHC competed in the EGR JV Invite. At this tournament, the girls played Rockford, Forest Hills Eastern, Grand Rapids Christian, and East Grand Rapids. The Rangers did well in this tournament, advancing to the Silver Power pool, taking second place.

Sophomore captains Kylee Murawski and Ava Wilberding added great experience to the team and helped the girls play together as one. Sophia also helped them and was a very valuable player all season.

“Kylee really stepped up this year. She wasn’t expecting to be voted a captain but when we needed her to step up she did. She’s a consistent player and leads by example,” said sophomore Sammie Wing.

In the third and fourth games, the girls played Ottawa Hills and Northview. They secured two more great wins, beating both schools by large margins. In these games, the girls made sure to play hard and their best, even though the competition wasn’t at their level.

Once again, Lowell and Greenville were no match for FHC. The girls beat both teams in two matches. Freshman Averie Zaschak and sophomore Lilly Harsevoort played very well in both games, providing solid defense and playing consistently.

“I think the one component that I was focusing on was building and developing the girls as a team. I was not looking at individual skills per se, but looking at the team as a whole and working together to be cohesive. They were successful in the season because they worked together as one unit,” said head coach Natalie Roelfzema.

The next game brought a tough opponent with it: Mona Shores. FHC had to be on their game to compete with Mona. The girls had to make sure they communicated well on both offense and defense to ensure there would be no unforced errors. In the end, FHC won in two sets by only a few points, continuing their winning streak.

Another tournament that FHC competed in was the Hudsonville JV Invite. They faced West Ottawa, Rockford, and Hudsonville. The girls made it to the finals against Hudsonville, taking second place.

FHC continued to have a great season, beating every opponent they faced in conference play. They ended their season with playing Ottawa Hills, getting a comfortable win within two sets.

“I believe that the season overall went very well. I was working with my team on many things to improve their play, and I feel that they accomplished them all successfully,” said coach Roelfzema.