Canon-McMillan went places this year that no boys volleyball team in the school’s history had gone, namely the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals and PIAA quarterfinals.
Leading the exploration was Owen Ostrowski, an athletic 6-4 senior right side hitter.
Ostrowski contributed in many ways, but his most significant came at the net, where he would finish plays and rack up points for the Big Macs. He led the team in kills and had as many as 42 in a single match.
Ostrowski and a talented roster helped the Big Macs win their first 17 matches, finish the season with a 19-2 record and win the Section 1 championship.
“Obviously, Owen is strong and powerful and he gets a lot of kills. We’re going to miss that. That’s for sure,” said C-M coach Sheila Mitchell.
“He’s volleyball-minded. He knows where to be and how to help out the other guys. He and (Luke) Bockius really help the guys when they don’t know where to be so I’m glad we have Luke under Owen to take the reigns for next year.”
After losing to top-seeded Shaler in the WPIAL semifinals, Canon-McMillan defeated Penn-Trafford 3-1 in the third-place match, clinching a berth in the state tournament. The Big Macs defeated Erie McDowell 3-2 in the first round with Ostrowski contributing 24 kills.
C-M lost again to Shaler in the state quarterfinals, 3-2, but Ostrowski had 29 kills, 14 digs and two aces.
“We had a great year, the best year in the program’s history,” Ostrowski said. “Winning a state playoff game is what stands out. Making the state playoffs was a first for us. And beating McDowell in the first round. That was a big accomplishment.”