Lakeview volleyball marks emotional night, preps for playoffs

ST. CLAIR SHORES — It was an emotional night for the St. Clair Shores Lakeview High School volleyball team.

It was particularly memorable for the six seniors set to graduate this year: Drew Lackey, Milley McCutcheon, Madison Rimkus, Tessa Reedy, Irene Osagiede and Samantha Koch.

As Lakeview was set to play Port Huron Northern on Oct. 19 at Lakeview High School, the freshmen, sophomores and juniors had something special planned for the graduating seniors.

“The juniors and the JV teams decorate a locker for the seniors, so it’s all pretty, and the theme was Disney, so each senior got a Disney princess,” Lackey said. “They made us blankets, got us candy, and got us little pop heads and stuffed animals of our character, and they decorated the gym with cute pictures and our names on the wall.”

The theme is selected by the underclassmen a year in advance, and the seniors are unaware of any of the details.

Lakeview coach Tom Pfeifer even surprised the team dressed in a 101 Dalmatians-themed costume alongside his wife.

“I really liked it when they came and saw the locker room because the theme was Disney,” junior libero Ella Jensen said. “The locker room was really cute, and obviously they don’t know the theme or anything, so it’s really fun for them to see what it is.”

As the underclassmen performed for the seniors, the seniors carried over the excitement in a win over Port Huron Northern.

Led by Lackey, Lakeview improved its record 24-12 on the year on a memorable night for Lackey and the other seniors.

“So we all said we weren’t going to cry like we do every year, and we saw everything in there, and then my mom was on vacation and she happened to come back the day of senior night to come watch me play,” Lackey said. “She walked over with my little sister, who had flowers, and then Naomi just started balling, and I started balling, so my favorite part was probably all of us crying.”

Lakeview was at a standstill entering this season after a district finals loss to Grosse Pointe South last year.

While there was an array of senior talent returning, Pfeifer said his team’s capability was still in question.

“We really didn’t know what we were going to have this year,” Pfeifer said. “We had a core group coming back and expected big things, but we didn’t know.”

Lakeview dominated out the gate, winning the Lakeview Dog Pound Invitational at Lakeview High School for the first time in school history. Lakeview also won War in the Shores against rival Lake Shore High School this season.

Apart from its senior leaders, Jensen, junior middle hitter Autumn Wirick, and junior defensive specialist Kylee Pfeifer have been constant contributors for Lakeview.

“We’ve had contributions from all around, and it just seems like we’re really in a groove,” Pfeifer said.

Lackey, a team captain, said there’s one thing that separates this team from last season’s squad.

“I think the biggest thing was composure,” Lackey said. “Last year, we’d go down, down, and down, but this year we’ve really worked at staying at a fine line.”

Lakeview has battled back when they’re down in sets continuously this season, and it’s been on the back of its defensive-minded mentality.

While Lakeview is on the smaller side in height, Lackey said it’s played into their strength this year.

“I think it varies game to game,” Pfeifer said. “We’re a very strong defensive team because we’re on the shorter side, so defense is our best friend.”

Lakeview is set to take on Grosse Pointe South at Grosse Pointe North High School on Nov. 1.

While South took the district finals in three sets behind Division 1 All-State selection Jada DiVita, Jensen said Lakeview will have its eyes set on her younger sister, freshman Gabriella DiVita.

“Their biggest hitter graduated last year, but her little sister is a freshman this year, and I used to play with her for club volleyball,” Jensen said. “I know she’s really good, and she’s also like an All-American and all that. I already know she’s all that, so that will be something for us to look out for.”