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Two of Frederick County's up-and-coming volleyball programs met last Friday in the Class 1A North final with Catoctin High topping Brunswick 3-1 (21-25, 25-7, 25-10, 25-7) for its first region championship.
The Cougars will face 1A East champion Patterson Mill (18-0) at the University of Maryland's Ritchie Coliseum at 8 p.m. tonight in the state semifinals.
"I was so proud of our athletes and the way they have conducted themselves all year; they have never given up on the season, and knew that we were building for this moment," Catoctin head coach Dana Brasher said. I really wanted this moment for our team."
Catoctin (6-11) has dropped only one game in the postseason. The eighth-seeded Cougars knocked off No. 1 Loch Raven in the region quarterfinals and Manchester Valley in the semis before their match against Brunswick (3-15). Seniors Devan Dewees and Karly Moore have been key to team's run to the semifinals at outside hitter and setter, respectively.
No. 7 Brunswick upended second-seed Pikesville 3-1 in the quarters then outlasted Western STES 3-2 in the following round.
Despite their respective playoff runs, neither squad seemed destined to reach these impressive heights. Brunswick ended the regular season at 1-14 and had only logged two-combined victories in the past two seasons. Catoctin entered the postseason at 3-11.