Sep 25, 2018 4 min read

Carmichaels High School has been one of the most successful small schools in the WPIAL over the last two decades.

The Mikes have won several section titles in baseball and softball over the last 20 seasons and both of those programs have combined to win five WPIAL titles and one PIAA crown.

Carmichaels’ football and basketball programs have been very successful in that same time frame with several section titles and playoff appearances.

The volleyball program has had its struggles since its inception at Carmichaels. Just having an above .500 section record and qualifying for the postseason were few and far between.

That all changed 10 years ago when Ashley Shoemaker took over the head coaching reigns for the Mikes’ volleyball program.

The culture has changed a lot since then and Carmichaels is currently on top of Section 2-A with a 7-0 mark after Tuesday’s match versus Mapletown.

“We have brought the right attitude into every match this season,” Shoemaker said. “I like the focus and the girls are not getting ahead of themselves. We know it’s a long season. Even after the match, the kids are focused on improving themselves and taking something with them from the previous night.”

Shoemaker, who is a 2003 Geibel graduate, took over in 2009 and two years later, the Mikes qualified for the playoffs.

After missing the playoffs for two straight seasons, Carmichaels posted a 9-3 section record in 2014 and lost to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in the first round.

The following season, the Mikes picked up the school’s first playoff win with a 3-0 victory over Bentworth in the preliminary round.

In 2016, Carmichaels posted 13 wins and advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time after a 3-1 win over Avella in the first round. The Mikes lost to eventual Class A champion Greensburg Central Catholic in the quarterfinals.

Last season, Carmichaels collected 12 wins, was the fourth-seed in the Class A bracket and hosted a playoff match for the first time in the first round, a 3-0 sweep of Quigley. The Mikes then lost to section rival California, 3-2, in the quarterfinals.

So what has been the key to the turnaround?

“I think it has been the dedication to the sport,” Shoemaker said. “I told them since Day 1 that when I’m in this gym, I’m going to give 110 percent to this team. It had to be an equal partnership in order to turn this thing around. The kids have bought in and they are always out there looking to improve. We have come a long way since Year 1.”

Another key factor is making sure the girls didn’t put the volleyball down at the end of the season and encouraging participation at the club level during the offseason.

“If you want to succeed in this sport, you have to be fully committed to it,” Shoemaker said. “The girls have committed to playing in the offseason and playing on club teams. We have three different club teams and we are building our middle school programs too.”

Two of the focal points for the Mikes this season have been seniors Micaela Ricco and Grace Kerr.

“Micaela has come along since her freshman season,” Shoemaker said. “She’s a hard worker and has really developed a strong serve. She’s one of our most dependable servers now. Grace has started since she was a freshman and is a very versatile player. She plays with confidence and is a great leader for us.”

Most nights, senior Meighan Spishock and junior Taylor Christopher will lead the Mikes in kills and are reliable pieces at the net. Other key contributors are sophomores Emma Holaren and Alexandra McGee.

“We always like to have a strong rotation every night and depend on our depth,” Shoemaker said. “We want our kids to grow into those roles. We have developed a lot of all-around good volleyball players over the last couple of years.”

So is winning Carmichaels’ first volleyball section crown the main goal in 2018?

“I think every year in the preseason our No. 1 goal is to win the section,” Shoemaker said. “Sometimes we ask each girl to write down three goals of their own, and most of them say winning the section. We don’t ever mention or talk about it in season because one point, one set or one match could swing it in the other direction. We are focus on one night at a time.”