MOUNT CARMEL’S NETTING WINS

Team is leading MIAA B Conference volleyball race with two weeks remaining

The Mount Carmel High School volleyball team has been setting the pace in the MIAA B Conference. With four league games remaining, the Cougars (9-6 overall, 9-1 league) are ahead of Archbishop Spalding and Boys’ Latin, who have combined to win the first three B championships.
“It’s mainly due to our players and the dedication and hard work they’ve put in,” said Mount Carmel coach Jim Flynn. “We didn’t have a good year last year, and we started preseason this year saying this is going to be our year.”
One of the biggest reasons for the Cougars’ success is senior Stephon Dingle, who Flynn said is one of the best all-around players in the league.
“He can do just about everything,” said Flynn. “He got the jump serve down, he can blocked, he can hit.”
The Cougars returned most of their roster including Dominque Smith, Gil Johnson and setter Danny Fleischmann. Freshman Robbie Jefferson has been a key contributor. Dingle said Mount Carmel has modest expectations when they participate in a preseason play day at John Carroll.
“Whatever happens happens, we didn’t know if we were going to be good or bad,” said Dingle. “Once we came out of winning five of seven games, we decided as a team it’s time to be humbled and everybody knows about us. Let’s go to work and keep it going.”
The Cougars defeated Spalding in five games, avenging their lone league setback. Monday, Mount Carmel lost to A Conference member Calvert Hall. The Cougars have two games left this week with St. Paul’s and Annapolis Area Christian, before a home-and-home with defending champ Boys’ Latin next Monday and Wednesday.
“It’s just not enough to get into the playoffs,” Flynn said :”we want to win the regular season, then the conference championship.”
-Derek Toney