Staff photo / Dan Hiner Girard head coach Phil Walters, center, talks to his team during a timeout while competing in a Division V regional semifinal against Elyria Catholic on Thursday at Berkshire High School in Burton.

BURTON – There aren’t too many coaches that last 24 years in high school sports. And not every team is talented enough to make it through to the regional semifinals.

The Girard volleyball team had both in 2024, but the Indians’ run ended on Thursday in a 3-0 loss to Elyria Catholic in a Division V regional semifinal. The Panthers won 25-21, 25-21, 25-11 at Berkshire High School.

“Of course it’s a tough battle, but this whole season’s been such a fun battle to face,” Bailey Walters said. “We made it farther. Personally, this is the farthest I’ve made it in my high school career, so it’s a really big moment for not only me but for the rest of the seniors.”

The Indians started strong, holding a 14-11 lead midway through the first set. But there was a lengthy delay as Girard tried to get an explanation on a call.

That gave the Panthers enough time to regroup. They tied the set at 15 and strung together enough offense to increase the lead to 21-18. A kill by Clara Kilgore ended the set 25-21 and put the Panthers up 1-0.

Girard kept fighting and the second set was tied at 5 in the early stages, but Elyria Catholic piled on several points to take a 10-6 lead. At one point the Panthers led 20-14, but the Indians cut the deficit to 22-19.

However, there weren’t enough opportunities left in the frame, and another kill by Kilgore gave EC a 25-21 win and a 2-0 edge.

Elyria Catholic dominated most of the third set. The Panthers had a 7-2 lead to start the final frame. The Indians got a few points back at the end, but it was too much to overcome.

Girard finished the year 20-6 and won its district. Along the way, they finished 11-1 in the Northeast 8, splitting the conference crown with Lakeview.

In the playoffs, the Indians entered the district tournament as the No. 5 seed. They beat Akron Manchester in straight sets to get out of the section, and a 3-1 victory over Columbiana sent them to the district final. They took care of business 3-1 over Chippewa to advance to the regional bracket.

“(The team) communicated so well,” Pieton said. “We played so well, and I couldn’t ask for a better season. I’m happy and so proud of them.”

Bailey Walters, Nicolette Cochran and Pieton made up a three-girl senior class that helped lead the Indians this fall.

“We had a really hard schedule, so that helped us. And I think getting to a district championship (for the first time) in a while, it was amazing,” Cochran said. “Making it this far, especially with a young team, they’re gonna be amazing next year.”

With the loss, not only will Girard say goodbye to three seniors, the program will bid farewell to head coach Phil Walters. The longtime coach is retiring to focus on his health and family.

Phil Walters started coaching in 2000, and he’d been with the program ever since – there was a two-year exception due to health, though. During his run, the Indians became a competitive program, and they really came into their own over the past several seasons.

The Indians made it to the district championship match in 2021 and 2022, and he completed his prep coaching career with a run to the regional bracket.

“I always said, ‘I’m not a coach, I’m a guy who likes volleyball,” Phil Walters said. “It’s been an amazing run. We have a great group of girls from Girard, and we always have. It’s a special place to teach the sport, and hopefully, they can all come away with the love that I have for it, and that’s the main thing.

“It’s always special putting numbers up on the wall, but at the end of the day, did they have a good time? Did they learn the sport? That’s the main thing.”