Fenwick Falcons win Division II boys volleyball state championship
Alex Harrison, Cincinnati EnquirerSat, May 30, 2026·3 min readElvis Arvay (1) thunders home a spike and scores for Moeller in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)Drew Ewers scores a kill for Moeller in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)Leo Tierney (2) of Moeller serves the final and what would become the winning point serve at the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)Nick Dollard (11) drives home the winning spike for the title win for Moeller in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)Nick Dollard celebrates a game-winning point and the state title for Moeller in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)A celebration erupts for Moeller as they claim the Division I state championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)The Moeller Crusaders hoist the championship trophy in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)The Moeller Crusaders celebrate the Division I championship trophy with their fans at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)The Moeller Crusaders are Division I champions at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)The Hudson Explorers receive the state runners-up trophy in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)Score a double-duty kill shot for Hudson as Fisher Zappone (2) and James Hummel (24) deliver in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)Christian Renna scores at the net for Hudson in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)Fisher Zappone (2) scores a kill shot for Hudson at the OHSAA Division I state boys volleyball championship, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)Fisher Zappone lifts off a service ace for Hudson at the Division I OHSAA state boys volleyball championship, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)Owen Stearns looks to score on a spike at the net for Hudson at the Division I OHSAA state boys volleyball championship, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)Owen Stearns delivers a kill shot for Hudson at the Division I OHSAA state boys volleyball championship, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)1 / 16
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
Elvis Arvay (1) thunders home a spike and scores for Moeller in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
Drew Ewers scores a kill for Moeller in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
Leo Tierney (2) of Moeller serves the final and what would become the winning point serve at the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
Nick Dollard (11) drives home the winning spike for the title win for Moeller in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
Nick Dollard celebrates a game-winning point and the state title for Moeller in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
A celebration erupts for Moeller as they claim the Division I state championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
The Moeller Crusaders hoist the championship trophy in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
The Moeller Crusaders celebrate the Division I championship trophy with their fans at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
The Moeller Crusaders are Division I champions at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
The Hudson Explorers receive the state runners-up trophy in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
Score a double-duty kill shot for Hudson as Fisher Zappone (2) and James Hummel (24) deliver in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
Christian Renna scores at the net for Hudson in the Division I championship at the OHSAA state boys volleyball tournament, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
Fisher Zappone (2) scores a kill shot for Hudson at the OHSAA Division I state boys volleyball championship, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
Fisher Zappone lifts off a service ace for Hudson at the Division I OHSAA state boys volleyball championship, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
Owen Stearns looks to score on a spike at the net for Hudson at the Division I OHSAA state boys volleyball championship, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Moeller, Bishop Fenwick in 2026 OHSAA state volleyball finals | Photos
Owen Stearns delivers a kill shot for Hudson at the Division I OHSAA state boys volleyball championship, May 30, 2026. (Geoff Blankenship for USA Today Co. Ohio)
Fenwick (22-6) beat Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (18-10) 25-17, 25-15, 25-20 to clinch the program's third state championship. The title was five years after its last state win which came under the eye of head coach Pete Ehrlich.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement
When the OHSAA handed the trophy over to the Falcons, Ehrlich's memory was the focus.
Ehrlich was battling ALS at the time of the Falcons' 2021 title and died in October of that same year. His impact still carried over to the 2026 squad.
"Being a Catholic school, we're praying before and after the matches," Fenwick head coach Tina Gustely, an assistant for the 2021 team, said. "He's always included in that prayer. We ask Pete to pray for us every time.
Pete Ehrlich, the Fenwick head coach for its last state championship, is still remembered by the team nearly five years after his death.
"We keep his memory alive, his legacy alive at the school. We honor him every time we go out on the court. He's definitely always going to be a part of Fenwick volleyball."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement
Senior Parker Povse did not know Ehrlich the person, but knows the impact he left on the Falcons: "I think he's like our special guardian angel. Every game."
The championship was the third in program history, following the 2021 win by Ehrlich's squad and the 2013 win by Yoon Ha's Falcons. This was the first championship for Fenwick under OHSAA sanctioning.
Povse, a first-team All-Ohio selection, was second on the Falcons with 10 kills and 16 assists. Fellow senior Will Lenz had 13 kills and a team-high 11 digs and Gabe Armstrong, a junior, had 20 assists.
A strong defensive effort by the Falcons, who had five team blocks, forced the Fighting Irish to a negative attack percentage. St. Vincent-St. Mary had 98 attacks on offense, and had more errors (26) than kills (20).
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement
The Falcons started the season just 5-5, but went on a 17-1 stretch at that point. The only loss in that time, a sweep from St. Charles, was handed back in the state semifinals.
Parker Povse (12) scores on a spike for Fenwick in the OHSAA Division II state boys volleyball championship, May 30, 2026.
"We changed our lineup a little bit and I think we grew as a team," Povse said. "We grew together. We started becoming closer friends and that's helped us grow through dropped sets, problems, errors, whatever. So we grow as a team and we compete as a team and we won state as a team."
They also won in an arena full of Falcons faithful over the weekend.
"As we progressed through the tournament, they picked up and the really showed up," Gustely said. "They really showed up this weekend and we can't be more appreciative of our fans. They carried us. They had high energy and it helps because we have some quiet boys on the bench."