St. Cloud wins 1st match in new gym

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

St. Cloud High School Athletic Director Chad Ansbaugh really, really wanted to enjoy his Tuesday evening.

What was the best part of his day?

“My phone died during the afternoon,” he said.

The calls came as staff readied the school’s new gymnasium building, which also houses the locker rooms, weight room and wrestling mat room.

And they came. And they came.

It was a hair-raising day for Ansbaugh and staff for sure, but the event that opened the building, a volleyball match against longtime rival Osceola, would eventually have them smiling.

The Lady Bulldogs rallied from a slow start and beat the Kowgirls, 22-25, 27-25, 25-16, 25-19 in an Orange Belt Conference match. It was St. Cloud’s first volleyball win over Osceola in who-knows-how-long.

Before that, Ansbaugh was dealing with issues, some requiring him to get on a ladder with a drill.

“It’s exciting, but this week we’re tired of being on each other’s case about making sure everyone has what their program needs,” he said, finally sitting long enough to watch the match.

Only one of scoreboards was in use because the scores were reversed on the smaller one.

“It’s a easy fix, we just have to flip the plates,” Ansbaugh said. “But, we have to get a lift in here. That’ll be two days.”

Early that morning, Ansbaugh got word that construction workers were removing asbestos from the old gym. “Get everything out of there!” was the hastily-made announcement Ansbaugh spread to the coaches.

One problem for the football team – its varsity-room lockers weren’t expected to arrive until Wednesday. In a move inspired half by improvisation, half by compromise, all their gear went into the spacious weight room, along with every piece of exercise equipment, turning it into a locker room-slash closet.

By Friday, all was scheduled to be normal as the football team geared up for an all-important district showdown against favored Edgewater.

Back in the gym, thanks to the Lady Bulldogs taking the lead in volleyball, Ansbaugh, St. Cloud Class of 1992, began taking it all in.

“I can’t believe we’re in here. I feel like we’re the visitor,” he said.

It’s easy to feel that way when, unlike in the old oft-dark and musty gym, the lights are bright and the AC is running full blast, offering an unfamiliar chill.

The players, in their shorts and jerseys, didn’t plan for that.

“It’s really different in here,” St. Cloud senior setter Annie Barberi said. “We were freezing when we walked in.”

That might explain the 9-2 hole the Bulldogs were in in the first match. But they turned it up to take the next three games behind the blocking of Sarah Sullivan and Jahaira Aguilar, the hitting of Brittney Walker, and the defense of Terryn O’Donnell.

“I don’t know what the slow start was about, I was scared for a little bit,” Coach Ettie Singleton said.

“But now I’m so proud of them. Osceola’s a solid team and this was a hard match. The whole team got involved. The fourth set was big for us, because we’re still learning how to finish off matches.”

Barberi said the win made her night.

“We haven’t beaten Osceola since I’ve been here,” said the four-year varsity player.

And that’s better than a housewarming party.

St. Cloud, which lost 3-0 to Harmony in 4A-6 action Thursday, is hosting an eight-team varsity tournament today beginning at 8 a.m.