‘Dynamic’ Emma Beretich, a West Virginia commit, sparks surging Pickerington Central
Reflecting on the Pickerington Central girls volleyball team’s pursuit of a third consecutive OCC-Buckeye Division championship and first Division I district title since 1994, senior Emma Beretich thinks instead of the big picture.
“It’s very exciting. I’ve been (in the program) since the seventh grade, so I’ve seen how far this class especially has come,” said Beretich, a four-year starter at middle blocker. “We were a solid team (even in junior high at Ridgeview) but right now, we have our highest potential. We come together well as a group. We’ve been together on varsity for around three years, most of this team, so that really helps.”
Beretich has been a mainstay in the front row for two consecutive winning seasons and a strong start to the third. The 6-foot-2 West Virginia commit totaled 297 kills, 115 blocks and 46 aces the past two seasons, and through seven matches this year had 68 kills and nine aces to help Central to records of 7-1 overall and 5-0 in the OCC-Buckeye before playing Newark on Sept. 27.
Before Sept. 27, the Tigers were 56-25 in Beretich’s career and riding a 25-match league winning streak.
“Her blocking is really good but her hitting … she is really dynamic up there,” coach Jeannie Krueger said. “She’s so tall and her swing is very quick. I start her left front for a reason, because I want her up there right away. Last year, she started middle back and the libero would come in for her, so we’d have to wait a few rotations until she got in the front and I didn’t want to do it again. We wanted her up front right away.”
Beretich usually teams with Willow Alls and Myriah Massey in the front row. Alls is in her second season as the Tigers’ primary setter, and Massey — an honorable mention all-state selection last year as a sophomore — is coming off a trip to Turkey, where she and teammate Ashley Pater finished second in the FIVB Beach Volleyball U19 World Championships.
Massey had a team-best 76 kills through seven matches.
A second-team all-league honoree as a sophomore and first-team selection last year, Beretich set high expectations for herself from an early age. The daughter of two collegiate athletes, she took up volleyball in the third grade.
Beretich’s father, Steve, helped Pickerington’s boys basketball team to three consecutive OCC-Ohio championships from 2000-02 and a Division I district title his senior season before playing at Tiffin. Her mother, Casey, played softball for the Dragons.
“I have high standards for myself, so I definitely came in hoping to be on varsity and to be a starting player,” Emma Beretich said. “It helps, coming from my parents, too, that they’ve always pushed me. I was confident that I’d make an impact.”
Beretich committed to West Virginia in April. Coupled with Massey, a top-tier sand volleyball recruit, Krueger said the duo represents the continued rise of the program she saw coming several years ago.
Central was tied for 18th in the Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association state poll of Sept. 19.
“You could see the talent in the younger grades. They were up and coming and that’s where we are now,” Krueger said. “We went from having nobody playing club to now, everybody does. They’re playing for Mintonette and (Advancement Academy) and a national team. Having two girls go Division I back-to-back like this, that hasn’t happened here. …
“We’re not ranked (highly) in the state, but people notice us.”
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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Girls Volleyball: ‘Dynamic’ Beretich sparks Pickerington Central
