The regular season came to an end and Coach Heucke had an undefeated volleyball team. Her Chieftains had come together just as she knew they would and appeared unstoppable. Ingrid had been interviewed by the Dowagiac Daily News but took minimal credit for her team’s success, claiming she had exceptional, unselfish players who worked well together. Ingrid further denied there were any stars on her team, but anyone who had seen a match that season would disagree. Melody Mivshek approached each game as if every play would be her last. Her jump serves amazed the excited home crowd who cheered her name every time she scored an ace. She played the net with the intensity of a middle linebacker defending the end zone. Every opposing player that season remembered, and sometimes feared, the beautiful blond with the ice cold eyes.
On November 2nd, 1988, Union High hosted the district championship game and again faced their nemesis, the Paw Paw Redskins. The home side bleachers were packed. In addition to the usual students, parents, and girls’ teams, the football team was in attendance. The Union High cheerleaders fired up the crowd with their routines, making the noise inside the gymnasium deafening. It turned out to be a lopsided victory as the Chieftains won three straight sets relatively quickly. It was hardly a contest at all. The Redskins had hoped for an upset, but it was not to be. The Chieftains wanted payback and had taken this game personally. After reclaiming the district championship, the Chieftains graciously shook the hands of the Redskins players who congratulated them sincerely.
Though they had much to be proud of, the Chieftains considered the district games to be a mere steppingstone. From the season’s beginning, the regional championship was the team’s only goal. The girls were primed and would accept nothing less than being the number one class B team in Southwest Michigan. They wanted to be immortalized, perhaps on the town’s water tower, for bringing the regional trophy to Dowagiac. The team was confident they would win it all.
The following week, Claire, Melody, and the rest of the team faced the Niles Vikings and won the match three sets to one. Two days later, Melody had one of her best games as the Chieftains easily defeated Wayland Union in the regional semi-finals. The Chieftains’ ultimate goal was now only a week away. The team would travel to the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek, Michigan for a three-day tournament.
***
Friday morning, the girls’ volleyball team boarded the bus for Battle Creek, determined to return with the championship trophy. They had a memorable send off and the principal shook hands with every player, wishing them luck. As the bus headed east, it was a quiet ride with little talking. The girls were lost in their own thoughts as they anticipated their first match with nervous excitement. Melody had an extra incentive for playing her best that night. Her father would be home this weekend, and her parents had promised to attend Saturday’s match. The Chieftains had to win their Friday match; it meant everything to Melody because her father had never seen her play. She would not even entertain the thought of calling her father Friday night to tell him Union High had been eliminated.
When the bus finally arrived at the Days Inn, the girls disembarked. There was not much around except for a few restaurants and a truck stop. Melody wondered if Coach Heucke had purposely selected this particular hotel for its seclusion. Once inside the lobby, the team waited as Coach Heucke and Claire went to the front desk to check in. They soon returned with the room assignments. Melody was paired with Claire in room 103. Ingrid then instructed her team to go to their rooms and report back to the lobby, in uniform, by three o’clock.
“Do not be late,” she warned sternly.
***
Upon entering the Kellogg Arena, Melody was awestruck. It was much bigger than what she had been told to expect. The floor was setup for the volleyball tournament, but the venue was large enough to host concerts and overblown wrestling events. Multilayer seating was available to spectators, and Melody wondered how she could ever find her parents in such a place. After her initial amazement, she put on her game face after noticing girls from other schools looking at her. None of them knew who she was, but Melody swore they would.
After reporting to the organizers, Coach Heucke informed her players they would be playing Lake Odessa in the quarter finals match at 6PM. This gave the team a little over two hours of idle time. However, the coach had no intention of letting her team run free. They were to stay in their assigned area and observe the earlier scheduled games while she and Claire took care of administrative work. As the first game started, Melody took a keen interest in the competition. She made mental notes, sized up the teams, and observed the most highly skilled players
When the Chieftains finally took the court, every girl was ready, but anxious. Claire told them it was just like any other game, and they should treat it as such. “Just relax and stay loose,” she advised. “That’s how we’ve been winning, and we are going to win again. If you make a mistake, just shake it off and forget it. We got this.”
The players from both teams took their positions and the first set began. If there had been any nervousness in Melody, it disappeared as soon as Lake Odessa served the ball. She was in her element and performed with the high intensity her team was so dependent on. As the game progressed, Melody discovered her opponent’s weak spots and began to exploit them. Coach Heucke observed the difficulty Lake Odessa had when Melody, Claire, and a junior named Jenna Yarnell played the front row. It was the hardest team they had faced all year, but Union High won the fifth set 15-11, securing the match and their first victory in the regional tournament.
Melody felt bad for the Lake Odessa girls. No one wanted to lose their first match and go home before the weekend had even begun. They were a talented team and accepted their loss gracefully, but all they had to show for their efforts was a long bus ride home. Melody wondered if they would stay the weekend just to watch the games. After thinking about it, Melody decided she would personally rather go home. As her own team boarded the bus, Melody was excited to sleep in a hotel bed for the first time. When they got back to the Days Inn, Coach Heucke addressed them all one last time in the lobby.
“Good game tonight, ladies,” Ingrid began. “Very, very good. Excellent in fact. Everyone will report to room 100, at noon tomorrow, for a team meeting. As for tonight, if you are going to one of the restaurants, you will sign out with me first and report in after you return. Curfew is at ten. Your captain has the room roster and will ensure this is enforced. Expect her to knock on your door around this time.” She scanned all her players individually to make sure she was holding their attention. “Do not miss curfew. Lastly, keep the mischief and horseplay to a minimum. Get some sleep tonight. Today was the easiest day you will have at this tournament, and it was no cake walk. Good night, ladies.”
Melody and Claire got to their room and made themselves comfortable. Claire sat on the edge of the bed while Melody sat in one of the chairs by the window. Melody was hungry, but she did not feel like going out. Before she had a chance to ask Claire what her plans were, Melody saw her taking crackers and tuna fish out of her duffel bag.
“You can shower first, Melody,” Claire said. “I got to eat.”
“Is that your dinner tonight?” Melody asked.
“I don’t have any money this weekend,” Claire confessed. “My dad’s car broke down Wednesday. I gave him what I had to help get it fixed so he could get to work. It was just one of those things.”
“Hold on,” Melody said as she stood up. “Don’t open that. I’m going to the lobby, be right back.”
Melody left the room but quickly returned with a flier advertising a pizzeria that delivered to the hotel. She looked it over and decided on a medium pizza with ham and pineapple.
“Here,” she said, handing the flier to Claire. “Pick something. I’m getting a pizza tonight.”
“Oh, Melody, I don’t know.”
“C’mon Claire, we won today. Let’s live it up a little and be happy we are not going home on a bus tonight. My treat. Please, let me get you something.”
After reaching for the flier, Claire looked it over. She suddenly hungered for something other than cold tuna fish. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d like a meatball sandwich. It’s not that much. I’ll pay you back next week.”
“Oh, forget it,” Melody said as she picked up the phone to place the order.
Claire picked up the remote control for the TV and began flipping through channels. “Since you’re buying dinner, I insist you take your shower first,” she said.
After the girls had showered, eaten, and watched a forgettable movie, it was almost ten o’clock. Melody offered to walk with Claire as she checked the rooms. Unsurprisingly, all the players were accounted for. Most of them had also eaten in their rooms. Claire and Melody reported to Coach Heucke and bid her goodnight. After returning to their room, Melody jumped into the bed closest to the door. Claire got into her own bed after turning off the lamp. Melody loved the softness of the hotel mattress and the lemony fresh linen. She wished she could take the bed home with her. After Melody sprawled out and got herself comfortable, she allowed her head to sink into the fluffy pillow. She had almost fallen into a dream when she heard her name.
“Melody?”
“Yes?” she answered.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Did you ever resent that you weren’t the captain this year?” Claire asked.
“No.”
“You’re the best player on the team,” Claire admitted. “You deserved to be captain. I always thought so.”
“You’re a great captain, Claire,” Melody said as she turned her head. “Coach made the right decision.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course,” Melody answered. “We’re here aren’t we? You had so many extra responsibilities that coach laid on you. All I wanted to do was play. The whole team is behind you, especially me. I’m glad coach picked you and I got your back. We are gonna kick ass this weekend. C’mon now, let’s get some sleep.”
***
Saturday afternoon, the Chieftains boarded the bus with renewed confidence. After a good night’s sleep, Melody felt refreshed and was in high spirits with yesterday’s victory still fresh in her memory. After four seasons, she believed it was the team’s destiny to win the championship before graduating and going separate ways. Melody promised herself to do her best for her team, her coach, and for Becky.
By the time the bus pulled into the Kellogg Arena parking lot, Melody’s hands were clenched into fists. She was preparing herself mentally, as if going into battle. After entering the arena, Melody noted the other three surviving teams and wondered which school her team would play. She suddenly remembered her parents and scanned the seats in search of them. Melody could not find them, but realized it was still early. The team assembled in their area and waited for Coach Heucke and Claire to return with the news.
Fifteen minutes later, Ingrid approached her team with a slight frown, as if deep in thought. Claire was a step behind her, carrying a clipboard. After Coach Heucke brought her heels together sharply, the team formed a half circle around her. Each player stared at her anxiously.
“We have the second game,” Coach Heucke began. “We will play Three Rivers after Livonia Ladywood plays Pontiac Notre Dame Preparatory. Watch both of those teams closely, because one of them will surely be watching us.”
Thirty minutes before the first game started, Melody was amazed at the size of the crowd. Union High was well represented by people who had made the trip from Dowagiac. Melody searched each face looking for her parents and finally located them. Her mother was obviously uncomfortable in such a large, crowded building and looked nervous. Next to her, Melody saw her father speaking to Mr. Shaddock! They were having a lively conversation, and Melody ached to know what they were talking about. Melody saw many other familiar faces that had attended previous games over the years. There were even a few signs and banners that fans had made. Melody reminded herself not to show off just because her father was present. She would play the same as she always had, fiercely.
The first game began on time and the teams appeared to be evenly matched. Players from both Livonia and Pontiac seemed to know each other well, and their respective crowds fed into the heated rivalry. As the cheering grew louder, Melody could only think of her timid mother. She looked in her direction and saw that her mother was not watching the game, but instead had her eyes on her. Melody smiled and gave a quick wave. She then looked at the team she would soon face, the Three Rivers Wildcats. Melody looked closely at each player, looking for nervous behavior or darting eyes. She saw none.
“I hate private schools,” Claire whispered to her. “Nothing but rich snobs. We are going to have to go through one of them for the championship. Private schools always win these things. I hate them.”
The first match continued as both teams exploited whatever minute weaknesses they could find. Melody noted that Pontiac had a short Asian girl on their team that could not jump very high but bumped and set perfectly. Livonia, on the other hand, had very tall girls who played the net well. Their spikes were also more effective than Pontiac’s. As the crowd cheered louder, the teams played harder. Eventually, Pontiac took the momentum and won the fifth set 15-12. It was all over for Livonia. Despite playing with fevered intensity, in the end, the teams came together with sincere smiles and hugs. Melody nudged Claire and commented that many of the girls appeared to be friends. After the teams cleared the area, volunteers came out with large white towels to wipe the floor. When they finished their work, Coach Heucke ordered the Chieftains onto the court to begin their warmups.
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