ROCKFORD, Ohio — For the first time in 21 years, the Parkway Panthers are heading back to the girls volleyball state championship match.

In a dramatic battle between two Mercer County programs, Parkway rallied from a two-set-to-one deficit Thursday night to defeat Midwest Athletic Conference rival St. Henry in five sets in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division VI state semifinals at Wittenberg University's Pam Evans Smith Arena in Springfield.

Parkway defeated St. Henry 25-21, 16-25, 23-25, 25-23 and 15-10, securing a place in Friday's state championship match against Dalton.

The victory sends Parkway to the state final for the first time since 2005, with the Panthers now one win away from capturing the program's third state volleyball championship.

A Five-Set Battle Between MAC Rivals

The Panthers opened Thursday night's semifinal with a 25-21 victory in the first set, but St. Henry quickly responded.

The Redskins dominated the second set, winning 25-16 to even the match. St. Henry then captured a tightly contested third set, 25-23, putting the Redskins within one set of advancing to the state championship.

With their season on the line, the Panthers answered.

Parkway fought through another close set, winning the fourth 25-23 to force a decisive fifth set.

With a state championship appearance hanging in the balance, the Panthers took control of the final set and secured a 15-10 victory, completing the comeback and setting off a celebration for the Rockford program.

The semifinal also served as a rematch of the teams' September 24 regular-season meeting, which St. Henry won in four sets. This time, with a state championship berth at stake, Parkway came away with the victory.

The Panthers improved to 24-3, while St. Henry concluded its season at 23-5.

A Return to Parkway Volleyball History

Parkway's return to the state championship carries special historical significance for a program with a proud tradition of volleyball success.

Under former head coach Todd Henkle, the Panthers captured back-to-back Division III state championships in 1996 and 1997.

In 1996, Parkway defeated Loudonville in the championship match, winning 16-14 and 15-2.

One year later, the Panthers successfully defended their state title, defeating Marion Elgin 15-1 and 17-15.

Parkway returned to the state championship match in 2005, finishing as the Division III state runner-up following a loss to Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph.

The Panthers made another appearance in the state semifinals in 2010, but had not returned to the Final Four until this season.

Now, 30 years after the program captured its first championship, another generation of Parkway volleyball players has an opportunity to bring a state title back to Rockford.

Panthers Continue Remarkable Postseason Run

Thursday's victory is another milestone in an outstanding season under Parkway head coach Jordan Henkle, who was recently named the Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association's Division VI Coach of the Year.

The Panthers have also been led by a pair of first-team All-Ohio selections in senior Naomi Knapke and sophomore Hadley Stover.

Parkway reached the state semifinals by defeating fellow MAC member Fort Recovery in four sets during Saturday's regional championship at Northmont High School.

After dropping the opening set in that match, Parkway responded by winning three consecutive sets to secure its first state Final Four appearance since 2010.

That ability to respond to adversity was on display again Thursday night against St. Henry.

The Redskins also enjoyed an outstanding postseason, entering the state semifinals following a five-set regional championship victory over Hamler Patrick Henry. St. Henry junior Addy Homan earned first-team All-Ohio recognition, while Renee Wendel and Kylie Bollenbacher also received All-Ohio honors.

Parkway to Face Dalton for State Championship

Parkway will now face the Dalton Bulldogs in the Division VI state championship on Friday, November 13, at Wright State University's Nutter Center in Fairborn.

Dalton advanced to the championship match with a three-set sweep of Sugarcreek Garaway in Thursday's other Division VI semifinal.

The Panthers enter the championship match seeking their third state volleyball title and their first since 1997.

WCSM will broadcast the Division VI state championship LIVE on 96.7 The Wave, with Ron Brunswick and Rick Kremer providing the coverage. Pregame begins at 1:40 PM, with the championship match scheduled for 2 PM.

Listeners can also follow the action through the WCSM Radio App and at wcsmradio.com.

For Parkway, the opportunity is historic. Twenty-one years after the Panthers last competed for a state championship, Rockford once again has a team playing for the ultimate prize in Ohio high school volleyball.