(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Times News is running a series of stories asking area coaches and athletic directors to remember their “Most Memorable” sporting event. Today’s Most Memorable moment comes from Marian volleyball coach John “Doc” Fallabel)

By Emmett McCall

emccall@tnonline.com

It’s fair to say that no coach during the current series the Times News is running on “Most Memorable” sports moments has a more impressive catalog of victories to page through than Marian volleyball coach John”Doc” Fallabel.

A number of coaches during the series have had a league or district championship to highlight - and a few coaches have had multiple titles to choose between. Marian football coach Stan Dakosty even had a State Championship to recall.

But when it comes to memorable moments, victories, and championships, no one can compare to Fallabel.

In his 17 years at the Fillies’ helm, Fallabel has 332 victories, 10 District 11 championships, six Schuylkill League titles, and two PIAA State Championships. Ten times his teams have reached the state semifinals, and six times they have played in a state title match.

That’s a lot of regular season and postseason success to narrow down to one match.

But Fallabel said as much as he considered some of the program’s impressive league and district titles, as well as some huge wins during the state playoffs, it was impossible not to pick a state championship victory.

But which one?

In Fallabel’s first year as head coach, after several years as an assistant, he guided the 2003 Fillies to a State Championship.

“I’ll always remember that season,” said Fallabel about 2003. “That group of girls had gotten close in previous years, but had come up just short. Coach (Nikki) Hackenberg had done a great job of getting the program to the level where we were among the best in the state.

“I just tried to continue what she had established, and that year everything came together and we won it all.”

But as special as that first season was, Fallabel chose the 2013 State Championship match against Cochranton as his most memorable moment.

“We had such a talented team,” recalled Fallabel. “I think we had four girls on that team that were multiple year All-State players, and a couple of others who probably should have been.

“But individual talent doesn’t always parlay itself into team success when you get to that level. There are so many talented teams that you have to be playing your best ball when you get to the postseason - and that’s what the 2013 team did.”

Fallabel said that was especially true in the State Final.

“Cochranton was an excellent team. I believe they were undefeated (19-0 entering the match), but we just mowed them down.” he said about the 25-16, 25-23, 25-17 sweep. “The type of scores we put up in the first and third set are scores you just don’t typically see in a State Championship match.”

Fallabel said it didn’t take him long to realize that the Fillies’ were primed for a huge performance in the title match.

“We had an early-morning match because they were playing a tripleheader that day.” he said. “So we had to be at the gym by 8 or 9 a.m., or something like that, for warm-ups.

“We had such a loose, powerful, athletic team that we could be intimidating to watch during our pregame routine, and I remember Cochranton walking into the gym and watching us warm up and you could just see in their eyes that they knew they were in trouble.”

Among the star frontline players on that team were Times News Players of the Year Grace Boyle (2013), Emily Pilla (2014), and Maureen Kloap (2015). Middle hitter Abby Stankiewitch, and outside hitters Alex Stroia and Sophie Myers, were also huge contributors at the net.

Setter Abby O’Donnell - who had 37 assists in the title match - was the glue that held the Fillies together, according to Fallabel. Back row players Lauren Nietz, Ashton Galasso and Madyson Dyer were also part of the talented rotation.

O’Donnell, Boyle and Stankiewitch were all three-time All-State selections during their Marian careers, while Boyle was a two-time All-Stater, and Kloap was a one-time All-State selection.

“It was a team that exuded confidence, and peaked at the absolute perfect time,” said Fallabel. “We had a great season overall (24-2), but we were definitely playing our best volleyball in the postseason - and we saved our best match for last.

“The State Championship match was one of those rare moments you experience as a coach where everyone who got into the match played at their highest level, and everything we did that day went right.”

Fallabel said one lasting memory he has from the championship match was the support the team received.

“I remember that we had an amazing cheering section,” he said. “Between the parents, the students, the former players ... it was incredible.

“We had fun buses for the game and a really loud student section. It seemed like almost the entire place was cheering for us.”

Amazing fan support, outstanding talent, and a peak performance on the court.

It was the perfect storm - and it created a moment that Fallabel will never forget.