By Michael Letendre
The volleyball championship histories between the Joel Barlow and Bristol Central High Schools – the two finalists in the Class L clash on Saturday – couldn’t be any different.
There’s an amazing gap between the two programs as Barlow draws student athletes from multiple towns while Central gets its players from a section of Bristol.
Barlow is nestled quietly in the woods in Fairfield Country while the school from Bristol is nestled just outside the South End Historic District on busy Route 69.
Here is the championship pedigree of both Joel Barlow and Bristol Central:
Joel Barlow – Playing in its eighth championship game
Since 1995, the Falcons have seen action in seven state title games – competing in Class S, M and L championship tilts over the years.
Barlow went 0-6 over its first championship games, losing back-to-back title games in 1995 and 1996 (Class S) and was 0-4 in the Class M title games – with three losses in the mix to RHAM – in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
The Falcons finally won it all once it moved into the Class L bracket, sinking Woodstock Academy in 2018 via set scores of 21-25, 20-25, 25-13, 25-19 and 16-14 for its first and only championship.
Will Joel Barlow win its second ever state title in volleyball on Saturday?
Central might have something to say about that notion.
Speaking of Central, let’s take a look at the Rams’ title history to date:
Bristol Central – Have not played in a finals game.
As you can see, there isn’t any history in the championship round for the Rams.
That means that the 2022 Bristol Central volleyball program is working with a blank canvas, a clean slate and that’s a great position to be in.
The group at Central, led by seniors Brooke Valentino, Olivia Clingan and Maddie Lodovico, Sam Sklenka, junior Alex Rivera, sophomore Grace Higgins and freshman Lily Kirk and company are forgoing their own championship history.
The Central squad is a program of destiny and at 19-7, this team is ready to ramp up its 20th win of the season – a huge deal for the scholastic volleyball program.
And win or lose, history will be made by the Rams on Saturday.
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