Bishop Ready Makes History with First CBL Volleyball Crown

Columbus — When the school departed the Central Catholic League (CCL) to join the Central Buckeye League (CBL), Bishop Ready’s volleyball program was desperate for a new pasture where they could grow and not be constantly outmatched.

Fast forward three seasons, and the Silver Knights have captured their first Central Buckeye League championship.

Bishop Ready finished the job on Thursday, sweeping Franklin Heights 25-16, 25-13, 25-8 to wrap up a 15-1 conference season and capture a share of the Central Buckeye League title with defending champion Buckeye Valley.

With nine seniors leading the way, Bishop Ready entered the season knowing the window was open.

“We have nine very good seniors, and they knew it coming in,” said head coach Emily Larger. “If there was ever going to be a year, this was going to be it. It’s very special.”

The Silver Knights snapped Buckeye Valley’s 36-match conference winning streak on September 4 and never looked back, holding control of the CBL standings until a little over a week ago.

Head coach Emily Larger says ending Buckeye Valley’s streak was the product of a fearless group, one that craves elite competition and runs toward challenges instead of away from them.

“We have girls that are so excited about playing at that level,” Larger said. “Instead of being scared, we took charge and went with it. Our home crowd was amazing.”

The loss in their second meeting with Buckeye Valley tightened the race, leaving Bishop Ready with no room for mistakes. To claim their first conference championship, the Silver Knights had to win out, but injuries and illness struck just as the finish line came into view.

On Tuesday, Bishop Ready found itself fighting for its conference championship hopes in a five-set thriller against Columbus Academy.

Missing one of their top attackers in Kaitlin Brown, the Silver Knights needed someone to step up and sophomore Tatum Reeder answered the call. Her career-high 20 kills, coupled with Alyssa Richter’s 21, helped Ready overcome a night riddled with unforced errors.

Junior Maura Himes tallied a career-high 20 assists, easing the workload on Allyson Creighton, who anchored the defense with Sophia Dozer. That collective effort, a textbook “next girl up” execution, was the difference between being champions and runners-up in 2025. When it mattered most, Bishop Ready’s depth delivered.

With the conference title in hand, Bishop Ready now turns its attention to the postseason, opening Division IV Central District play on Wednesday as the No. 2 seed against Lakewood.

For the Silver Knights, nothing is impossible as they pursue glory in the state playoffs.

“If we can keep playing the way we are, and get these girls even tighter, we can go pretty far,” Larger said. “As long as they believe in themselves, we can go far.”