By BRIAN DULIK

Staff Writer

Anyone who has watched Corrin Early on the volleyball court knows what a fierce competitor she is.

It might come as a surprise, then, to learn that the Cloverleaf standout plays the sport with a song in her heart.

“My favorite class in school is Swing Choir because it is so much fun and I love to sing,” she said. “It takes a lot of hard work because we just don’t perform original choir songs, we sing more of a jazz ensemble. I’m really looking forward to our Christmas concert.”

While Early has good reason to look ahead to her winter activities, she also deserves the chance to look back on her fabulous fall.

The 5-foot-9 outside hitter was the driving force behind the Colts’ memorable run to the Suburban League championship, the Barberton Division I District title and their first appearance in the state’s Elite Eight.

Along the way, Early broke Cloverleaf’s school record for kills in a match with 21 against Buckeye, then shattered the Medina County postseason mark with 26 in the Hudson Regional semifinals.

She also was the Colts’ top defensive player and their emotional leader, making her a clear-cut choice as the 2008 Gazette MVP.

“I don’t think there is any debate about her being our team MVP or the county MVP,” Cloverleaf coach Jim Vaughn said. “We literally gave her half the court to defend, and she did an outstanding job, in addition to her really exceptional front row play.

“On top of all the volleyball skills she has, Corrin is a great kid and a good student. I’m very happy for her.”

Early, a two-time All-SL and All-Gazette honoree, was the most complete player in the county, combining her great hitting ability with top-notch play in the back row.

She finished the year with 270 kills, 227 digs and 39 aces — numbers that shine even brighter when one considers the Colts played 18 two- or three-game matches, greatly limiting her opportunities.

“I like playing whatever role I need to play to help the team the most,” said Early, who led Cloverleaf with a .305 hitting percentage. “If I have to dig more than I hit or be a passer, that’s great. Whatever keeps the play rolling is what I want to do.”

Early’s all-around skills were recognized by opposing coaches, who voted her onto the All-District first team for the second season in a row. She received the second-most votes in the area, one year after finishing fourth in the balloting.

Yet, she says those awards wouldn’t mean anything if the Colts hadn’t achieved their goals as a team.

Cloverleaf went undefeated in the SL en route to its second straight conference title, then captured its first district crown with a dramatic five-game win over Wooster.

The Colts put the icing on their championship cake by knocking off Mentor in the regional semifinals behind Early’s 26-kill onslaught, but saw their dream season end one win shy of the state tournament.

“We were trying to build to this point for many years and we really wanted to go to the district finals, at least,” she said. “To go to the regional finals was amazing, but it was extra special because our team was so close. We did so many fun things together like going to Wyoming in the summer and spending the night at one of our houses during the season.

“You couldn’t ask for a better group to be a part of.”

Early credits Vaughn and Cloverleaf’s coaching staff for her development into an elite player, along with her Junior Olympic coach, Jim Park. They obviously did a terrific job because she has only been playing the sport competitively since she was 12.

“I always loved to watch my older sister Allison play volleyball,” she recalled. “I enjoyed it so much that I started practicing with her and going to camps when I was about 8. We’ve always had this competitive nature in my family, so that also helped push me along.”

Early hasn’t let up since, playing two seasons every year since she turned 13 while splitting time between Cloverleaf’s program and with her Ohio Elite JO squad. Parents Karen Fisher and John Early have also supported their daughter in her athletic pursuit, attending “every single match I play.”

And their collective journey isn’t over yet.

Not only will the Colts be aiming for their third straight SL title in 2009, Early will be finalizing her college plans. She is looking for a school with highly regarded science and math departments, along with a strong volleyball program.

“I’m going to work on my defense more this offseason because I might have to play DS (defensive specialist) in college, only being 5-9,” said Early, whose picturesque swing and great leaping ability have many scouts drooling.

“When school starts, though, we’ll all be ready for our senior year. We still have more goals, even bigger goals, to accomplish as a team. Cloverleaf has made a name for itself in volleyball, but we want to make an even bigger one next year.”

Dulik may be reached at brisports@hotmail.com or 330-721-4059.