Josh Donahue doesn't look the part of an outside hitter when he walks on to a volleyball court.
No doubt opposing coaches and players do a double-take at the Central Dauphin roster. Surely, the position next to Donahue's name is a misprint.
But the first time the Rams senior skies above the net to take a set and delivers a thunderous spike that ricochets off the floor on the other side of the net, one thing is certain: size doesn't always matter.
Donahue stands a generous 5-9, but he plays like he is 6-5. That was evident throughout the season, as he was the main offensive threat — the guy every team tried to stop — in the Rams' march to a district runner-up finish and state semifinal berth.
“No doubt,” Donahue said when asked if volleyball was more than just size and leaping ability. “So much of it is reading ahead, and you can't teach that.
“You have to play the game and really learn it. You need to play the game a long time to gain that experience.
“I think I was relied on more than in the past, but I didn't mind. I liked the leadership role and as the year went on, more people stepped up.”
Donahue was the go-to guy in the offense. When the Rams needed a point, the senior outside was fed.
Producing in those moments is tough when everyone looks to you to score. Donahue responded with more than 450 kills. He also got it done on defense, racking up more than 250 digs against some of the best hitters in the state.
Coaches took notice. Donahue's play earned him Co-MVP accolades with Chambersburg stud Mitch Stahl, who will continue his career at UCLA.
“I've been playing a long time,” said Donahue, who will attend Mount Olive College in North Carolina. “My dad played at the highest level, traveling up and down the East Coast playing doubles indoor and outdoors.
“I learned a lot from him. The first thing was passing, and I moved on from there. It became easier and easier.”
That is the most you will get Donahue to talk about himself. It's not his nature to focus on personal accomplishments.
He prefers to chat up his team.
Graduation hit the Rams hard after the 2012 season. This year was supposed to to be a rebuilding project, but with Donahue swinging away and a scrappy group of role players, the season became a success story.
The Rams beat the Trojans and Stahl on the way to a district runner-up finish. Josh Brenneman's team kept up that momentum and made it to the state semifinals before losing to eventual state champ North Allegheny.
“I think the biggest thing was coaching,” Donahue said. “Coach Brenneman has the ability to pull every ounce of energy out of you.
“We worked hard in practice and when we got behind in a match, we were able to flip the switch. Coach Brenneman didn't let us get down and helped us realize our ability. He made that possible.”
Continued Donahue, “We do things together, even in the summer. It's easy to say you do things together, but we were that much of a team.”