Huron's Orzech playing through torn ACL

HURON — It's Maggie Orzech's senior volleyball season so she is playing — no matter what. Orzech tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee — for the second time in four years — during a summer tournament at Cedar Point Sports Center. She landed awkwardly after going up for a hit in a match against Norwalk. She was hurting, but the initial feedback was positive. "I saw like three trainers and they all told me it wasn't my ACL. That gave me false hope that it would be a week or two and I'd be back on the court totally normal," Orzech said before practice Wednesday. "When I found out I tore my ACL, I was obviously devastated. I knew I had to find a way to play my senior year. I'm gonna play on it torn and get surgery after the season." A specialist at the Cleveland Clinic confirmed the tear July 29, a week after the injury and three days before high school practices began. Orzech is also dealing with an MCL strain and meniscus tear. Orzech and her parents — Nate and Nell — posed the obvious question when they got the bad news. "We had a meeting with the doctor to go over MRI results and we asked him if there was any way I could play," Orzech said. "He said 'yes' and we could put a brace on it and go through PT to get all the strength I could get and I could play." Orzech has been going through physical therapy three times a week at NOMS. That approach seems to be working. Orzech has played only back row early in the season, but she's on target to return to the front row. That would be a good thing for the Tigers. The 5-foot-10 Orzech was a first team All-SBC Bay Division selection last year and was second on the team with 175 kills. "I'm hoping to play six rotations soon. It's really about my comfort level," she said. "I need to get more hitting reps and blocking reps in practice." Orzech wears a lightweight brace when she's playing. "When I'm in a game, I really can't tell that it's torn, but at times it will buckle a little bit and I'll have some pain," she said. "But then I'll get back out there and it will feel normal again." When asked to rate the worst pain on a scale of 1 to 10, Orzech said, "never over a 6." Orzech's parents are in their daughter's corner as she contributes to one of the area's top volleyball programs. "Every time she dives, her dad and I are just praying that everything will be OK," Nell said. "It's very stressful, but we are behind her 100%. We're very, very proud of her." Orzech appreciates the support. Neither Nate nor Nell had knee issues when they were younger. "They were crushed for me," Orzech said. "It was really hard for me at first, like the first time I tore my ACL. Once they understood that I'm trying to play like normal, then they tried to support me in that. They've always been there for me." The ACL in Orzech's left knee has not been kind to her. She tore the same knee at Junior Olympic Nationals in Indianapolis prior to her freshman season in 2022. She had surgery that July and sat out her freshman season. "The first (ACL) surgery, they wanted to avoid my growth plates in case I grew more," Orzech said. "This next surgery will be a stronger one with a lower re-tear rate because they don't have to avoid my growth plates." Four months after the first surgery, she had torn cartilage in her right knee repaired. Maggie's not the only member of her family with knee problems. Her older sister Lanee, a 2024 Huron graduate and former volleyball and softball player, had ACL and meniscus surgery in early August. She also tore an ACL when she was in the eighth grade. "It's been really fun in the Orzech household with all these knees," said Nell. "Who ever thought this could happen? But it has." Orzech hoped to play college volleyball before her most recent injury. Now the plan is to go to college and study to become a physical therapist. Older sister Madi is a PT for the Cleveland Clinic. Huron coach Don Wood marvels at how his senior leader has reacted to her injuries. "She has responded better than you could ever ask a kid to respond," Wood said. "She's done all the, they call it 'prehab.' She has strong legs and that allows her to play. It's not 100 percent, obviously, but she's not showing any apprehension. "She's just playing, knowing it's gonna hurt sometimes. She's tough as heck. That's something you don't know about somebody until they go through this." Orzech is comfortable in the back row. She was second on the team with 242 digs last year. Also a weapon at the serving line, she led Huron with 30 aces. "Since I can only play in the back row, I try to give that all I have," she said. "I have the mentality to go for every ball and play like I'm not injured. When I'm serving, I try to get as many points for the team as I can." Orzech's teammates are glad to have her on the court. "It's awesome. I can't believe that she's actually playing," said sophomore setter Reece Hotz. "She's a great leader and very helpful to the team. I just really love that she's playing with us." Orzech is doing whatever she can to make her senior season memorable in a good way. "If I show them that I can play with an injury, I'm hoping it will give them the strength to play for anything and any adversity they face," she said. Nell, a 1990 Huron graduate who played basketball for the Tigers, said all the injuries have shown her daughters that "life's not easy." "She's got the grit and tenacity," Nell said about Maggie. "She's already sat out a full year. We were like, 'This cannot be happening again; it's her senior year.' She's giving it all she's got."