This is “Dots,” VolleyballMag.com’s weekly look at 10 things in high school volleyball, past or present, that interest me and hopefully will interest you. Look for Dots every Tuesday until the last high school state championship in November:
• Well, that was fast.
In Tennessee, Oklahoma and Mississippi, the 2023 fall season is officially over.
The state championships in those states includes romps, nail biters, first-time winners, multi-year champions and stupendous individual performances.
I just love this time of year! Which teams/which players shine brightest when the spotlight is on them?
• Let’s start in Tennessee, where five champions were crowned.
Cleveland, powered by 27 kills from 6-3 junior OH Lauren Hurst, won its second straight AAA title in a sweep over Nolensville. Kinslee McGowan added 37 assists and five kills to the cause for the Raiders, who swept through the state tournament without dropping a set for the second straight year.
Signal Mountain captured the AA crown, downing defending champion Creek Wood in the winner’s bracket final and young Valor College Prep in the overall final. The four-set win, sparked by MVP Emily Redman’s 19 kills, 19 digs, four aces and three blocks, was the second in program history for the Eagles. Carlee Lowry recorded a triple-double (12 kills, 15 assists, 12 digs) for the victors. Anarela Mejias-Ayala had 18 kills, nine digs and three aces in the loss for Valor.
Sale Creek took 1A, downing Loretto to capture the first state title for the school in any sport. The Panthers, who finished 50-2, got a season-high 26 kills from Ava Higgins and 51 assists from Karma Higgins in the four-set win.
Briarcrest Christian won Div. II-AA in straight sets. The Saints defeated St. Agnes for the 11th title in program history and fifth since 2018. Breya Dawson, a freshman, was named championship game MVP after recording 11 kills and two blocks. The two teams split matches in the regular season and did so again at state. St. Agnes swept Briarcrest on Wednesday in the winners bracket final, but lost one day later in the ultimate match of the modified double-elimination event.
Providence Christian Academy won its first state title, defeating St. George’s in four sets in Div. II-A. Sophomore Sadie Kroeger led the way with 30 kills, six…
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