Gallery by Karen Akers
The Shady Spring volleyball team hadn’t left the Charleston Civic Center last year before the talk started. Would the Tigers repeat as state champions, or would runner-up Philip Barbour dethrone the champs in 2021?
Although it was very early, the talk was understandable in the fact that both teams returned the bulk of their line-ups for the following season. With both teams now in the midst of highly successful regular seasons this year, the talk has intensified.
Saturday the two Class AA titans clashed in the second regular season meeting, this time at Shady Spring High School.
After the Colts took the first match in Philippi, the Tigers had some payback in mind, and it showed.
Battling through the emotions of Senior Day, Shady Spring looked every bit the part of the defending state champions, defeating the visitors, 25-17 in both sets.
“I think we were attacking from all directions. Our defense was spot on, and we did not miss serves today,” Shady Spring head coach Kelly Williams said. “Everyone was giving 100 percent. They were doing their job and doing it well for sure.”
Last year the Tigers had the same result when they went north to battle Philip Barbour. Williams was happy to finally get the Colts inside the confines of the Shady Spring gymnasium this year.
“They have never come to Shady before. We have always gone to them, and they have handed it to us at their house,” Williams said. “There was kind of desire to do the same here. But honestly it is such good play. We are glad they came, and we had an opportunity. They give us a good match every time, so we were just tickled to come out with a win.”
While the play on the floor for Shady was stellar Saturday, the lineup was also different than the first encounter.
After sitting out most of the season with an injury, all-state middle hitter, Meg Williams was back and she made an immediate impact in the first set.
Following a service error, a block and a kill from Williams staked her team to a 3-0 lead that it would never relinquish.
“It gives us a little bit more strength in the middle for sure. She talks the whole time, and she is a team player. They all are,” coach Williams said. “I think they are all glad she is back, and I know she is tickled to death to be back.”
Leading 12-9, Shady started flexing its muscle all over the floor, attacking from all angles. With senior Kelsie Dangerfield setting the table, a bomb from Chloe Thompson, along kills from Camille Testerman and senior Peydon Smith sparked a 6-0 run.
The Colts would fight back to within five points late in the set, but a quick tip from Dangerfield snapped the momentum and Shady pulled away for a 25-17 win.
In the minds of both coaches, the teams were completely different Saturday as opposed to the first meeting.
“I felt like the first time, we played really well. People were stepping up their game and doing stuff I hadn’t seen all season,” Philip Barbour head coach Heather Halfin said. “I felt like we were starting to come around. I didn’t see that fire this time. I am not sure if it was because it was here. I know you always play different when your home.”
“I expected them to step on the floor and play with confidence,” Halfin went on to say. “Not because we had beat Shady before, but because we are both good teams and we are going to go at it. We should want it more than anything else. I just didn’t feel like we played that way today. We kinda went through the motions. Against a good team, you have to play up.”
The second set was the battle that most expected in the early going. After 11 ties and five lead changes the set was even at 14-14.
At that point, Shady’s desire to win the rematch exploded like a volcano.
Dangerfield changed the tide with an ace before Testerman salvaged a point for the Tigers with a great diving save. Williams capped the 4-0 spurt with a blast and Shady was in full control.
“In tough matches like that, you have to step up your game. You can’t give a solid team like Shady the opportunity to score. When you have the chance to score you have to put the ball down,” Halfin said.
Leading 20-17, Thompson fired off three kills with an ace from senior Aly Holdren mixed in between. Shady closed out the match on a resounding block from Dangerfield.
On a day where seniors Dangerfield, Smith and Holdren, were honored, Williams was happy that her team kept their emotions in check and competed at such a high level.
“It was very emotional today. I don’t deal well with emotion. I don’t like to show it, but these girls are a fantastic group,” Williams said. “I have watched them grow up and that is what makes it even more emotional. I don’t want them to leave. I am just super proud of them, and I am glad they put their heart and soul into volleyball. It really shows on the floor. My three seniors are great girls, and they give it 100 percent all the time. For them to compose themselves on a day like today, it speaks volumes to their character.”
Making the day even more emotional was the fact that Dangerfield recorded her 2,000th assist in a win earlier in the day over Nicholas County.
“It is a wonderful day for Kelsie and it is a great accomplishment,” Williams said. “We are just glad we could be here to celebrate with her.”
Shady Spring closed out the sweep on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Cabell Midland. Philip Barbour defeated Nicholas and Cabell, 2-0, while the Knights beat the Grizzlies, 2-0.
The Tigers are on the road Thursday when they battle Summers County and Liberty.