Gallery by Karen Akers
There are no locks in the postseason and no team is above an upset.
While the Shady Spring volleyball team seemed to be a shoe-in to make its return to the state tournament and defend its Class AA championship, head coach Kelly Williams was having none of that talk.
“We talked yesterday at practice that we hadn’t punched our ticket yet and how we needed to stay focused. Next week will be no different and it only get harder from here,” Williams said. “You are playing the best teams in the state and we can’t let up. We went back to the basics and worked on fundamentals.”
Saturday morning at the AA Region 3 tournament, the Tigers showed exactly why many thought they were considered a sure bet to return to Charleston by sweeping both Westside and Herbert Hoover, 3-0.
The Renegades took the first crack at Shady Spring, but were no match for the Tigers at the net.
Leading 10-5, Shady Spring went on an 11-2 run that featured four kills and three aces from Peydon Smith. When the final whistle blew, the Tigers were on the winning side of a 25-13 decision.
Westside again played Shady tough early in set two before falling victim to a 9-0 run. Chloe Thompson and Meg Williams combined for six kills and Camille Testerman had three aces in the spurt.
Shady closed out the Renegades, 25-7 in the final set to win the match.
“I know more than anybody that it takes a team. You never know what you are going to get by the time you get to states. You have to have everybody ready,” Williams. “That was the one thing I said to them in the huddle afterwards, this was definitely a team effort. A good team works as a team and that is what we are trying to do.”
The regional championship match was against Herbert Hoover. Still playing with a depleted roster due to injury and illness, the Huskies were no match Saturday for the Tigers.
Shady Spring captured the AA Region 3 crown by margins of 25-15, 25-8 and 25-12.
In the process of capturing the regional championship, the Tigers secured the 200th victory of Williams’ high school coaching career.
“I truly don’t keep track, so I had no idea. I like the attention to be on the girls, but it was very nice,” Williams said. “I appreciate my assistant coach Sharon Pinardo so much, as well as the girls, the families and the community for all the support over the years. It has been phenomenal. I’m just glad I have had the opportunity to coach such wonderful girls over the years. Winning is a bonus.”
