Jr. High champs
- Updated: October 2, 2017
Donoho rallies in each game of ‘if-match’ with Pleasant Valley to win Calhoun County Junior High Volleyball crown
EDITOR’S NOTE: Technical difficulties prevented this story from being posted Saturday. Enjoy it here free today.
By East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD – The way Donoho came back in the championship match to win the Calhoun County Junior High Volleyball Tournament Saturday left Lady Falcons coach Kayla Smith absolutely speechless.
The Lady Falcons came from behind in each set of the winner-take-all title match to beat Pleasant Valley for the second time in the tournament and seventh time this season 26-24, 27-25 to claim the biggest of their three tournament titles this year.
“It was dramatic; I’m just speechless,” Smith said. “I’m proud of my girls for working hard in practice every day.”
Donoho reached the championship round by beating Pleasant Valley in the winner’s bracket final 25-16, 22-25, 15-10, then waited for somebody to work their way through the losers bracket.
PV beat Saks 25-19, 25-17 to reach the final, then beat the Lady Falcons 25-23, 25-21 to force the if-necessary finale in the double-elimination event.
It looked like it was going to be PV’s day as they opened leads in set, but Donoho battled back with some prompting from the coach.
“When they beat us (in the first championship match) I wasn’t worried, I was a little angry,” Smith said. “I told them if you want me to challenge and fight for you, you have to fight me for. They haven’t won anything yet, don’t put your head down, lift your head up high.
“We got down in the first set four or five points and I was like, come on girls, I need four, I need three, and we ended up winning. In the second set we were down eight or nine points and I said I need you to fight, you have to put everything into it. I counted down again and we came back and beat them.”
Donoho’s Maggie Wakefield was named tournament MVP.
“She carries our team in a way,” Smith said. “They look to her. When Maggie is on everyone is on. She’s an all-around player.”
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Maggie Wakefield, Donoho (MVP)
Anna Amaral, Donoho
Naira Rehman, Donoho
Emma Kim, Donoho
Mattie Glass, Pleasant Valley
Hannah St. John, Pleasant Valley
Leah Patterson, Pleasant Valley
Sa’nya Fleming, Saks
Grace-Ann Handy, Saks
Gracie George, Ohatchee
Cheyanne Gaudreau, Ohatchee
Tori Moses, Jacksonville
Kaylee Smith, Alexandria
Tiana Lawrence, Weaver
McKenzie Raines, Wellborn
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