Patriots headed back to the state finals undefeated - again
By Kai Jones / Free Press Staff
Posted Oct 24, 2018 at 1:07 PM Updated Oct 24, 2018 at 1:07 PM
APA defeated Cary Christian in four sets
After feeling slighted for their seeding in the state tournament, the Arendell Parrott volleyball team is going back to the state championship game, but despite not having the top seed the Patriots are hosting the state championship game after beating Cary Christian in four sets.
The Patriots (20-0) are going into the NCISAA 3A state championship undefeated for the second year in a row. But last year waiting for them was another undefeated team: Asheville Christian.
This year, the Patriots headed into the playoffs hampered by the Lions (19-5) again as the seeding committee for no apparent reason awarded the top seed to the Lions, even though the Patriots had the higher MaxPreps ranking. The big issue is the NCISSA this year decided the state championship game would be played at the higher seed, which means APA would have had to travel 5 hours to Asheville. But with Asheville Christian dropping the semifinal to Caldwell Academy (23-5), the Patriots will now host the state championship game.
“This is really exciting. We have the home court advantage, and we are super excited about that. We’re going to have a bunch of our friends and a bunch of our family here to support us. We’re super excited. That’s going to be a big momentum booster,” star hitter Alli Grant Avery said.
Avery was especially big in getting her team to this moment. As “AG” goes, APA goes. The fourth set against Cary Christian (20-3) was tight, but Avery kept demanding the ball until the Patriots had won -- in fact the junior got the kill that ended the set.
“I’ve been playing with her for four years, so we have a good connection, and I love it when she just goes up and gets kill after kill after kill,” junior setter Mackenzie Pope said.
AG is just one of many players that have stepped up as the Patriots have surprised the private school volleyball world. The Patriots were expected to win last year, because of All-State players Scarlett Combs and Hannah Scott Avery but with the two players graduated, the Patriots were not supposed to be back in this position.
“I don’t think anybody would’ve told you, you’re going through Parrott this year after losing two All-State full rotation kids,” APA head coach David Barnes said. “Not many people would’ve said we would finish in the top half of our conference. I have been elated all year long. Each time we would get a win, I would be like wow. Then we’d get another, ‘wow, I can’t believe this team keeps getting it done.’”
Truthfully, Barnes said he picked Caldwell Academy to win the state championship before the season because they didn’t lose a player and finished in the top four last season. But the Patriots went to the Eagles’ house for the second match of the season. APA won in five sets, which got their head coach wondering “how did that happen?”
“I’m thinking we can go up there and get waxed, and we go up there and beat them in five,” Barnes said. “That was the first ‘Woah, Woah, Woah, what just happened?’”
Now the Patriots are playing a team they know they can beat. APA is confident they can finish the job and get the state championship, which would complete the arch Barnes has created for his team.
Barnes has been at the program four years and he’s improved every year. In his first year they won a conference championship, the second year they went to the state semifinals, the third year they went to the state championship, and now they hope to get a state championship.
“Our program, our tradition is starting to speak for itself. I believe in the kids, and the kids believe in me. We’re going to make the right decisions during game time. We’re going to make the plays when it’s game time and our backs are against the wall. We’re going to come out swinging, and find a way to get it done.”
Kai Jones can be contacted at kjones@kinston.com or 252-559-1078. Follow him on Twitter at @MMJKaiJones and on Facebook at Kai Jones.
By Kai Jones / Free Press Staff
Posted Oct 24, 2018 at 1:07 PM Updated Oct 24, 2018 at 1:07 PM
APA defeated Cary Christian in four sets
After feeling slighted for their seeding in the state tournament, the Arendell Parrott volleyball team is going back to the state championship game, but despite not having the top seed the Patriots are hosting the state championship game after beating Cary Christian in four sets.
The Patriots (20-0) are going into the NCISAA 3A state championship undefeated for the second year in a row. But last year waiting for them was another undefeated team: Asheville Christian.
This year, the Patriots headed into the playoffs hampered by the Lions (19-5) again as the seeding committee for no apparent reason awarded the top seed to the Lions, even though the Patriots had the higher MaxPreps ranking. The big issue is the NCISSA this year decided the state championship game would be played at the higher seed, which means APA would have had to travel 5 hours to Asheville. But with Asheville Christian dropping the semifinal to Caldwell Academy (23-5), the Patriots will now host the state championship game.
“This is really exciting. We have the home court advantage, and we are super excited about that. We’re going to have a bunch of our friends and a bunch of our family here to support us. We’re super excited. That’s going to be a big momentum booster,” star hitter Alli Grant Avery said.
Avery was especially big in getting her team to this moment. As “AG” goes, APA goes. The fourth set against Cary Christian (20-3) was tight, but Avery kept demanding the ball until the Patriots had won -- in fact the junior got the kill that ended the set.
“I’ve been playing with her for four years, so we have a good connection, and I love it when she just goes up and gets kill after kill after kill,” junior setter Mackenzie Pope said.
AG is just one of many players that have stepped up as the Patriots have surprised the private school volleyball world. The Patriots were expected to win last year, because of All-State players Scarlett Combs and Hannah Scott Avery but with the two players graduated, the Patriots were not supposed to be back in this position.
“I don’t think anybody would’ve told you, you’re going through Parrott this year after losing two All-State full rotation kids,” APA head coach David Barnes said. “Not many people would’ve said we would finish in the top half of our conference. I have been elated all year long. Each time we would get a win, I would be like wow. Then we’d get another, ‘wow, I can’t believe this team keeps getting it done.’”
Truthfully, Barnes said he picked Caldwell Academy to win the state championship before the season because they didn’t lose a player and finished in the top four last season. But the Patriots went to the Eagles’ house for the second match of the season. APA won in five sets, which got their head coach wondering “how did that happen?”
“I’m thinking we can go up there and get waxed, and we go up there and beat them in five,” Barnes said. “That was the first ‘Woah, Woah, Woah, what just happened?’”
Now the Patriots are playing a team they know they can beat. APA is confident they can finish the job and get the state championship, which would complete the arch Barnes has created for his team.
Barnes has been at the program four years and he’s improved every year. In his first year they won a conference championship, the second year they went to the state semifinals, the third year they went to the state championship, and now they hope to get a state championship.
“Our program, our tradition is starting to speak for itself. I believe in the kids, and the kids believe in me. We’re going to make the right decisions during game time. We’re going to make the plays when it’s game time and our backs are against the wall. We’re going to come out swinging, and find a way to get it done.”
Kai Jones can be contacted at kjones@kinston.com or 252-559-1078. Follow him on Twitter at @MMJKaiJones and on Facebook at Kai Jones.
