For many on the outside the prospect of the South Greene volleyball team making its 16th straight state tournament appearance this season seemed far-fetched. But for the Lady Rebels no obstacle has been too big to overcome, and on Thursday night the last thing standing in their way was a state sectional match with the Chattanooga School of Liberal Arts.
South Greene made quick work of the Lady Eagles, earning a decisive 3-0 sweep (25-16, 25-21, 25-18) that kept the streak alive.
“It feels great to be going back to state,” South Greene senior Davanie Tarlton said. “It’s a big relief. It feels like a big pressure has been taken off our backs. I’m so excited right now, and I started crying because getting this win was the biggest relief ever. To know that my class didn’t end the streak was big. And now we get to go back to state and try to fight and see how far we can make it.”
In a season that was far from easy South Greene coach Stephen Gregg was quick to point out how proud he was of his squad for always fighting. The Lady Rebels only played two home games all year after construction and then a fire in their gymnasium. In fact, Thursday’s game was played at Chuckey-Doak High School because the gym on Rebel Hill is still not open. The South Greene community is still dealing with flood damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Injuries have changed the lineup throughout the season. And the Lady Rebels finished the regular season with an 8-8 record, a win total that was more than tripled in many of those 15 previous state-tournament runs.
“I’m more proud of this team than any team I’ve ever coached,” Gregg said. “If you look at everything they have had to endure, life throws you curve balls, and it’s about how you handle them. But this is the most gritty and resilient team that I can remember ever having. Our goal every year is to be in this position, but at times this year I’m sure there were people that thought we were crazy for thinking that we could get here. But all of that adversity has made us better, and made us ready for nights like tonight. These girls are on a mission, and they are starting to peak. But I don’t know that I have seen their best yet.”
The Class A State Tournament will begin on Tuesday at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro.
Thursday’s first set started with CSLA claiming an early 3-1 lead, but then Tarlton rotated in off the bench and quickly made her presence known. She started with a thundering slam from the left side and tied the set at 3-3 with another kill from the middle.
Tarlton gave South Greene the lead at 5-4 when she stuffed a swing by Serrea Battle, and the Lady Rebels played from in front the rest of the set.
“Davanie was asking some things before the game about what strategies we were wanting tonight,” Gregg said. “You love that as a coach, when a senior is coming up asking about things like that and wanting to learn the game. When your leaders are doing that, it spills over to everyone else. This is not a prideful team and they love each other.”
Addison Compton sent over six consecutive serves as the lead grew to 10-4. Reagan Arrowood closed the run with a tip and a block.
CSLA closed the gap to 10-7 after Battle and Sydney Heisig snuck tips over the net. Scout Coulter scored on a second-hit dump to cut South Greene’s led to 13-11.
Baylee Jennings got the Lady Rebels going again when she sent kill down the left boundary. The lead grew to 17-11 when Sadie Trammel sent a free ball deep over the Lady Eagles and landed it on the back line.
Trammel followed with three consecutive knuckle-ball aces that pushed the lead to 21-12. In the closing stretch Jennings beat the block with a tip and then finished a long volley with a push to the deep corner that demoralized the Lady Eagles. Compton ended the 25-16 win with an ace.
In the second set South Greene jumped in front 3-0 after Jennings scored on a block and a first-hit kill, but CSLA came back and tied things at 3-3.
Things were tied again at 6-6, but then a bad serve from the Lady Eagles gave the lead back to South Greene. Arrowood tipped a ball over two blockers and Tarlton slammed a kill from the middle for a 9-6 lead.
An ace by Faith Baughard and a tip from Arrowood pushed the Lady Rebels’ advantage to 12-8.
CSLA once again tied things at 12-12 after Coulter landed a pair of aces. An ace by Molly Billington evened the score at 18-18.
Tarlton gave the lead back to South Greene with a punishing slam that came after a long volley in which South Greene’s back line made a handful of tough saves.
Whitney Reaves dropped a crucial free ball into the dead center of the Lady Eagles formation for a 24-21 lead, and the 25-21 set finished when CSLA’s Battle missed a kill attempt.
In the third set the Lady Eagles battled and played from in front for much of the early going. After Coulter and Heisig each landed kills CSLA led 12-7.
An error gave the serve back to South Greene and then Reaves stayed on the service line for nine straight points. She started that run with back-to-back aces.
Tarlton was on the bench during the run, but Jennings and Trammel filled in at the net with aplomb. Jennings pounded a kill from the middle to even the score at 12-12, and Trammel followed with a slam from the left side.
The Lady Rebels lead grew to 17-12 after Jenning came up with a tough block and Trammel scored on a kill and a tip.
“We got behind in that third set but they managed to control their emotions,” Gregg said. “They didn’t let their emotions become their actions, and it was good to see that the mental edge was there. To not serve it out in a tight set with that many service attempts is impressive. But everybody did their share. Sadie and Baylee, and Reagan too all stepped up at the net. It was a total team effort.”
A net violation narrowed the margin to 17-14, but then Jennings and Tarlton answered with slams.
Tarlton landed a kill that gave South Greene its biggest lead at 23-17. Trammel rolled a kill down the net to get South Greene within one point before the Lady Rebels watched Battle’s final swing sail long.
West Greene was also competing in the Class A State Sectionals on Thursday for the first time since 2007. The Lady Buffaloes traveled to Chattanooga School for Arts and Science but fell 3-0.
