Oct. 20, 2023, is a date that will forever be remembered as a highlight in Sale Creek sports history.
Sale Creek’s volleyball team won the high school’s first TSSAA state championship in any sport with a four-set victory over Loretto, 22-25, 25-15, 25-19, 25-21, in the Class A final Friday at Murfreesboro’s Siegel High School.
Senior Ava Higgins provided a superstar performance for the Lady Panthers (50-2), who closed a remarkable season with their 44th consecutive victory. Higgins, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter, pounded her way to a season-high 26 kills against Loretto (46-9) and was named MVP of the event.
Sale Creek sophomore Karma Higgins, Ava’s sister, provided 51 assists and three blocks in the historic victory for a school that first opened its doors more than a century ago.
“This is a success story that so many teams here have attempted to write just to fall short in the end,” Lady Panthers coach Erin Briner wrote in a text message to the Times Free Press. “Each of these teams represented students, families and graduates of our small school who were deeply connected to each other and to the Panther family.
“Many of these families have supported our teams and school for generations. Today, we saw our entire community of graduates, current students, past and present faculty and families celebrate together. An entire community of Panthers.”
Junior Eisa Eilertson recorded 12 kills and five blocks, and senior McKenzie Parks and junior Enslee Norwood had eight kills apiece and combined for 25 digs to help provide a storybook finish for Sale Creek.
The only other two TSSAA state finals appearances in school history were in 2018, when the Lady Panthers softball program was second at the Spring Fling and the volleyball team ended a 40-8 season with a four-set loss to Loretto in the championship match that fall. That remains the lone volleyball state title for Loretto, which on Friday was making its fifth appearance in the Class A final, having also finished second in 2009, 2020 and last year.
This was Sale Creek’s eighth consecutive appearance at the state tournament, and the Lady Panthers closed their run with sophomore Hailee Blaylock landing the title-clinching kill on an assist from Karma Higgins.
With a chance for an unprecedented trio of volleyball state titles for the Chattanooga area, Signal Mountain followed suit by winning the Class AA crown in four sets over Nashville’s Valor College Prep, 25-20, 23-25, 25-20, 25-20 in Friday’s second final at Siegel.
Senior standout Emily Redman led Signal Mountain (30-6) with 19 kills and 19 digs while also adding four blocks. Named MVP afterward, she shared the memorable victory with her mother — head coach Jennifer Redman, who also coached the Lady Eagles to their first volleyball state title in 2010 and runner-up finishes in 2014 and 2016.
“For me, I am overwhelmed with happiness as a mom for Emily,” Coach Redman told the TFP in a text message. “These girls wanted to win state so bad and they got it done. As a coach, I am super happy to be back at Signal and bring the state trophy back up the mountain. As a coach and as a mom, I am just so proud. We are all on cloud nine.”
Signal Mountain sophomore Becca Rogers, who provided the winning kill on an assist from junior Ellie Ramsey, was dominant in the middle with 10 kills and eight blocks against first-time finalist Valor College Prep (30-6). Junior outside hitter Carlee Lowry showcased her versatility with 16 assists, 13 digs and 12 kills in the victory, senior Dillia Lowry had four blocks and Ramsey led the Lady Eagles with 20 assists.
In the last final of the day at Siegel, Cleveland completed the Chattanooga area’s sweep of the public school classification titles and repeated as Class AAA champion. The Lady Blue Raiders beat Nolensville 25-21, 29-27, 25-18.
Just like Sale Creek and Signal Mountain, Cleveland (43-8) was unbeaten this week at state and had a final that was a rematch from earlier in the tournament, with Nolensville (30-16) — which lost for the first time in four finals appearances — coming out of the elimination bracket but getting swept by the Lady Blue Raiders for the second time in two days.
Cleveland setter Kinslee McGowan sealed the title with a kill on an assist from fellow senior Addison Brock. McGowan had 37 assists in the victory, with Brock adding a team-high 15 digs.
McGowan joined her mother, Lady Blue Raiders coach Amy McGowan, in winning back-to-back state titles as a player. Amy McGowan helped lead Bradley Central to consecutive AAA championships in 1993-94, and she wrote in a text message to the TFP that having her daughter do the same thing at Cleveland “means a lot,” adding that it “was awesome.”
“These girls were ready and I’m just super proud of their resilience!” Coach McGowan wrote.
Junior phenom Lauren Hurst was named MVP after recording 27 kills against Nolensville, including 12 in a thrilling second set as Cleveland fought back from a 21-17 deficit. The 6-foot-3 Hurst finished the season with 768 kills, including 101 in four state matches.
Cleveland sophomore Gunny Brock had 12 kills and 11 digs in the final, when Lily O’Bryan added eight kills and two blocks.
This was the first time three local programs won TSSAA volleyball state titles in the same season. The TSSAA lists champions for the sport dating to 1976, with a single class until expanding to two in 1989, three in 1997 with the addition of Division II, four in 2007 and five starting in 2009.
Both private school finals were held Thursday, with Providence Christian (DII-A) and Briarcrest Christian (DII-AAA) the winners.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.