HISTORY MADE
By Shea Haile
Courier Sports
The Smith County High Lady Owls volleyball team completed a historic postseason run as the 2024 unit became the first in program history to qualify for Substate / Sectionals.
The Black-and-Gold’s postseason surge began in the District 8A Tournament where the Lady Owls claimed a 3-2 semifinal victory over Trousdale County October 7. It was the second time ever SCHS volleyball had made a region tournament appearance with their first coming in 2009.
Smith County would fall in the District 8A title clash against East Robertson 3-0 on October 9 — giving the Lady Indians an opportunity to host the Region 4A Tournament.
The Lady Owls were pitted against familiar cross-county foe and District 7A champion the Gordonsville Tigerettes. Smith Co. had fell in their two previous meetings against Gordonsville (3-2 on September 11 in Carthage) and (3-0 on October 2 in Gordonsville.
However the Lady Owls avenged the previous losses to their arch nemesis and claimed a 3-1 victory last Tuesday evening. The upset of the 7A champion clinched the program’s first ever Substate / Sectional appearance.
After their emotional four set win over the Tigerettes, the Lady Owls challenged 1A powerhouse East Robertson in the program’s first region title game Tuesday night. The Lady Indians claimed a 3-0 sweep as the unit defeated Smith Co. for the fourth time in 2024.
With the Region 4A Runners-up finish, the Black-and-Gold had to travel to defending Class 1A champion Sale Creek in Substate / Sectional action.
Unfortunately for the Lady Owls, Sale Creek flexed their elite muscle and defeated SCHS with a 3-0 sweep.
“I had the opportunity to coach most of these young ladies in middle school and then again in high school so I knew just how special this team was and could be,” said SCHS head volleyball coach Krissa Hackett. “This group of seniors have been great leaders to their teammates and have worked so hard throughout the season. Each of them did what was asked of them each game. Sometimes that might just be serving or playing just back row or even cheering from the bench but they all had one goal in mind and that was to go as far as they could do they all were very unselfish. I believe that was the key for this team.
Hackett continued and discussed her message to the unit after they concluded their program-best 19-17 Substate seasons, “As for the after game talk, I told them that things didn’t go our way tonight but that they had made a name for our program because of their dedication. I told them how much I appreciated each of them and that I loved them all. I told them that these memories that they had made with the others on this team will last a lifetime and to cherish it. Moments like this don’t happen all the time so be proud of what they all accomplished.”
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