23 Jan 2013

​For the second consecutive year, the Asheville Trailblazers have swept all three divisions in girls volleyball at the NCHEAC State Championships. The 2012 NCHEAC Girls Volleyball State Championships were held in Winston-Salem on October 20. East and West regional tournaments were held October 19, also in Winston-Salem. The East had teams participating from Alamance County, Cary, Durham County, Fayetteville, Harnett County, Johnston County, North Wake County, West Wake County and Wake Forest, also out of Wake County. The West teams participating were from Asheville, Cabarrus County, Forsyth County and Greensboro. Cary and North Wake were new teams to compete this season.

Advancing from regional play into state round from the East were North Wake and West Wake in the middle school division, Fayetteville and West Wake in the JV division and West Wake and Wake Forest in the varsity division. Teams advancing from West regional play into state round were Asheville and Forsyth in the middle school division, Asheville and Greensboro in the JV division and Asheville and Cabarrus in the varsity division.

In the varsity division state semi-finals, Cabarrus defeated West Wake and Asheville defeated Wake Forest. Asheville then defeated Cabarrus in the title game 3-0 (25-11; 25-10; 25-5), repeating as state champion and claiming their fourth state championship in the past six years. All-tournament team members in the varsity division were: Paige Storey (North Wake); Katherine Woodley (Forsyth); Christine Patterson (Fayetteville); Courtney Eckmann (Alamance); Keturah Wells (Wake Forest); Kimberly Hovey (West Wake); Anna Messisco (Cabarrus); Kendyl Parker (Cabarrus); Alex Arnette (Asheville, *MVP); Mary Kania (Asheville); Hannah Smith (Asheville).

In the JV semi-finals, Greensboro defeated Fayetteville, while Asheville defeated West Wake. Asheville then defeated Greensboro in the state final 2-0, (25-22; 25-12) to repeat as the JV state champion. This was Asheville’s third consecutive state championship in the JV division. All-tournament team members in the JV division were: Ansley Paige Niebaum (Johnston); Kailey Macy (Durham); Aubrey Hendren (Cabarrus); Maggie Rymer (Cary); Hope Arrowood (Forsyth); Sophie Stoddard (North Wake); Jillian Taylor (Harnett); Samarra Merritt (Wake Forest); Allyson Brown (Fayetteville); Kara Adams (West Wake); Ashton Kirven (Greensboro); Caroline Webster (Greensboro); Rebekah Downer (Asheville); Katie Kania (Asheville); Gabie Marshall (Asheville, *MVP).

In the middle school division semi-finals, newcomer North Wake defeated Forsyth, while Asheville topped West Wake. In the championship game, North Wake was able to take Asheville to three sets before falling to the Trailblazers. Asheville won the championship 2-1 (25-16; 17-25; 25-18), to claim their fifth consecutive state title. They are the only team to have won a state championship in the middle school division. All-tournament team members in the middle school division were: Twilla Matthews (Harnett); Maddie Mullins (Greensboro ); Macy Emery (Cary); Leah Ferrell (Johnston); Emily Thomas (Fayetteville); Miciah Drane (West Wake); Kristen Roache (Forsyth); Lucy Conley (North Wake); Shirita Wells (North Wake); Ashley Downer (Asheville); Kelly McCall (Asheville, *MVP); Elizabeth Vining (Asheville).

 

The games were played at the Gateway YWCA and Wake Forest University. There were a total of twenty-nine teams represented among the three divisions.

 

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