‘THEY LIVE FOR OCTOBER’: No. 1 Addison downs No. 5 Covenant Christian to secure Class 1A state crown
In what’s become a fall tradition, myriad smiles illuminated Addison’s bench during yet another coronation.
After all, life at the top of the mountain — a captivating view all too familiar to the Lady Bulldogs — is still one worth savoring.
Top-ranked Addison knocked off No. 5 Covenant Christian (25-9, 25-20, 25-18) at Bill Harris Arena to earn the Class 1A state volleyball title — the program’s third straight state championship, ninth in the past 10 seasons and 14th overall — and wrap up its tremendous season with a 46-10 record.
Wednesday’s triumph capped an impressive postseason performance for the Lady Bulldogs, who didn’t drop a set from their area tournament on and outscored their opponents 25-11 on average per set.
“They live for October,” Addison coach Kaydi Woodard said. “It’s like Christmas for them. Experience plays a big role, and they know when you get to this point you’ve got to stay focused and take care of business.”
Tournament MVP Gracie Manley, who recorded 29 assists, seven digs, five kills and an ace, couldn’t have been more elated to contribute — again — to Addison’s remarkable dynasty.
“It’s very cool,” she said. “It’s great we have the opportunity to do this so many times, but we definitely earn it. We work out at 5 in the morning in the summer. We don’t have to do that. We knew this wasn’t going to be handed to us. I think it’s really awesome we won again, but we worked for it.”
The Lady Bulldogs dominated the first set and held a lead throughout a close second before meeting with some adversity in the third … they trailed.
In the end, though, they simply had more bite than Covenant Christian.
“There were times this season where if we got down one point we were going to get down by five or six,” Woodard said. “We actually started doing a practice drill where we had to be first to five, first to 10, first to 15. In the middle of that third set I asked, ‘Hey, are we going to have to stop and run?’” They were like, ‘No, we’ll get it together.’ I told them that is a good idea. We just got refocused and got the job done.”
Added Manley: “I think a lot of our problems came because we thought we were going to come in there, and they were going to lay down. I told them that was not the case and that we needed to go out and play how we knew how to play. Then, we’d be fine.”
Abby Waldrep (eight kills), Bailee Ory (12 digs and two kills) and Dacey Baker (13 kills, two digs and an assist) joined Manley on the All-Tournament Team.
Lauryn Cunningham (five kills), Hadley Butler (seven digs, six assists, three aces and a kill), Lydia Ergle (five kills), Katie Barrett (nine kills, five digs, four aces and two assists), Ashley Harden (an ace and a kill) and Molly Gilbreath (five digs, two aces and an assist) also contributed. Olivia Gober, Emma Willingham and Mattie Johnson make up the rest of the roster.
Waldrep, Manley, Ergle, Gilbreath, Harden and Gober comprise this year’s seniors, a wonderful group Woodard had on her mind during the dogpile celebration.
“These seniors were in 10th grade when I started, and it’s sad we have to lose them,” she said. “It was emotional, but I was so happy for them.”
For Manley, Wednesday represented one last chance to don an Addison uniform and represent the program that’s given her so much both on and off the volleyball court.
“I’ve been stressing out so much,” she said. “I’ve been on the team for five years, and it’s never gotten easier. This has definitely been the hardest year, because it’s my senior year, but it’s awesome to win.”