Mountain-size challenges: NW, Dalton, SE face tough opening foes

Oct 15, 2009 (The Daily Citizen - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- SCRK | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Northwest Whitfield and Dalton face stiff challenges today when the Class 4A state volleyball tournament begins.

All that needs to be said is they're facing teams from Area 3-4A, which has produced the past two state champions -- Sandy Creek (2008) and McIntosh (2007).

Northwest, Area 7-4A's No. 2 seed, will host Northgate at 5 p.m. in a best-of-five match in Tunnel Hill. Northgate (38-12) is ranked No. 4 in the latest GaSports.com coaches poll. The Lady Bruins (27-12) have slipped back into the coaches poll at No. 10 this week.

Dalton's Lady Catamounts (12-22), Area 7-4A's No. 4 seed, have the unenviable task of traveling to Fayetteville to play the No. 1-ranked Whitewater Lady Wildcats (34-14). The Lady Wildcats beat Sandy Creek 25-19, 27-25, 22-25, 23-25, 10-15 on Saturday to capture the Area 3-4A championship.

The Dalton-Whitewater match also starts at 5 p.m.

Southeast (23-17) begins its quest for a Class 3A state title on Saturday when the Lady Raiders make a 3 1/2-hour bus ride to Columbus to play Shaw's Lady Raiders (30-12) at 3:30 p.m.

"We're really going into this match blind," Northwest coach Ricahrd Taylor said. "I've seen some of the Northgate stats but we haven't seen them play. However, I know what a strong area that is down there. They've had the past two state champions. We didn't get any favors. Last year our area had three teams in the final eight and their area had three teams in the final eight. This year the two areas are paired against each other.

"We have to play as good as we can play to beat them."

Taylor said that while he hasn't seen Northgate play this season, he has watched Whitewater, Sandy Creek and Starr's Mill.

In fact, the Lady Bruins played Starr's Mill on Oct. 2 and lost 19-25, 25-14, 21-25.

"That was a tight match," Taylor said. "And we know the kind of teams they've beaten. Starr's Mill beat Chattahoochee (No. 8 in the Class 5A poll) and we beat Starr's Mill. I expect a real battle, just like in the area finals against Sequoyah. Sequoyah is ranked fifth in the poll and Northgate is right ahead of them."

Northwest will rely heavily on the play of Kelsey Kirk, Christy Robinson and Alex Warren, all of whom earned spots on the Area 7-4A team selected by league coaches.

Dalton coach Lisa Donahue also knows Area 3-4A pretty well, although she's working with a vague scouting report on White-water.

"That's a disadvantage, but I know the top four teams in that area are going to be tough," Donahue said. "Whitewater upset Sandy Creek to win the area championship, and that tells me they're playing some of their best volleyball right now."

Donahue said Emily Harbin has picked up her play in the middle and Kathryn Sigmon continues her consistent play while making even better decisions setting.

"Everybody seems to be peaking at the right time," Donahue said. "Our girls are excited and want to prove something.

"We've struggled with wins and losses, but I think they've played better than that."

This marks the seventh state tournament appearance in eight years for the Lady Cats. In 2008, Dalton lost to eventual state champion Sandy Creek.

Today, they'll face the No. 1 team.

"If we play our best game, you don't know what might happen," Donahue said. "They may take us lightly."

Southeast will leave at 10:45 a.m. Saturday for the long haul to Columbus, but hopes its effort will produce a victory over Shaw, which competes in Region 2-3A. Shaw, a No. 2 seed, comes into today's match having won six of its last 10 matches.

Coach Jake Dickey's Lady Raiders beat Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 25-15, 25-18 to earn a spot in the Area 6-3A tournament winner's bracket final. But they lost to Heritage-Catoosa and 10th-ranked Ringgold to end their title hopes. Southeast goes to Columbus as a No. 3 seed.

"I think we may have a good chance against Shaw," Dickey said. "We played them in the summer without two of our starters -- Shelby McFarland and Lynsey King. I understand Shaw's best player tore the ACL in her knee during warmups at the area tournament, but I don't know that for sure.

"But our girls are excited. This is the first time at state for this group since their freshman year. We can play with anybody right now as long as we communicate like we did against LFO."

Dickey said three of his top players -- Crump, King and Cassey Adams -- were chosen to the coaches' All-Area 6-3A squad.

To see more of The Daily Citizen or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to
http://www.northwestgeorgia.com/. Copyright (c) 2009, The Daily Citizen, Dalton,
Ga. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email
tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax
to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave.,
Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

More News:   Market Updates | Stock Alerts | All Trading News | Stock Index