By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
YEATESVILLE — Playing their final volleyball match inside Northside High School, Panther seniors Whitney Lewis, Savanna Boyd and Shannon Cuthrell wanted to make sure it was special.
Did they ever.
The seniors led the Panthers (8-10, 6-9) to a stunning win over Southside, a five-game victory that vaulted the Panthers into the playoffs and, most likely, kept the Seahawks (13-9, 6-8) home.
“This is great; it’s awesome,” Cuthrell said. “I prayed for this.”
In a back-and-forth match, Northside eventually pulled out a 25-22, 9-25, 25-11, 6-25, 16-14 victory. Northside coach Tami Wagaman was obviously thrilled with the win, which gave the Panthers the fourth seed out of the Four Rivers Conference.
“This decided which one of us was going to the playoffs,” Wagaman said. “It was a rival game with a lot of energy. It was Senior Night and there was a lot going on, and once again we were up and down.
“Southside hung in there. They had some tremendous blocks.”
Wagaman was pleased her seniors were able to capture the all-important win.
“The senior leaders were outstanding tonight,” Wagaman said. “When we needed them, they stepped up. Whitney, Shannon and Savanna all had great plays and that’s what got the team going.”
Southside coach Elizabeth Pruden, gracious in defeat, was left scratching her head.
“I have no idea (what happened),” Pruden said. “I wish I knew. Since I’ve been coaching, we’ve never lost to Northside, and I’ve never not gone to the playoffs. I thought with five seniors this year, we were going to have an outstanding team, but, oh well.”
Tuesday’s match came down to the fifth game, where the Panthers battled back from deficits of 12-8 and 13-11 to earn the 16-14 win.
“We just pulled it together,” Boyd said. “We knew we wanted this, especially the seniors. We worked as a team and pulled it off.”
Lewis, who joked around with Boyd and kept the team loose before and during the game, was able to leave with a smile.
“This feels really good,” said Lewis, who was crowned Northside’s homecoming queen Friday night. “The seniors really wanted this.”
Kristen Ayers, who had a phenomenal night serving, got Southside off to a 5-0 start in the first game. Caitlin Bogart rattled off three points of her own to help give the Seahawks a 16-9 advantage.
Sara Credle got Northside back in the game thanks to some hot serving, while Boyd and freshman Jordan Woolard had some key plays at the net. A Cuthrell kill helped Northside finish off the rally for the 25-22 win.
It was all Southside in the second game. Ayers used strong serving to help give Southside an early 10-1 lead, while an Atyana Starkie ace capped the game, 25-9.
Strong serving by Lewis, Rachel Hollowell and Woolard, who polished off nine consecutive service points, helped Northside breeze to the 25-11 win in the third game.
The Seahawks dominated the fourth game. Ayers chalked up 14 straight points and Southside led 15-0. Bogart tallied the final four points in the 25-6 blowout.
Four straight points by Bogart in the fifth game gave the Seahawks an 8-6 advantage, before a Lewis ace tied it. Jessica Taylor served three straight points for Southside a short time later, giving the Seahawks a 12-8 lead.
Credle’s serving, coupled with a Hollowell kill, made it 12-11. After Southside went up 13-11, Woolard’s smash gave the ball back to Northside. Hollowell’s serving gave the Panthers a 14-13 lead, before Southside tied it at 14-apiece.
A huge kill by Boyd, landing just inside the court, gave the Panthers a 15-14 lead. Jordan Cooke’s serve capped the match.
Cuthrell is hoping the Panthers came make some noise in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A state playoffs. Northside will travel to Dixon on Saturday for its first-round match.
“It’s going to take everything we have,” Cuthrell said. “We’ll have to lay it all out on the floor. We’ll just have to give it our all.”
Pruden is hoping for a better outcome next season. While the Seahawks will lose five seniors, big hitters Starkie and Nikki Hodges return.
“We’re not going to be as experienced, but I think we’ll work together well,” Pruden said.