BE wins national record 17th state title

RMO — When the streak first began — the first state title of what has now become a national record 17 straight — Kathleen Griffith was a newborn. A senior on Bishop England's current volleyball team, Griffith was two weeks old and the only member of the current team alive. For as long as each member of the active Bishop England volleyball team has been living, their school's program has been one defined by an unmatched dynasty of dominance. That continued Saturday afternoon at Dutch Fork High School. The Bishops captured their 17th straight state championship title and 27th in program history, also a national record. With a straight-set victory over Camden High School, (25-13, 25-20, 25-18) Bishops coach Cindy Baggott has now won 10 titles as the head coach. "I knew it was going to come down to ball control on our side. We can control what happens on our side of the net. We can't control what happens on their side," she said. "So I just told them to stay calm. When things start going bad, just stay calm and fix it." Competing this season in Class AAA instead of Class AA, many — including Baggott — wondered how the Bishops would fare in a classification full of stronger competition. "Everybody kind of counted us out," said Baggott of her team's chances of continuing the streak. "Everyone wanted to see us move up, so yeah, (this one's) a lot sweeter." The Bishops got off to a clean, easy start in the first set, cruising to a 25-13 win with little-to-no issues. Camden gave Bishop England a scare in the second set, when it rallied from an 11-2 deficit to knot the score at 16 thanks to a 14-5 run behind a booming student section crowd. "There definitely was fear," said senior setter Rhetta Moore of Camden mounting a comeback. "I think before the game even started there was fear, but it was fun." With the victory, the senior class leaves the program with an unblemished, 100 percent track record in state championship games. Moore concludes her senior season with more than 1,100 assists, and senior Emma Lawrence finishes hers with more than 300 kills. Lawrence was in tears following the match, as the Bishop England team dogpiled at the net and the student section stormed the court before the official trophy presentation. When they ran into the gym, each member of the team had two numbers written in Sharpie on her hands — 27 on the left, 17 on the right, to symbolize the records at stake. Mission accomplished. "This is what we've been working for all season. Just the excitement about it all is so emotional," Lawrence said. "It's such an honor to be a part of." Added Moore: "It was awesome. Something I'll remember for the rest of my life."

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Bishop England High School Athletics

BE WINS NATIONAL RECORD 17TH STATE TITLE

GRACE RAYNOR

Moultrie News | 11/14/2016

PHOTO CREDIT: Moultrie News