To ask teachers, coaches and even players, the end of a sports season is always met with mixed emotions.
Those mixed emotions come to the surface on senior night.
This year’s group of Highlands volleyball seniors features Jeslyn Head, Morgan Olvera, Kedra McCall, Bailey Schmitt and longtime team manager Sayla Roman.
There comes that time to say good-bye.
Highlands called its home portion of the regular season a wrap on Tuesday against visiting Cherokee. Highlands won by a 3-0 count 25-10, 25-10 and 25-13 to improve to 11-12, 5-1 and honored its seniors with a senior night ceremony between games two and three.
Coach Katy Postell said while senior night is a great time for the girls, she always leaves the game with a little bit of a heavy heart. Saying good-bye is hard.
“We always want our seniors to know just how much they mean to us, for putting their time in and dedicating themselves to the team,” Postell said.
Postell mentioned her four seniors who gave it their all on the court and a fifth senior that handled details behind the scenes to make her life easier come game time.
“All five of them are an integral part of the team, and without them, the team could not run as it does, they would not be a family without those girls there,” she said. “Kedra McCall, Jeslyn Head and Morgan Olvera, I have coached them all since their Sophomore year, and I have watched them all grow into amazing young ladies, both on the court and off. Bailey Schmitt joined the team last year and has been a great addition to the front line, and Sayla Roman has been my right-brain for the past few years. Without her I could not function on the court.”
Postell called this group of seniors an extra-special bunch of young ladies who will be missed.
“I am truly going to miss these girls, and they have left a big roll to fill by the next group to come to the team,” she said. “They have worked hard, and been committed to the team, to the game and have helped the program grow even more than years past. They are truly a special group of young ladies who will not be easily replaced.”
On Oct. 10 against Nantahala, the Lady Highlanders came out swinging and didn’t let up until they made quick work, winning the match in a three-game sweep 25-12, 25-11 and 25-4. The win completed the Highlands’ conference schedule leaving the Lady Highlander tied for first place with Blue Ridge Early College with identical 5-1 marks.
A coin toss will determine which team gets the number one seed in the upcoming Little Smoky Mountain Conference tournament.
The LSMC Tournament begins Oct. 21 with game locations and times yet to be announced. How far Highlands advances will determine its berth in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1A tournament to follow.
“It’s going to be a hard week, with some really tough games, but we have a great team,” Postell said. “They can play with and win against anyone they step on the court against. We have had our ups and downs, but these girls can play, they have what it takes to really succeed.”
