As the season comes to an end, this year’s Adair County girls’ volleyball team has broken records and made history. Although the season ended sooner than they had hoped; it is one to be proud of.
The Lady Indians made it to the finals in district play where they faced Taylor County. It was a battle to the end. Addie Bowman suffered an injury during the third set and was unable to return to the court. Adair tied the score at 2-2 forcing a fifth game. Ultimately, Taylor County edged out Adair to win the district championship.
Several players received awards during district play. Josie Blair, Olivia Mantooth, and Kinzlee Akin were all named to the 20th District All-Tournament Team and the 20th District All-Season Team. Akin was also named to the 20th District All-Academic Team, and Anslie Spoon earned a spot on the 20th District All-Tournament Team.
As 20th District Runner-Ups, the Lady Indians advanced to the 5th Region tournament on Sunday where they faced off against number one seed Elizabethtown. With a 0-3 score, the season came to an end.
During the game against Elizabethtown, Olivia Mantooth surpassed the 1000 kills mark becoming the first player in Adair County volleyball history to achieve this milestone.
“A season to be proud of,” Said Head Coach Michelle Neat. “A year ago we sat in our own gym after a disappointing performance in the first round of the district tournament. We expected to win; things didn’t go our way. Through that adversity, we developed a hunger to achieve more.”
“We had numerous goals this season, and while we feel some were not achieved, we can’t be disappointed in the records we broke, the standard we set, and the talk we created around the state. Adair County volleyball has gone from a program no one respected, to one that people fear,” she said.
The team ended with a 29-8 record, the most wins in program history. They earned a place in the 2A State Tournament, where they made it to the semifinals. The Lady Indians won the title of 20th District Runner-Up and made their first ever team appearance in the 5th Region Tournament. They maintained a top 25 ranking in the KVCA throughout the season.
The team will graduate four seniors who have been instrumental in making a name for Adair County volleyball. Neat said that these four ladies are high achieving students, kindhearted women and excellent teammates.
“They are irreplaceable in that regard, but the next generation must fill their shoes. That’s the beauty of life, we are blessed to experience such wonderful moments for a short season,” she said. “When that season ends, we have to hope we’ve created a legacy that will continue for years to come. This team has done that - they’ve paved the way for future generations of Adair County volleyball to have an easier road.”
Neat says that the team will be back to work soon, striving to achieve more and grow together.
By Amy Pike
amy@adairvoice.com
