Sneads Volleyball is District Runners-Up

By: Shelia Mader

The Sneads Lady Pirates wrapped up their volleyball season last Thursday night, but just temporarily, falling to the Blountstown Tigers in the district championship match. Despite their best efforts, the Tigers took the win in three straight sets, 25-13, 26-24, and 25-11.

The loss didn’t come without fight, especially in the second set, when the Pirates pushed Blountstown into overtime before narrowly falling short. With the finish, Sneads holds the title of District Runners-Up, and moved to 21-11 winning season.  They have been awarded an at large bid to compete in the Regional Semi-Finals this weekend. They will take the court against the Blountstown Tigers at 2:00 p.m. in Blountstown.

To reach the championship, Sneads swept Altha in the first round of the district playoffs, a solid 3-0 victory and their first win over Altha this season. The Pirates took that match 25-21, 25-20, and 25-17.

Offensively, Naryah Dudley powered the team with 13 kills, followed by Skyleigh O’Connor with eight and Izzy Williams with six. On defense, LaRay Gibbs led with 32 digs, while Dudley added 17 and Shaleigh Harrell contributed 13. Morgan Veilleux directed the attack with an impressive 32 assists. Gibbs also led serve receives with 18, trailed by Dudley with 12 and Rogers with 11.

In the championship match, Dudley again set the tone with five aces, with Williams close behind at four. Gibbs led defensively with 14 digs, and Veilleux added seven while dishing out all 14 of Sneads’ assists. Gibbs recorded 20 serve receives, and Dudley followed with 15.

No matter the outcome Saturday, the Pirates have plenty to be proud of, a winning record, a strong playoff showing, and a district runner-up title that reflects their hard work and growth throughout the year. Congratulations to the Sneads Lady Pirates on a memorable season and a strong finish.