‘G-town’ attitude has Grafton poised for first state volleyball title after eight second-places
Is it finally time for the Class 4 girls volleyball state championship trophy to reside in G-town?
“G-town” is the name senior Alondra Miranda-Pagan says describes Grafton High volleyball. It is a place, of course — the school and its volleyball court — but it is also an attitude.
“‘G-town’ hypes us up,” Miranda-Pagan said of the Clippers’ pre-match battle cry, “because it represents in total, no matter who we are playing, girls who leave it on the court and play their hearts out.
“We hold each other accountable, but we reset and play for each other.”
And they win. The Clippers (27-2) have won 19 consecutive matches following their three-set sweep of Atlee in the state quarterfinals Saturday, and have dropped only one set of 58 in the process.
Their excellence has moved them into the semifinals Tuesday, when they will play at King George (27-2) for the opportunity to play for the state championship at VCU’s Siegel Center on Saturday. The ever-elusive state championship.
Grafton has been to the Class 4-level state final eight times since 2008, including the past five seasons, and never won. Each time, national powerhouse Loudoun County — something of a Northern Virginia all-star team — denied the Clippers the crown.
David Keeter, the Clippers’ fourth-year coach, said Loudoun County routinely started three or four players 6-foot-2 or taller and played at a speed that was “intimidating.” But the Clippers went toe-to-toe in an agonizing four-set defeat last year in which he said his players were not intimidated but made a few too many errors.
Seven of his top players return, six of them seniors. His daughter, hitter Alexis Keeter — a junior and the Class 4 Region A Player of the Year — already has committed to play volleyball for Florida Gulf Coast.
Loudoun County did not make the state tournament. Keeter said while the other three remaining teams are good, they are smaller, less-experienced and not as talented as the typical Loudoun County team. Grafton, meanwhile, is as good as it’s ever been.
“This is probably the best team we’ve had since I’ve been at Grafton,” he said. “All of our older players are more seasoned and we’re better at every position.”
Alexis Keeter said, “I don’t think any of the teams we’ll play if we make the final have been there, so they’ll have to battle nerves. We’ll have the advantage toward that.”
In Alexis Keeter, the Clippers have a player who puts away shots at the net at a high percentage. She has 103 kills in the past four matches, none of which has gone past three sets.
The connection between her and setter Miranda-Pagan, who routinely notches more than 30 assists a match, is almost flawless, and their mutual respect is high.
“Alondra is a really, really hard worker and a great leader who tries to communicate to make sure everyone is pushing to the limit at all times,” Alexis Keeter said.
Miranda-Pagan, a first-team all-region selection, said, “Alexis is one of the best hitters to come out of Grafton for sure. Not only can she kill a ball on a perfect set, she works with whatever I give her.”
The Clippers boast a deep and experienced eight-player rotation. Senior Maesyn Blaylock has been a huge complement to Keeter at hitter, with 220 kills this season after entering the season with 94 for her career.
Senior Madison Livengood has been an explosive blocker at the net. First-team all-region libero Erin Brewer, a senior, has saved one free ball after another expertly. Freshman Allyson Burke has served consistently well.
Seniors Avery Mead and Emilee Green round out the rotation, but the other eight Clippers have been as important in G-town as the first eight.
“On our journey to get back to the state championship, we’ve emphasized that ‘practice matters,’” Keeter said. “We felt like we had to come into the gym and practice hard every day, and that the second unit had to attack the first in 6-on-6 situationals.
“All 16 players competed, and that has made practice fun. If there is any team that deserves a state title, it’s this team.
“It would be amazing to send our seniors off with a state championship after lots of runner-ups.”
Girls volleyball
Tuesday, Nov. 15
Class 6 semifinals
Kellam at Colgan, 6 p.m.
Chantilly at Alexandria City, 7 p.m.
Championship at VCU’s Siegel Center: Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
Class 5 semifinals
First Colonial at Cox, 5:30 p.m.
Massaponax at Midlothian, 7 p.m.
Championship at VCU’s Siegel Center: Saturday, 6:30 p.m.
Class 4 semifinals
Grafton at King George, 7 p.m.
Dominion at James Wood, 7 p.m.
Championship at VCU’s Siegel Center: Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
Class 3 semifinals
Warren County at York, 6 p.m.
Hidden Valley at Fort Defiance, 7 p.m.
Championship at Salem Civic Center: Saturday, noon
Class 2 semifinals
Poquoson at East Rockingham, 6:30 p.m.
Gate City at Glenvar, 6:30 p.m.
Championship at Salem Civic Center: Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
Class 1 semifinals
Giles at Auburn, 7 p.m.
Rappahannock at Rappahannock County, 6 p.m.
Championship at Salem Civic Center: Saturday, 2:15 p.m.
Boys volleyball
Tuesday, Nov. 15
Class 5 semifinals
James River at Thomas Dale, 6 p.m.
Deep Run at Glen Allen, 6 p.m.
Championship at VCU’s Siegel Center: Saturday, noon
Class 4 semifinals
Matoaca at Patrick Henry of Ashland, 6 p.m.
Monacan at Maggie Walker, 6:30 p.m.
Championship at VCU’s Siegel Center: Saturday, 10 a.m.
