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STATE VOLLEYBALL: Donoho reaches state final third year in a row, seeks 12th title

joe medley, the anniston star, ala.
·4 min read

Oct. 27—BIRMINGHAM — Donoho athletes most appreciate their little white bus years after high school, when the cramped nature fades gives way to pining for one more ride. The last thing they want to do is sit in it for two hours, waiting to play a state final.

The best news for the Falcons' volleyball team headed into their third state final in as many years? They won't have to sit and wait for Thursday's 10 a.m. rematch with Bayshore Christian.

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Donoho swept through Wednesday's Class 1A quarterfinals in Birmingham CrossPlex, beating Kinston 25-8, 25-11, 25-12 and Lindsay Lane 25-15, 25-15, 25-16.

The Falcons (51-9) will get a shot to avenge last year's state-final loss to Bayshore (24-24), which beat Marion County and Woodland on Wednesday to reach the rematch today in Bill Harris Arena.

Donoho has wanted a rematch "extremely bad, extremely bad," senior hitter Maggie Wakefield said. "We want the rematch. We are ready.

"Last year kind of lit a spark in us to really do better and to be competitive, so I am very excited."

Because

Donoho seeks its 12th state title and second in three years. A year ago, the Falcons walked away with their 11th runner-up finish.

That didn't make the chance to stretch out their legs feel any better. The loss just confirmed the worst fears that welled up for Donoho's players as they isolated on the bus waited out the match prior to theirs in the year of COVID-19.

"We stayed in the bus for, I don't know, two hours?" Donoho coach Jamie Clendenin said. "I thought we were going to be allowed in, but they said we couldn't.

"The good news is we have the first game tomorrow, so we can just show up, and nobody's going to tell us we can't go in."

Wakefield recalls the wait on Donoho's small white bus as "agonizing, to say the least."

The Falcons already had anxiety about facing Bayshore's tall senior middle hitter, Cassidy Granger, who amassed 35 kills in an MVP performance.

"All of us were just sitting there in anticipation, all cramped up in the space because of COVID," Wakefield said. "We were all just rattled and shaking, because we didn't know what to expect because Bayshore was a new team.

"I'm very thankful this year that COVID has cleared up for us and that we don't have to do that again, and glad we're the first game, so we don't have to wait as long."

Donoho got out of the CrossPlex in minimal time Wednesday, sweeping both matches 3-0 and giving up no more than 16 points in any set.

Junior outside hitter Lily Grace Draper had the hot hand with a team-high 16 kills against Lindsay Lane and 14 against Kinston. Setter Sam Wakefield had 62 assists on the day, 35 against Kinston.

"We talk to our setter, who's a freshman, a lot about who you're trusting," Clendenin said. "Is the game tight? We don't want to give the other team momentum. Who's going to do the best job of not giving something up.

"(Draper) did a great job."

Maggie Wakefield had 14 kills on the day, 12 against Kinston, but had eight blocks and nine digs against Lindsay Lane. Mary Marshall Perry had five kills and 10 blocks against Lindsay Lane.

Donoho 3, Kinston 0: Draper slammed home 14 kills with 12 digs and three service aces.

Maggie Wakefield added 12 kills and four digs, and Sam Wakefield distributed 35 assists with 10 digs and two aces.

"Their serve receive, they pulled a lot of people back and did a good job of eliminating some stuff, but I felt like we did a good job of just taking care of our side of the court," Clendenin said. "That's the most important thing."

Sports Writer Joe Medley: 256-235-3576. On Twitter: @jmedley_star.