Laurens Academy volleyball team chasing fourth straight state title
Crusaders have five returning starters from last year's SCISA AA championship team
Laurens – Until proven that something else might happen, the goal for the Laurens Academy volleyball team starts and ends at the same place: win a state championship.
The Crusaders are after their fourth consecutive SCISA state title after claiming the AA crown last year. LA head coach Shannon McGee believes doing so is a distinct possibility.
“We definitely have a good chance for another state title and are working hard and adjusting as needed to chase that again this year,” said McGee, whose squad was off to an 18-3 overall start with a 2-0 start in Region 4 play. “I look forward to (the) playoffs (state tournament), and I am proud of what the girls have done so far this season. We will keep working and keep improving until then!”
Laurens has five returning starters from last year’s 28-3 squad in junior Addison Mitchum, senior Campbell Sherman, junior Makayla Lindley, sophomore Makenzie Runyans and senior Madisyn Graham. The other starters are junior Sadie Bruyere, LA newcomer and junior libero Mary McCameron and eighth-grader Braylen Burke.
Runyans was the libero last season but was moved to outside hitter with McCameron’s arrival. However, Runyans is currently sidelined with a concussion and freshman Brooklyn Senn is starting.
Sherman leads Laurens in kills with 373 and digs with 168 to go with 28 service aces. Mitchum is the setter and has 383 assists along with 43 aces and 58 kills. Burke has 190 assists and a team high 61 aces, while Runyans has 144 digs, 88 kills and 31 aces.
The rest of the roster is made up of freshman Lorelai Bagwell, junior Caroline Mullinax, sophomore Caroline Robinson, freshman Sadee Watkins and sophomore Brooke Abercrombie.
Despite the program’s success, McGee said the players take nothing for granted.
“Our team has been working hard this season,” she said. “We started the season participating in a tournament and scrimmages against larger public schools to reveal our strengths and weaknesses early on so we would have time to make adjustments. We use each game played to better our offense and defense and develop game strategies to use in different situations.
“Our biggest strength is our leadership. Our seniors have been an integral part of the last three state championship teams and know what it takes to win and are able to maintain their composure to play in high-pressure situations. They have been great at pushing the other players to play at a high level and creating a team culture that plays for each other.”
