Floyd Central’s volleyball team has been victorious 33 times this season, but it may have been one of its three losses that turned the Highlanders into the squad that dominated last Saturday’s Seymour Sectional.
At the time, Floyd’s 25-17, 13-25, 18-25 loss to New Albany was the low-point of the Highlanders’ season. Looking back, Floyd coach Bart Powell said it was probably the best thing that happened to his team and is one of the reasons why the Highlanders will participate in the Seymour Regional for the third consecutive season on Saturday.
“Since (the New Albany loss), we have really played well,” Powell said. “(The team) realized we had to take it to another level that we hadn’t played before. They’ve been extremely focused on what they need to get done.”
As it had been all season, it was the second set that was the Achilles heel for Floyd in the New Albany loss. After dominating the first set, Powell said his team followed its tendency to let down in the second set, giving the Bulldogs the momentum they needed to knock off the Highlanders.
Since the Oct. 3 loss, Floyd has been focused on picking up its game in the second set, Powell said.
“It was a lesson and we learned from the lesson,” Powell said. “We had eight seniors who know that if we have another snafu, it’s the end, so they’ve really taken it upon themselves to get it done.”
In the three-game sectional run, the Highlanders didn’t drop a set and were particularly dominant in the middle set. They beat Jeffersonville 25-4 in the second set of the opening round, New Albany 25-12 in the semifinal and Bedford North Lawrence 25-7 in the title match. In all three matches, Floyd surrendered its fewest points in the second set.
“If you look at the sectional, it looks like they’ve taken it to heart,” Powell observed.
Powell said the Highlanders are playing their best volleyball of the season, and they will need to on Saturday. Floyd opens with 28-9 Northview at 11 a.m. With a win, it would face either HHC champion Columbus East (27-8) or Castle (27-7), which is making its 16th straight regional appearance.
The Highlanders have won back-to-back regional titles, dropping just one set over the two seasons. Still, Powell said his team has not appeared overconfident.
“Practice this week has been pretty good,” he said. “Most of this team has been to the state championship two years in a row and come out empty-handed. They understand what’s at stake and I’ve seen them pick up their game the last couple of weeks.”
While East and Castle appear to be the top contenders to end Floyd’s reign, Powell and the Highlanders are focused on their first-round opponent.
“Northview is very scrappy,” Powell said. “Obviously, they beat a great program in Terre Haute South. They do a lot of good things.”
CLASS 4A, SEYMOUR REGIONAL
• SEMIFINALS: Floyd Central (33-3) vs. Northview (28-9), 11 a.m.; Columbus East (27-8) vs. Castle (27-7), 12:30 p.m.
• CHAMPIONSHIP: Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
Floyd County Sports
VOLLEYBALL: Season-changing performance
Floyd Central points to a loss as the turning point in its season
- Floyd County Sports
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BOYS' GOLF: Floyd A-team fourth at Lafayette Jeff
The Floyd Central varsity golf team put up a team score of 323 to place fourth at the Lafayette Jeff Invitational on Saturday. Meanwhile, Floyd Central was third and Providence seventh at the Legends of Providence Invite at Champions Pointe.
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GIRLS' TENNIS: Boesing advances to state
Floyd Central's Olivia Boesing advances to the state finals with a win over last year's champion, but the team fell to Evansville Memorial at Jasper on Saturday, 4-1.
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Highlanders find a way to win another close game in thrilling BNL Sectional final, 3-2
All season, the Floyd Central softball team has found ways to win close games.
On Friday night, the Highlanders won the biggest nailbiter of the 2012 season. -
TITLE DROUGHT ENDS: Pioneers win first sectional championship since 2005 with 6-4 victory over Paoli
The Providence softball team’s sectional-championship drought has finally come to an end.
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BASEBALL: Astle strikes out 10, lifts Jeff past FC
Trent Astle struck out 10, scattered five hits, and delivered an RBI single to lead Jeffersonville to a 2-0 victory over Floyd Central Thursday night in the first round of the Class 4A Jeffersonville Baseball Sectional.
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TRACK: NA’s Parrish wins twice at regional
Southern Indiana’s three biggest schools got some big-time performances at the Bloomington North Boys’ Track and Field Regional on Thursday.
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ROUNDUP: Silver Creek downs Brownstown, 18-0
Silver Creek (20-10) scored early and often in a five-inning, 18-0 victory over Brownstown Central in the opening round of the Class 3A Silver Creek Sectional on Thursday.
“We really put the barrell on the ball tonight and it was good to see,” assistant coach Scott Jennings said. “We beat a good Brownstown club tonight.” - SPORTS IN BRIEF: May 25, 2012
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TENNIS REGIONAL: Floyd Central ‘Dream Team’ wins again
Floyd Central’s “Dream Team” moved one step closer to a possible state championship on Wednesday.
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SOFTBALL: Highlanders down Jennings County in 10, 4-2
In a tense 10-inning affair, Floyd Central pitcher Morgan Harper worked her way out of difficult jams, and the Class 4A No. 5 Highlanders finally came alive on offense in the final frame to down No. 11 Jennings County in the Class 4A Bedford North Lawrence Sectional semifinals on Wednesday, 4-2.
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BOYS' GOLF: Floyd A-team fourth at Lafayette Jeff
