VOLLEYBALL: WCDS, Wayne Christian launch postseason play today

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on October 21, 2016 9:57 AM

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That season-opening, five-game losing streak is a distant memory.

And a four-year drought is over.

Here comes Wayne Country Day.

The Chargers (9-10 overall) received an at-large bid to the 2016 N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 1-A volleyball playoffs which began play today at four different sites.

It's a different -- and confident -- group that could pull a surprise or two when it steps onto the court against 15th-seeded Lawrence Academy (13-5) at United Faith Christian Academy. The winner meets Cresset in the second round and that survivor gets UFCA -- the overall No. 2 seed.

Kerr-Vance, defending state champ Statesville Christian and Oakwood are the other three sites. The winners from those four-team "pods" advance to the state semifinals, which are scheduled for Oct. 28-29 at North Raleigh Christian.

"You never know what's going to happen in the tournament," Chargers head coach Haleigh Wilhade sad. "Everything is different...heart, attitude, desire and all of that has climbed on our team, so that's why I think our momentum is shifting. We can beat anyone."

The Chargers' last postseason appearance was 2012.

Wilhade and assistant coach Mike Bolechowski worked to turn a fundamental-based team into one that's not afraid to try something new. WCDS has hit consistently from the middle, back row and outside throughout the season. They added opposite-side hitting as part of their preparation for the Coastal Plains Independent Conference tournament, which was canceled due to Hurricane Matthew.

The offensive plays have given junior setter DeKiya Thomas numerous options and she's spread her assists among six hitters -- Jala Holloman, Olivia Dively, Hannah Neal, Lillian Freeman, Grayson Jeffreys and Kyara Drew. Thomas, Dively and Neal each earned all-CPIC honors. Freeman received honorable all-CPIC recognition.

Freshman libero Katie Strickland anchors the defense.

"Volleyball is a game of progression," Bolechowski said. "From the beginning when we started playing, these girls were just running the basics. Now, we don't really need to tell them where to pass the ball and you see them running plays. Now we can compete against teams like (rival) Wayne Christian and even beat them."

Wayne Christian, the CPIC regular-season champion, drew a surprising No. 6 seed. The Eagles (21-4) received a first-round bye and tangle with either 11th-seeded Crossroads or 14th-seeded Ridgecroft. Oakwood, which won the 2014 state crown, gets a chance to scout all three opponents and a day of rest.

"This is the most well-rounded, highly-skilled team I've had since I began coaching at Wayne Christian," said Eagles head coach Rick Moore, who last took a team to the postseason in 2011.

"The core group of five juniors first started playing volleyball when they attended my camps in the summer before their fourth- and fifth-grade years. So their great record this year is due to all the years of hard work and dedication to this sport they love to play and the fact that God has blessed them with no major injuries."

Hannah Sladick, the CPIC player-of-the-year, cranked out a team-leading 306 kills this season and carries a solid .354 hitting percentage into the playoffs. Hope Shook is next with 189 kills, followed by Ashlee Harrelson (118) and Mercy Wright (94). Shook leads the team in service aces with 65. Sladick has 60.

Kasey Norris has doled out a single-season school record 784 assists. Shook, Wright and Norris joined Sladick on the all-CPIC squad. Harrelson collected honorable mention honors.

"Hannah has turned into a well-rounded, complete volleyball player," said Moore, whose team has served 341 aces and collected 644 digs defensively.

"Kasey has worked hard to become a complete player. Mercy is one of the most consistent level-headed players on the team. Every match she serves well, blocks well and hits well -- and every match she has a great attitude. Hope brings a lot of energy to the team. She is always fired up and ready to play."