Starting out with a pre-season rank of number eight in the state is exactly what the Lady Gators wanted. With a team full of talented individuals and a whopping six returning seniors, the Lady Gators plan to go further than they did last year with a season full of success.

Sophomore Anna Hewitt said the season started with high expectations. “I was very excited to be a part of such a talented group of girls. I was really hoping to accomplish something big this year.” A thought that the whole team could relate to. Going on to win their first game against Warren East, taking all three sets, that feeling continued well into the season.

Win after win, the Lady Gators dominated their opponents no matter where they went.  The first time they faced their rival, the South Warren Spartans, they only had lost one game out of 12.  Junior, Reagan Burgess, comments on the rivalry. “They have a pointless greed for attention, approval, and an overly inflated ego. They also have an inability to admit their flaws as a team.” Clearly, feelings about the rivalry are strong.

This first game against South Warren established the Gators place in the district and really taught them a lot about themselves. They had only defeated the Spartans once before, in the previous year’s region championship. The Gators were victorious, defeating the Spartans, 3-1.  

Going into the district tournament the Varsity, JV, and Freshmen Lady Gators had only lost seven games altogether. The freshmen tournament came first. Their first opponent was the Bowling Green Purples. The Freshmen only had seven players on their team, but they still managed to sweep the Purples, going 2-0.

Then, they were in the championship. This time, against South Warren. The Freshmen had yet to beat South Warren, and with one player being hurt, they did not know if they could pull out the win. They even had the libero, a who that never leaves the back row, play in a right-side hitting position instead.

However, they worked hard and managed to defeat all odds, with Natalie Smith being the player of the game. Freshman Embry Burgess said, “I was very proud of how we were able to fight back, and pull out a big win in the end.”

The JV team’s tournament was next. They only had one loss for the season, against rival South Warren. The team was full of skilled players, who enjoyed playing with one another.  Playing their first tournament game against Warren East, the girls had a lot of confidence. They won both sets, 21-7 and advanced to the championship game.

Their opponent, South Warren, was going to be a challenge for the Gators. The girls fought with everything they had and won both sets, 21-19 and 21-15. Player of the game being awarded to Carly Miller. The team averaged 8.9 kills per set, 12.7 digs per set, and five aces per set.

Seeing as two Greenwood teams had already won their district tournaments, the Varsity team was determined to pull out the third win for a triple crown, never before seen in District 14. Senior Rileigh Stivers tells her feelings on the season prior to tournament time. “I was proud of what we had accomplished, and how hard we worked to get there.”

The Lady Gators had worked hard, starting their workouts in March, it was now mid-October. They were first up against Warren East, who didn’t pose a real challenge for the skilled team. They blew through them winning all three sets by at least 10 points. Like both the Freshmen and the JV, the Varsity girls were up against their rival in the championship game.

They won the first two sets, but during the third set, the Spartans started to fight with whatever they had. The Gators lost the third set, 24-26, which pushed them to play the fourth one. They emerged victoriously. The Greenwood Gators had won all three district tournaments, the goal they had all worked so hard to achieve

The Lady Gators continued their journey into the region tournament. Now having won against South Warren three different times, the Gators had high hopes of taking home the championship and heading back to State. The first two games in the region tournament were no problem for the girls. They swept past Monroe and Logan County, winning both games 3-0. For the final time, they face the South Warren Spartans in the championship game.

Both teams are ready to fight, thinking they deserve their rightful spot at the state tournament.  The game goes to five sets, and it’s a nail-biter for both teams. South Warren won the first set 25-20, Greenwood took the second 25-15, the Spartans battled for the third 25-21, and the Gators pushed back for the fourth 25-17. It all came down to the final set. With the crowd on the edge of their seats, the Spartans used everything they had and finally defeated the Gators, winning the final set 15-13. The very deserving player of the game was Rileigh Stivers.

The Gators were disheartened, as their dream of returning to the state tournament was taken away from them.  However, they finished the season with an impressive record of 33-3.  Leading the team in kills for the season was Alexa Davis, with a total of 332. In serving, Rileigh Stivers led the team with 77 aces. Jonae’a Blissett led the team in blocks with an impressive total of 80 for the season. Anna Hewitt, the libero, took the lead in digs with an average of 12.1 per match, and a total of 424. Rileigh Stivers also led the team in ball handling, with a total of 1,088 assists. Leading the team in serve receive was Anna Hewitt, totaling 354 receptions.

Overall, the Lady Gators had an impressive season. Upcoming senior Emmie Bender comments on her hopes for next year. “I just want varsity to win district and region, and make it to the Elite Eight in the state tournament.” A goal that other players have expressed as well. The Lady Gators will have five returning seniors next year: Emmie Bender, Carly Miller, Julia Kennedy, Lauren Pearson, and Reagan Burgess.

Graduating senior Rileigh Stivers had one thing to say to these girls. “Always do your best in every game because you don’t know which one will be your last.” With heads held high, the Gators will begin their training for the next season starting in March and will stop at nothing until they reach their goals.