The 2022 edition of Centralia volleyball was basically a new team with a new coaching staff and was able to accomplish what no Lady Panther team hasn’t been able to in the previous four years.

Centralia lost the Class 3 District 7 championship in four sets (14-25, 25-20, 17-25 and 11-25) to Hallsville on Tuesday night in Hallsville but took a set from the Lady Indians to break a 21-set winless streak that spanned back to Centralia’s 2017 district win against Hallsville. The Lady Panthers earned second place for the second straight season to finish with a 14-14 record.

Lady Panthers take second place in title game

Centralia was well-rounded in the kills department, led by the seven each from Harper Forshee and Morgan Ross and five from both Annaka Hombs and Raegan Anderson. 

Head coach Julie Crum was installed in the position this year along with the rest of her staff and inherited a team that lost five senior starters. She said there were high points such as the Lady Panthers not missing a serve for the first time this season, the team attacking with 13 kills during their victorious second set, and Centralia staving off match point four times — with Forshee picking up two of three service aces and Katie Carrico hustling to reach balls seemingly out of reach — refusing to quit.

“If you look at what this team has been able to accomplish this season,” Crum said. “It’s pretty huge. My girls today, they beat Hallsville in a set. Last year’s team did not.

“I told the girls, ‘They would have to play every single point.’ In the second set, they did. Hallsville is a team you have to fight hard against because they’re going to make few errors. When you figure out you have an advantage, you keep pushing. That’s what we did in the second set.”

Hallsville middle hitter Madison Threlkeld provided some power to its team, and it was apparent early to Centralia when the Lady Panthers fell behind 11-6 in the first set. The Lady Indians (12-18-4) took advantage of some Centralia passing difficulties to take a 16-8 lead prior to taking a 1-0 lead.

After not having a kill in the first set, Ross, who was coming off 19 kills the previous night against Bowling Green, picked up two kills early in the second set. Forshee and Anderson followed to help Centralia match its kill total in the first set when the Lady Panthers tied the set at 10. Forshee picked up her first ace to give Centralia a 17-15 lead before recording two kills to help close out the second set victory.

“When we attack, we win,” Crum said. “If you’re going to beat a team like Hallsville, you’ve got to attack.”

Hallsville quickly took control of the third set with a 7-1 lead as Centralia struggled again with its passes.

“(Threlkeld) is a lot faster than what they’re used to,” Crum said. “We played yesterday and tried to get ready for that today, and you can’t. We did have a little trouble fighting with the middle hits, but that’s just an adjustment we’ve been working on — stepping out of our comfort zone. They want to stay in base, but we need to transition out.”

Freshman Madilynn Hunter blocked a ball following kills from Ross and Anderson to bring Centralia within two points at 10-8 in the third set, but Hallsville winning six of the next eight helped the Lady Indians take a 2-1 match lead.

Centralia was in an even deeper hole at the beginning of the fourth set despite taking the first two points. Hallsville won 10 straight and only had that run broken when it missed a serve. Anderson midway through the set gave Centralia its lone kill in the set.

Crum said she will miss the three seniors Breanna Dollens, who is willing to step up in any position or role asked of her, Miriam Auck, who is “a positive girls who works hard,” and Hombs, who helped to fill the leadership role well in her second year of high school volleyball after playing softball for two years. She said next year brings much hope with a talented junior class.

“I’m expecting big things from this junior class that I have right now,” Crum said. “I’m hoping they remember this feeling, and they’ll carry that with them and they’re going to remember.”