Dyersburg defeats Crockett County to earn District 13-AA title

There wasn't any question the two best teams were lined up across from each other when Dyersburg and Crockett County met on Thursday in the championship game of the District 13-AA volleyball tournament.

The only questions left to be answered were which team wanted it more, the Lady Trojans or the Lady Cavaliers, and did Dyersburg have what it took to win back-to-back district titles?

In front of a large and vocal crowd at DHS filled with supporters of both squads, the two teams battled for point after point from start to finish for five sets before a winner was decided. In the end though, the talented Lady Trojan squad proved to be a bit better, winning their second consecutive district tournament, 25-15, 20-25, 21-25, 25-15 and 15-10.

"Wow, this feels great," said Lady Trojan and District 13 A-AA Coach of the Year Sarah Morris afterward. "We knew it was going to be tough to beat Crockett three times in one year, but the girls kept fighting and never gave up and I'm so proud of the way they stepped up when it mattered."

Dyersburg, twice winners during the regular season over the Lady Cavaliers, won the opening set with relative ease.

With Amber Moody's booming serves, Dyersburg jumped out to an early 7-2 advantage before a Moody ace and a kill shot from tournament MVP Erin Pierce upped the lead to 9-2.

The Lady Cavaliers battled back to get within three points, 15-12, before the Lady Trojans scored 10 of the next 13 points to take the opening set, 25-15.

"We won the first set a little too easy and I knew they were going to come back," said Morris. "I thought we came out a little too confident in the second set."

Crockett County wasn't going to go away easy, evident after the squad stormed back to win the second and third sets to come within one set of winning the title on Dyersburg's home floor, something that didn't set well with Morris.

"I stressed to the girls that we don't lose on our home floor. We were down but we weren't out. We just needed to calm down and go out there and get it done the way we have all season."

The words were heard loud and clear.

Though the two squads battled back and forth early in the fourth set, after a Shelby Andrews ace on serve knotted the contest at 13-13, a momentum shift occurred leaning heavily toward the local squad.

Dyersburg rattled off eight straight points behind kills from tournament Pierce to take a commanding 21-13 lead. Moments later junior Lauren Lewis slammed the door shut with an ace to force the fifth and deciding set.

"That was a huge run for us in a set we desperately needed," added Morris. "We weren't clicking like I wanted so I put in freshman Claire White and she provided a big spark off the bench for us."

Crockett County took an early 3-0 lead in the final set before a kill from Andrews seemed to inspire the Lady Trojan squad as well as the fans in attendance.

After knotting the contest at 4-4, a here it is, hit it if you can laser kill from Rachel Gauldin put Dyersburg in front for good. Later in the set, the Lady Cavaliers got as close as 10-7 before the Lady Trojans scored five of the next eight points to secure the title with the 15-10 win.

"I didn't expect anything less from this team. All season long this team has gelled together. I knew they were special and today they proved it. We have a lot of potential, but we just have to get over that hump in the regional," said Morris.

By winning the district tourney, Dyersburg will serve as host of the Region 7 tournament set to be played on Tuesday.

The Lady Trojans will face South Side at 5 p.m., followed by Crockett County and Chester County at 6:30. The two winners are scheduled to meet at 8 p.m.