Middle Creek
Middle Creek won the 2023 4A Volleyball state championship vs Cox Mill, 3 at Reynolds Coliseum, NC State.
| Year | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Sport | Volleyball |
| Classification | 4A |
| Champion | Middle Creek |
| Runner-Up | Cox Mill |
| Score | 3 - 0 |
| Venue | Reynolds Coliseum, NC State, Raleigh |
Notes
In Middle Creek’s first-ever appearance in the 4A State Championship Match, they dominated in a 3-0 win over Cox Mill through their strong, wall-like defense matched equally with an intense offense. Starting out strong in the first set, the Mustangs won 25-15. the Chargers responded in the second set with power that Middle Creek struggled to defend. After several rallies, the second set took a pause with a timeout from Cox Mill with a 9-9 tie score. Middle Creek grouped their defense together to show up for a final score of 25-16. Freshman libero Graceyn Shepard was key in this second set win with eight digs. Consistency and momentum was on the Mustangs’ side as they finished the night with a thrilling 25-17 win. Senior Avery Scoggins had five key blocks in the last set. Junior Ryan Hunter from Cox Mill had 10 kills and 2 blocks and senior Kyndall Ross had eight kills and eight blocks while senior Avery Booker from Middle Creek tallied 11 kills. Middle Creek High School finished the season with a 25-1 record. The East Region Champions had a record of 13-1 in the Southwest Wake 4A Conference. Middle Creek secured the State Title in their first-ever appearance in the 4A State Championship Match. Cox Mill finished the season with a 24-3 record. The West Region Champions had a record of 12-0 in the Greater Metro 4A conference. In their prior Championship Match performances, Cox Mill won the State Title in 2016 and finished runner-up in the 2020-21 Covid-19 season. The NCHSAA is committed to recognizing outstanding sportsmanship in each of our State Championship events. The Association has partnered with the North Carolina Farm Bureau to award a pair of Sportsmanship Awards at each championship event, recognizing players who have demonstrated the ideals of outstanding character and sportsmanship throughout the 2023 season. The winners of the 4A Volleyball NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Awards are Senior Avery Booker from Middle Creek High School and Junior Ryan Hunter from Cox Mill High School. The NCHSAA is proud to partner with Wells Fargo to present the Most Valued Player award in the 1A State Championship match to Senior Avery Scoggins from Middle Creek High School. Interviews: In a post-game interview, Cox Mill’s Head Coach Ralph Viegelmann reflected on the Chargers’ gameplay. “It was a rollercoaster of a season for this team and they had to go through structural changes,” he said. “I tried to let them play their game as much as they could, and then I’d come in and steer the ship a little. We didn’t play as well as we wanted to tonight.” Middle Creek’s Head Coach Jodi Scoggins noted that the team “came out with so much fire and we knew if we stuck together and held each other accountable as a team we could finish with the win.” Senior Avery Booker noted that Middle Creek’s administrative and community support of the volleyball program has been helpful in the team’s success. “It’s the best thing ever when you know someone’s always going to be cheering for you,” Booker said. “It helps us push through the tough times. There were away games where the teams we played had a larger student section, but we definitely had the louder student section. “We had one goal in mind… we were going to go out and win it for each other. It wasn’t about myself, it was about the people next to me.” Summing up her time at Middle Creek, Senior Josie Zynczak ended the night saying, “I’m so proud to be leaving Middle Creek and being able to say that I played volleyball here.”