Polk County
Polk County won the 2023 1A Volleyball state championship vs Falls Lake Academy, 3 at Reynolds Coliseum, NC State.
| Year | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Sport | Volleyball |
| Classification | 1A |
| Champion | Polk County |
| Runner-Up | Falls Lake Academy |
| Score | 3 - 0 |
| Venue | Reynolds Coliseum, NC State, Raleigh |
Notes
Polk County High School and Falls Lake Academy are no stranger to championship matches, even against each other. The 2023 1A State Championship Match was a rematch of the 2018 final. In 2018, Falls Lake defeated Polk County in three sets. Today, the Polk County Wolverines returned the favor, defeating the Falls Lake Firebirds in a three-set thriller. From the first point in the first set, the energy from fans in Reynolds Coliseum was through the roof. Junior Jenae Mason from the Firebirds tallied three kills, while Senior Mikala Fisher also led the Wolverines with three kills. Polk County ended up on top securing the first set with a 25-19 win. The second set intensified with big saves from both the Firebirds and Wolverines; diving over the scorer’s table and multiple one-handed dives out of the court. Polk County kept a consistent lead throughout the second set, with junior Morgan Yoder paving the way for the Wolverines to win 25-22 with her four kills. Polk County’s momentum kept up in the third set, giving them an early 7-3 lead. Firebirds sophomore Maggie Penn had three saves that secured extra points for Falls Lake, leading to a 21-21 tie game before Polk County pulled away 25-22. Falls Lake Academy finished the season with a 26-3 record. The East Region Champions had a record of 10-0 in the Super Six 1A/2A conference. Polk County High School finished the season with a 27-3 record. The West Region Champions had a record of 10-3 in the Mountain Foothills 7 1A/2A conference. 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 1A Volleyball NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Awards are Junior Kylie Lewis from Polk County High School and Junior Kelcey Peterson from Falls Lake Academy. The NCHSAA is proud to partner with Wells Fargo to present the Most Valued Player award in the 1A State Championship match to Junior Sophia Overholt from Polk County High School. In a post-game interview, Fall Lake’s Head Coach Corinna Sammons said that the team was nervous heading into the match “They weren’t in control of the match and couldn’t run the show,” she said. “We only have one graduating senior, so our team is young. We will be back and hungry for more.” Anna Holcombe, the lone senior for the Firebirds, was coming back from an ankle injury. Her teammate, Maggie Penn, noted that “she wasn’t able to play in any of the playoff games. It was incredible for her to go out and play like she did.” Polk County’s Head Coach Molly Hill described the match as a goal the team has been working towards for years. “We knew this was going to be a good potential year for us,” Hill said. “Coming into today, we battled for every point, every game.” In describing the meaningful moment to win the State Title, senior Ada Kelley stated it was like “a surreal moment to finish on top. This team is the closest team I’ve ever been a part of.”