Southern Gap High School celebrated a historic night with the first home athletic contest in school history — and the Eagles made sure it ended with another milestone.
Southern Gap swept Honaker 3-0 to earn the volleyball program’s first victory in front of a large and energetic home crowd.
Following the match, the game ball was saved and will be placed in the school’s trophy case as a permanent reminder of the landmark win.
“I am so proud of the girls tonight,” Southern Gap coach Hannah Lester said. “They have worked so hard and came together as a brand-new team so beautifully. It looks like they have played together their whole lives. They deserve all the credit and praise and I couldn’t be more proud of them getting their first win tonight.”
Southern Gap improved to 1-1 with the victory. Despite entering the season as a newly formed team, the Eagles displayed impressive chemistry and depth throughout the match.
At times, Coach Lester used rotations featuring players from each of the four communities that came together to form Southern Gap — Council, Grundy, Hurley and Twin Valley. The players appeared comfortable alongside one another and played with the confidence of a team that had shared the court for years.
Senior libero Claire Griffey anchored the defense with a match-high 25 digs, three assists and four service points. Her leadership and ability to keep rallies alive helped Southern Gap control the match.
Outside hitter Leah Rasnake delivered an all-around performance with 11 kills, six digs, five aces, two assists and seven service points. Madison Lester provided seven kills, four aces, two blocks and seven service points from the middle, while Addy Boyd added five kills.
Setters Adyson Bell and Bela Hurley directed the Eagles’ attack. Bell recorded 13 assists, four kills, four digs, four aces and 13 service points. Hurley finished with 10 assists and two digs.
Megan Hess and Lucy Savage contributed four kills apiece. Kendall Brown supplied six digs, three aces and five service points, while Bree Looney added four digs and three service points.
The balanced production reflected the depth of Southern Gap’s roster, but the night meant more than a mark in the win column. It represented the beginning of a new home tradition for volleyball players and fans from across Buchanan County.
