Lady Rabbs win Bi-District,Area crowns

Atlanta’s volleyball team has had one memorable season. Last year the Lady Rabbs made it to the fourth round of the state playoffs, but this year’s team is eyeing a state championship.

Atlanta (25-6, 12-0) has not lost a game since August and that was to a 4A school that won its district race and is still in the playoffs.

The Lady Rabbs finished district undefeated for the second consecutive season and faced off against Mt. Pleasant Chapel Hill in the Bi-District round of the playoffs on Nov. 1.

Bi-District

The Lady Red Devils topped Atlanta in set one 2522 but the Lady Rabbs made adjustments and won the next three by scores of, 25-23, 25-17, 25-18.

Kaylon “KP” Partain had 44 digs, seven kills and three assists, Ziza Garcia added 19 digs, Carlajah Adger posted 18 digs, Amaya Young recorded 10 kills, Annemarie Hanner had 25 assists and nine digs, Rylie Pattillo had 19 assists, nine digs, three kills and one ace, Sabriiyah Young had five kills, Makaylin King posted eight digs, three kills and three blocks, Jaliyah Brown had eight kills and Kym Sheppard had 12 kills before exiting the game with an injury.

“We started off slow, one of our middles Kym (Sheppard) got hurt, but we did not stay down,” Head Coach Tau Maxwell said. “Each of them stepped up and handled adversity very well. I was so proud of the girls for playing different spots, trusting us coaches and most importantly trusting one another.”

Area

The Lady Rabbs faced Sabine in the Area round of the playoffs in Marshall on Nov. 5.

Atlanta won the first set 25-16, but the Lady Cardinals won set two 25-18. The Lady Rabbits never wavered as they won the next two sets by scores of, 25-16, 25-20, sealed the Area crown and kept its winning streak alive which sits at 17 as of this article.

Kaylon Partain had 40 digs, four aces and four kills, Kym Sheppard added 15 kills and four blocks, Ziza Garcia posted seven digs, Rylie Pattillo had seven digs and nine assists, Annemarie Hanner recorded 19 assists, Sabriiyah Young had six kills and six digs and Keymya Smith had four kills and four blocks.

“I am very proud of this group. These ladies have overcome and battled throughout this entire season. Our biggest downfall in the past has been energy. In the past we would get down in points and defeat ourselves,” Coach Tau Maxwell said. “That did not last long. After having a long discussion about adversity that did not take long for them to flip the switch. These ladies battle and that’s what makes us who we are.”

“Before our Area game I told the girls that two years ago they were in the exact same spot, playing Chapel Hill for Bi-District and then playing Sabine for the Area titles. Unfortunately, we lost out. Also earlier in the season we lost out a tournament at Marshall High School,” Coach Maxwell added. “The reason why I told the girls this is to challenge them, not only to win but to be challenged by the adversity that would come with it. I told them that we have to battle against ourselves and win. If we do not have energy then we won. The girls took that and ran with it.”

“From the first serve to the last point they fault hard. Even after losing the second set we did not settle. We came together and overcame! After winning district I told the girls our season has started over and it is now 0-0,” Coach Maxwell said. “Everyone’s goal is to go to state in their perspective sports but I told them that we had to just be better each game and the rest will take care of itself.”

Atlanta faced off against Hughes Springs in the Regional Quarterfinals on Nov. 8, in Liberty-Eylau.