Heritage Christian Wins First Trip to Volleyball State Finals
In a match that featured a pair of first-year coaches and two teams with a combined total of four seniors, No. 4 Heritage Christian claimed its first state championship with a 3-0 (29-27, 25-18, 25-23) win over No. 2 Wapahani in the Class 2A title match.
Coach Kyla Thomas’s Eagles finished the season 30-4, winning their 10 matches all without losing a set. Heritage Christian also accomplished a state title with only one senior on its roster.
The loss for coach Kati Weir’s Raiders is the first in six state-title match appearances in program history.
The first set proved the most competitive. Heritage broke out to an early, 4-0 lead only to see the Raiders rally to for a 9-8 advantage. The Eagles came back behind the hitting of Raven Colvin and took a 24-21 lead. The Raiders, however, hung tough to force ties at 24, 25, 26 and 27 before a Lovie Wallace kill gave HC another set point, which it then clinched on a net violation.
Colvin had nine kills in that first set.
The Eagles overcame a 4-0 deficit in set two, clinching it on a Wallace kill, then wrapped up the match in set three. Heritage broke out to a 7-0 lead and led, 21-15 before the Raiders rallied for a 22-21 lead. The Eagles gathered themselves at that point and wrapped up the match on Colvin’s 18th kill.
Wapahani, which features five freshmen on its roster (two of which are starters), will graduate only three seniors after finishing 31-6.
Wapahani’s Alyvia Smith named Mental Attitude Award winner
At the conclusion of the state finals, the IHSAA Executive Committee, on behalf of Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, named Alyvia Smith of Wapahani High School as the winner of the Class 2A Mental Attitude Award.
Alyvia Smith ranks 10th in her class academically and is an active member of Wapahani’s National Honor Society, Riley Club Vice President, Red Rose Club, Raiders Against Destructive Decisions, Random Acts of Kindness Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Delaware County Youth Salute 2019. Her major athletic achievements include the Mental Attitude Award Wapahani High School Volleyball, Most Improved Award Wapahani High School Volleyball, Maximum Hustle Award WHS, Defensive MVP for Volleyball and Softball, All Delaware County Volleyball and Softball, and All Mideastern Conference Volleyball and Softball. She also volunteers her time as a Bell Ringer for the Salvation Army, organizes food at Second Harvest Food Bank, is a cook at Ronald McDonald House, and volunteers at Parker Healthcare Nursing Home. She has been awarded the Academic Excellence 4.0 Award, Anatomy Physiology 100% Club Award, and was Ivy Tech EDUC 101 Elementary Cadet Teacher. Alyvia is also a member of Wapahani’s softball and basketball teams.
Alyvia is the daughter of Billy and Marci Smith of Muncie and she plans to attend Indiana University Kokomo to play volleyball following graduation.
Each year the IHSAA Executive Committee selects a senior player who was nominated by her principal and coach and was determined to have best demonstrated mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, presenting sponsor of the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award in Class 2A Volleyball, will donate $1,000 to Wapahani’s general scholarship fund in the name of Alyvia Smith.