Baker captures 1st Florida girls volleyball state championship, tops Brandford in 1A final
WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA -- Don't trust anyone's record.
Baker crept into the Class 1A postseason with a 12-11 regular-season record and emerged with six straight wins and the Class 1A state championship -- the first in school history -- after taking down Brandford 3-1 Tuesday at Polk State College.
"All that matters is that you win the last one. That regular season stuff is just preparation," said Baker third-year head coach Chelsea Medley, who played for the program during her high school days.
"It really is super-special and just a humbling experience. When I was playing, my mom coached me and she had three state runner-up (finishes) in her career. There are several players on our team that are daughters of players from runner-up teams. This really is just an community, and there is no way to describe the feeling that we get to bring this back home."
Baker players celebrate the first girls volleyball state championship on school history after beating Branford in four sets at the FHSAA girls volleyball championships Tuesday at Polk State College in Winter Haven.
Bill Kemp
Brandford jumped out to a 1-0 lead after winning the first set 21-25, but Baker quickly adjusted and stung Brandford in the second set 25-15.
It was a seesaw battle from there, but Baker took the next two sets 25-23 and 28-26 to win the title.
"It's that mindset. It's that championship mindset that our girls refuse to lose," Medley said. "They have toted it around with them all season and it really shined in the postseason."
Baker junior outside hitter Kaleigh Moss saves a shot during the state Class 1A state championship match against Brandford at the FHSAA girls volleyball championships Tuesday at Polk State College in Winter Haven.
Bill Kemp
Baker junior outside hitter Kaleigh Moss was almost unstoppable, dishing out 24 kills with five aces.
"I have put a lot into volleyball and I don't think I could be where I am at without these (teammates)," Moss said. "I have always been the type of person to get on myself for misses and stuff. But if I didn't have these girls to help me get back on my feet, I don't think I could even begin to play how I did."
Branford head coach Mendy Sikes said Moss was the best player her team has faced all year.
Baker senior Lily Adams (12) sets up a shot during the state Class 1A state championship match against Brandford at the FHSAA girls volleyball championships Tuesday at Polk State College in Winter Haven.
Bill Kemp
"I was nervous, truthfully," Sikes said. "I trust my team but I was hoping we could capitalize before (Moss) took the net. But when she got up there, I felt like that gave a little bit of nervousness to my team that we didn't need."
Baker reached the state title match this past year, but lost to Liberty County 3-0 in the 1A state championship match. Medley said the loss prepped her team to win it all this year.
"We were in the mindset that we were going to come to state my first year of coaching, but we fell in the regional championship," Medley said. "So we put it on the board that we were getting to state, and we did just that my second year. But it was a heartbreaker losing to Liberty, but we led in every set at some point. It was close.
"I made up my mind after state last year that we were going to play state championship level games all season long. And we did."
Brandford sophomore outside hitter Kayley Johnson pushes the ball back over the net against Baker during the Class 1A state championship match at the FHSAA girls volleyball championships Tuesday at Polk State College in Winter Haven.
Bill Kemp
Branford was led by Kennedy Walker with 10 kills, two blocks and one ace while Jadyn Mosley dished out 10 kills, two aces and two blocks.
Brandford finished the season 25-5, and the 25 wins broke the school record of 22.
Seacrest Country Day wins 3rd consecutive 2A girls volleyball state title
WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA -- New coach, same results.
Naples Seacrest Country Day won its third straight FHSAA Class 2A girls volleyball state championship on Tuesday at Polk State College, holding off a tough Boca Raton Christian 3-2.
"I am just so proud of them," said Seacrest new head coach Jeff Motluck. "They are self-motivated and they play for each other. They love each other. It didn't surprise me that they won."
Seacrest Country Day players and coaches pose with their FHSAA Class 2A girls volleyball state championship trophy Tuesday at Polk State College in Winter Haven. It was their third consecutive title.
Bill Kemp
Seacrest won the first set 25-23, the third set 25-22 and the fifth-and-deciding set 15-11 to give Motluck his first state championship. It was the fourth overall for the program.
"Give Boca all the credit in the world. They have an outstanding team, but it was going to take an amazing effort from somebody to beat this group tonight," Motluck said.
Samantha Soderlund led Seacrest with 24 kills and 17 digs. Brooke Spurgeon added 10 kills and Adriana Garcia had eight.
"The biggest thing was getting them to buy into the fact we had a roster of eight players for most of the season," Motluck said. "We had to convince them it was about the long haul and not the short sprint. We couldn't afford any injuries or illness. They were locked in."
