Pensacola Catholic, Jay Volleyball Punch Tickets To Fhsaa Final Four

All year, Pensacola Catholic has been working to prove last year's Final Four run wasn't a fluke. The Crusaders, who won two road matches to get to the 3A semifinals last year, set a goal from the beginning of the season to get back.

Mission accomplished, as the Crusaders dispatched reigning Region 1-4A champion South Walton in four sets (20-25, 25-21, 25-14, 25-14) to return to the 3A Final Four. Catholic (26-4) will play in the 3A state semifinals at the Winter Haven Health Center at Polk State College at either 9 a.m. or 12 p.m. on Nov. 3.

"We've earned our way down there," Crusaders head coach Clay Carrell said. "This wasn't like oh, you're lucky, you reverse sweep. We set a goal and we just pushed ourselves all the way through."

Tuesday's regional final was a rematch of the District 1-3A final, which the Crusaders won 3-0. After losing last year's District 1-3A final to North Bay Haven before reverse sweeping them in the regional final, Pensacola Catholic knew how South Walton would feel.

The Seahawks came out swinging and once they started playing cleaner, were able to take the first set. But once the Crusaders cleaned up their defense and started being aggressive, things started to turn in their favor.

They outlasted South Walton in a second set where all points were earned, taking a 12-9 lead and never trailing again. Catholic took control of both the third and fourth sets early and didn't let up. The Crusaders went on a 7-0 run in the third set to take an 11-5 lead, and the closest the Seahawks got after that was 14-11. They jumped out to a 6-3 lead in the fourth set and South Walton never got close.

By the end of the match, Catholic looked like the team it had been all year. Solid all-around, with one part of the game picking up another if it faltered.

"I think we were just really jittery," senior middle blocker Piper Nissley said about the early sets. "We weren't playing all togther. We were trying to fight ourselves instead of just everyone working together as a team. And I think we really did that the last two sets and we cut the errors out."

The Crusaders finished up an undefeated season at home and are 21-1 against Florida competition this year. Their other three losses were against teams ranked at third in their respective state, according to MaxPreps.

Pensacola Catholic knows a challenge awaits in Winter Haven next week. However, this year it was always the goal to get there. The Crusaders won't be intimidated by the environment this time. They just have to do what they've been doing all year. Focus on their side of the court, be aggressive and try to take care of business.

"You can't just be 'we're in awe, let's hope we do well,'" Carrell said. "It means we're here to compete. We've competed against some of the best school Lousiana, Georgia, Alabama, so we know we can compete. Let's take that mindset down there as well."

Jay reaches first ever Final Four

The Lady Royals made history tonight. For the first time ever, Jay is final four bound after beating Baker in four sets (25-19, 25-15, 17-25, 25-22). It'll play in the Rural state semifinals at either 9 a.m. or 12 p.m. CT on Nov. 2 at the Winter Haven Health Center at Polk State College.

"We've had our eyes set on this one for a long time," Jay head coach Carey Locklin said in a text. "We knew what we were capable of and wanted to execute what we practice."

Locklin said Jay had a couple starters battling minor injuries, but still did what they needed to make history and beat Baker for a fourth time this fall.

The Lady Royals got out to a hot start in set one, leading 10-3 before the Gators cut the lead to 17-13 and Jay held them at bay. The second set was back and forth early before Jay pulled away. Baker fought to keep his season alive, taking a set off the Lady Royals for the second time this season before Jay won a tight fourth set.

"We know if you ever give Baker a lead, they will take it and run with it and that's what they did in the third set," Locklin said. "Our girls made up their mind to finish and that's what we did."

The Royals, who entered the state playoffs ranked No. 1 in the entire rural classification, will likely be the No. 1 seed for the Final Four when the FHSAA reseeds each classification.

"We are locked in and will continue to work until the state championship belongs to us," Locklin said. "Too far in to stop now."

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Catholic, Jay volleyball punch tickets to FHSAA Final Four