All-Area 5-5A selection Rachel Loftus is ready to serve in the state playoffs. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The No. 8/10 ranked Chamblee Lady Bulldogs and nine other DeKalb County (DCSD) volleyball teams serve up state playoff action beginning on Wednesday.
The Lady Bulldogs who are ranked 8th by Score Atlanta and 10th by the AJC enter the state playoffs with a record of 26-11 and as the Area 5-5A champions.
Chamblee led by seniors Anna McDaniel (defensive specialist), Natalie Roberts (middle blocker) and Rachel Loftus (setter) were an Elite 8 entry a year ago and begin their road by hosting Rome (15-11) at 5:30 pm on Wednesday in the Class 5A state playoffs.
The Lady Bulldogs helped Coach Lorri Reynolds reach a career victory mark of 200 wins (213-164, 9 years) with a 25-5, 25-16 win over on September 7. Reynolds has guided Chamblee six consecutive playoff appearances, including last year’s Elite 8 round and a pair of Sweet 16 berths (2012-13).
Chamblee also hit a historic mark as a volleyball program collecting its 500th victory on September 27th with a 25-7, 25-12 win over Columbia. Chamblee leads all DCSD teams with an all-time record of 505-326. Dunwoody (464-315) and Lakeside (429-357) are the only other programs with over 400 wins.
In other Class 5A home playoff action, Arabia Mountain (21-11) plays host to Kell (18-25) at 5:30 pm on Wednesday. The Lady Rams are making their second consecutive state playoff appearance and fifth overall in 10 seasons as a program.
Coach Bruce Pfleger’s squad is led by All-Area 5-5A selections Janyah White, and Ifoma Foreman.
Teams playing on the road on Wednesday in Class 5A include Southwest DeKalb (19-9) at Hiram (34-4) at 6:00 pm, Miller Grove (17-12) at McIntosh (26-3) at 6:00 pm and Clarkston (8-27) at Carrollton (18-8-1) at 6:00 pm.
Southwest DeKalb head coach Kristina Parrish (111-76) picked up her 100th career victory on August 29th 28-26, 9-25, 25-22 over Redan. Parrish has guided the program to four consecutive state playoff appearances.
The Lady Panthers collected the program’s 250th victory 25-20, 25-15 over Columbia on August 15th and with the 19-9 season put the program over the .500 mark at 267-266.
Coach Joie Bullock guided the Clarkston Angoras to their first state playoff appearance with a fifth place finish in Area 5-5A.
Class 7A
Two-time All-Area 7-7A selection Sairah Hyman leads Lakeside into the Class 7A state playoffs on Wednesday. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Coach Angela Thompson leads her Lakeside Vikings into the state playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, including a Final Four appearance in 2012.
Lakeside travels to North Forsyth (37-9) as the No. 3 seed out of Area 7-7A for a 5:30 pm first round match on Wednesday.
Thompson is third all-time on the DCSD career wins list at 241-152 in 11 seasons at Lakeside. Lakeside sits at 429-357 overall as a program at third in DeKalb.
The Lady Vikings are led by three-time All-Area selection Gabrielle Morse, two-time All-Area selection Sairah Hyman and first time All-Area second team pick Tyja Traore.
Class 3A
Redan (22-7), Stone Mountain (16-11) and Towers (9-10) are Class 3A state playoff entries from DCSD who will play on Wednesday.
Coach Charlyce Henderson is in her ninth season leading Redan and has her team hosting East Hall (30-17) at 6:00 pm on Wednesday as the No. 2 seed in Area 5-3A. It is Redan’s sixth consecutive state tournament berth under the direction of Henderson.
Redan advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time a year ago with the program’s first playoff win with a 3-1 victory over Savannah and finished 29-3 overall. Four All-Area 5-3A selections, including outside hitters Jalene Wright and Takaira Flemons along with middle hitter Hydeah Hinesman and libero Gerika Moon, lead the way for Redan.
Coach Mary Cromer’s Stone Mountain Lady Pirates make their second consecutive and second all-time playoff appearance with a road trip to face Greater Atlanta Christian on Wednesday at 5:00 pm. Outside hitter Shamekia Harris and setter Janae Nimmons garnered All-Area honors leading Stone Mountain to the playoffs.
Towers makes a second consecutive trip to the state playoffs and third overall as the Lady Titans travel to North Hall (42-10) in first round play. All-Area selections Alexia Ayers (outside hitter) and Khadijah Williams (middle hitter) lead the way for Towers.
Class 4A
DeKalb has one entry in Class 4A as Druid Hills (12-12) returns to the state playoffs after missing out in 2016 with a trip to Upson Lee on Thursday at 6:30 pm.
The Lady Devils captured the program’s 350th all-time victory with a 25-16, 18-25, 25-22 win over Southwest DeKalb on September 7. The program now stands at 354-248 with nine playoff appearances dating back to 2004.
2017 VOLLEYBALL STATE PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND
Wednesday, Oct. 11
CLASS 7A
Lakeside (19-17) at North Forsyth (37-9), 5:30 pm
CLASS 5A
Rome (15-11) at Chamblee (26-11), 5:30 pm
Kell (18-25) at Arabia Mountain (21-11), 5:30 pm
SW DeKalb (19-9) at Hiram (34-4), 6:00 pm
Miller Grove (17-12) at McIntosh (26-3), 6:00 pm
Clarkston (8-27) at Carrollton (18-8-1), 6:00 pm
CLASS 3A
East Hall (30-17) vs. Redan (22-7), 6:00 pm
Stone Mountain (16-11) at Greater Atlanta Christian (27-13), 5:00 pm
Towers (9-10) at North Hall (42-10), 5:00 pm
Thursday, Oct. 12
CLASS 4A
Druid Hills (12-12) at Upson Lee (8-8), 6:30 pm