WINTER HAVEN – Winter Park left no doubt it’s No.1, again.
The Wildcats repeated as Class 7A girls volleyball state champions Saturday, beating second-ranked Tampa Plant, 3-1. It was the second repeat in the program’s history, having won three consecutive titles in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and the sixth title overall.
“I have to give so much credit to Plant,” said Winter Park coach Stephanie Gibson, who also racked up her 902nd career win. “They game-planned against us and took away some things that we do very well, but our kids were incredible fighters. They just want to win every point.
“The long haul, that is what they are all about. They are just competitors and they’ll figure it out. We made several adjustments during the match to combat what they were doing.”
Winter Park rallied to win the first set 27-25 before dropping the second set 22-25. The Wildcats picked up steam in the third set, winning 25-13 and fourth-and-deciding set 25-13.
“We weren’t playing our best at the beginning of the (first set),” Gibson said. “We just had to start scoring. It was just about settling into the match and finding ways to score. We were going to change the rotation (in the third set), but we felt like we had the right matchups, so we stayed with it and our kids just found a way.”
Amber McClain did the heavy-hitting for Winter Park with 17 kills, seven digs and four passes.
“It’s just crazy that it happened, not once, but twice,” McClain said. “Especially going against Plant. They are such a great team and they played their hearts out. I couldn’t have done this without any of my teammates.
“We all were in it. Plant made us work for it, but when we are working as a team we love each other so much and that is what led us to go back-to-back.”
Additionally, Amelia Mancino dished out a complete performance with 13 kills, 20 digs and 33 passes, and Isabel Incinelli added 15 kills, nine digs and one pass. Isabel Bertelsen was a diving force on the floor with a lofty 33 digs and 18 passes, and Jordyn Lehman added eight digs and 15 passes.
“Plant is such a great team and it’s been such great fun to play them the past couple of years,” said Incinelli, who is not sure which state title is most special to her. “They both felt pretty good and it’s pretty even.”
Winter Park is losing five starting seniors, Sophia Stallworth, Mancino, McClain, Bertelsen and Paige Leyman, yet Gibson feels the Wildcats will be right back in the hunt for another title next season.
“We take it one game at a time,” Gibson said. “But we have some pretty good juniors returning, and our sophomores on the roster, in practice against them, they are so much better than so many of the matches that we play. I like our chances to be in the mix next year.”
