Loss to East Hamilton ends championship drive

For the second straight season, Camden Volleyball advanced to the TSSAA State Championships, and earned a berth among the final four teams to compete for the state title. The Lady Lions finished their season with a record of 33-9, ranked 4th in the state.

“Making it back to state has been the plan since last October. I told the team that we could travel around and win as many tournaments as possible, or we could reach beyond our comfort zone and play against teams that would test us and prepare us to make it back to state. As always, our athletes chose the road less traveled,” Coach Stephen Vick stated proudly. “It wasn’t easy to advance facing teams like White House Heritage, Nolensville, and state champs Portland along the way. Again this year, Region 6AA proved to be as strong as they come, with both Camden and Portland in the top four.”

In the state tournament, Camden went 2-2, beating West Tennessee powerhouse Jackson South Side and Upperman, of East Tennessee. The hard-hitting team from East Hamilton was the only team Camden fell to in the first round, and again in the Semi-Finals, ending hopes for the championship.

“I was so proud of the way our girls battled and never gave up on a single possession,” Vick said. “Our Wednesday morning win versus Upperman was one for the record books, literally.”

Senior Jordan Vick broke her own record of 36 assists by one, earning 37 assists in the lively match. Abby Berry bested her previous defensive record of 31 digs, set in last year’s state tournament, with an amazing 38 digs in the Upperman contest. Lydia Dykes broke Camden’s single-game blocking record with 6 blocks, previously held by Sydney Baker with 5.

By the end of the tournament, Dykes’ consistent defensive effort broke Camden’s single season defensive record of 75 blocks, previously held by Madison Estep, by moving the mark to 88 blocks. Jay Morgan Dobson also had one of the best performances of her career so far, serving a team high of 98.2 percent of her balls on point. The excellent play of sophomores Berry, Dobson, and Dykes puts Camden in good stead for next fall.

This season marked the end of the road for six amazing seniors: Sarah Bradford, Briley Hardin, Isabella Hodge, Brianna Minor, Eden Pafford, and Jordan Vick. With a 4-year record of 132-24, with only two losses on their home court in all those games, these athletes have laid a great foundation for CHS Volleyball and caused a county to fall in love with the sport. Four district championships in four years, two sub-state victories, and two appearances in the state final four are a great legacy for any team to leave behind.

“To say I am proud of these athletes would be an understatement. To go from an uncertain new program in 2015 to a seasoned state contender by 2018, wow!” Vick declared. “They have my respect, and it truly has my honor to have been their coach.”