Mills River – West (25-2) finished a perfect 12-0 in Mountain Seven matches, after sweeping second-place Franklin (18-3) by 25-20, 25-12, 25-15 at home on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
The Lady Falcons surged to a 12-4 lead in the second set (game), and closed it on an 8-3 run. “We worked together well,” with outstanding blocking, positioning and passing, head coach Tiffany White Lowrence said. She is proud that West did not let FHS get long runs on its serves, instead forcing “side outs to get the ball back.”
West won the league by two games. Final M7 standings are West (12-0), Franklin (10-2), Pisgah (8-4), Tuscola (5-7), North Henderson (4-8), Smoky Mountain (2-10), and East Henderson (1-11). West and Franklin shared the regular-season crown a season ago. The league tournament was scrapped. Instead, teams used last week to make up two weeks of matches cancelled due to widespread Hurricane Helene area flooding. West won 3-0 at Tuscola on Oct. 10, and again versus Franklin.
West, the 3A West Region’s top seed, is at home on Thursday and (with a win) on Saturday in round three. The opening foe forfeited.
Swirling Sweepers
West swept foes 3-0 in 17 of its 20 regular-season victories, including all 11 conference opponents twice each and also 3A power A.C. Reynolds. Early on, WHHS defeated two reigning state champions in Brevard (2A) and Polk County (1A). West’s sole losses were both in a tourney on Sept. 14. One was to Kings Mountain, which looms as a prime rival to WHHS for the West Region crown.
“We’re like family on and off the court, with great chemistry,” University of Georgia-bound Bryson said. “We can joke with each other,” but bear down for the next point.
The 6-foot-3 Bryson stands out physically and for her dominant net play. She leaps to extend her reach four feet, to 10 feet, 3 inches. The vocal leader is a fourth-year varsity star. She is among merely five seniors, out of 15 Falcon varsity players.
Her strong supporting cast makes the Lady Falcons extra dangerous, and along with Lowrance’s coaching is why they should drive deep into playoffs and can win it all.
Depth in Stat Leaders
West’s leaders in slams (“kills”) are Bryson (262; 4.0 per set), senior Bella Baylor (170/2.8), and juniors Marley Orr (147/2.3) and Alena Mayberry (94/1.6). Bryson had 14 kills in the regular-season finale. She delivers on an amazing 58.5 percent of her “kill” (slam) attempts. Other exceptionally accurate Falcon spikers are Baylor (43%), juniors Abigail Garnett (42%) and Makenna Henderson (37%), sophomore Ella Collier (35.7%), junior Holland Corbin (34%), Mayberry (33.7%), and Orr (30.6%).
A critical statistic is the percentage of all hits including taps that are in bounds, landing on the court or bouncing off foes and out of play. Bryson (51%), Garnett (30%) and Baylor (29%) pace West. Bryson leads in blocks, averaging nearly one per set. Outside hitter Mayberry often teams with Bryson for an adept blocking tandem. Kaydence Audibert, a junior, is a reserve middle hitter.
Garcia (47) and Bryson (32) have the most service aces. Garcia, junior Sutton Hughes, freshman Joelie Humiston, Orr, and Bryson all pound over 92 percent of their serves in bounds. Sullivan, senior Melea Humiston, Corbin, and senior Brooke Dudzinski are 83-90 percent in service accuracy.
Playmaking setter Corbin has 628 assists including 31 on Oct. 16, averaging 9.4 per set. Melea Humiston and senior Allyson Garcia next. Service return leaders are Garcia (3.4 per set), Orr (3.2), Joelie Humiston (2.1), and junior Arden Sullivan (2.0).
Team leaders in retrievals (“digs”) of opposing hits are Garcia (204/3.0), Orr (171/2.6), Corbin (154/2.3), Sullivan (145/2.8), and Joelie Humiston (117/2.2).
Melea Humiston said that the Falcons are confident, yet not overly so. “We don’t simply expect to win. We work hard for it.”