District Volleyball roundup: Booker T. Washington earns trip to District Final, will face Choctaw
A roundup of district semifinal games involving Pensacola-area teams from Tuesday, Oct. 17.
District 1-5A
No. 2 Booker T. Washington 3, No. 3 Arnold 0
Last season, the Wildcats were begrudgingly forced to accept district runner-up honors after falling to Choctaw in the District 1-5A Final.
One year later, Booker T. Washington has earned the chance to avenge that loss following Tuesday's three-set victory against Arnold from the Ronnie and Janis Bond Gym.
The Wildcats improved their record to 12-12 this season. They entered as the district's No. 2 seed while the Marlins were seeded third. Set scores were 25-22, 25-14 and 25-21.
Booker T. Washington will play for the district title at 6 p.m. Thursday at No. 1 Choctaw, who cruised to a sweep over Fort Walton Beach in its semifinal match.
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"It's the same thing, same setup. I think we're more eager to this year because we want that district championship," Wildcats. head coach Brandy Bradley said. "That's been a goal from the beginning and (the players) want to get that, especially for the seniors. ... They are going to do what they got to do get it."
Thanks to a 8-1 spurt, Booker T. gained control of the first set before a visitors mounted a late charge, closing to within 23-21 and forcing Bradley to call a timeout. The hosts immediately took care of business when they returned to the floor, as a pair of tips from sophomore middle hitter Sarah Quarells - first to the middle of the floor and then a soft shot falling just in front of the Arnold bench - finished the set.
The second set wasn't nearly as competitive as the Marlins had trouble staying in system and returning the ball over the net, whether from taking on a Wildcats serve or attack. The home team enjoyed as much as a 13-point cushion during that frame.
In the final set that featured nine ties, the two teams traded points until Booker T. used a 4-0 run to establish a cushion. Kills from Quarrells and junior middle hitter Kami Austin started the push before an ace from senior libero Caroline Pickens and an errant Arnold shot opened up a 19-13 advantage. The Wildcats would not trail the rest of the way.
Quarrels led the home team with 10 kills. Austin added eight kills while senior middle hitter Mallory Dickinson and junior outside hitter Hannah Bradley had seven and six kills, respectively. Bradley also added seven digs.
Here are three takeaways from Tuesday's match
Wildcats knew Marlins' weaknesses
The Marlins and Wildcats had only faced off one previous time this year. On Sept. 28, Booker T. Washington triumphed on the road in four sets.
However, more important than the victory, the Wildcats established a blueprint to beat an Arnold team: pick your spots and swing with authority.
"Since we've played them before, we kind of know their weaknesses and we know where we want to put the ball," Dickerson said. "Going through it, I know that this player struggles with this angle or this player doesn't put up tips, so it was about using those things to our advantage and put the ball there when we need a point."
There were plenty of open holes on the visitors' side of the ball, but even on balls hit right at them, the Marlins struggled mightily with ball control.
Booker T. was gifted numerous free balls as a result, which Quarells or Dickerson smacked down to the floor.
"We have several versatile hitters that can from any area, whether it would be middle, outside or right-side," Brandy Bradley said. "So they use that to their advantage."
'No ball hits the floor'
The Wildcats had a minor scare just as they were closing in on a victory.
In an diving attempt to dig out a ball near the back line, senior libero Caroline Pickens tumbled hard and fell face-first to the court. She took a moment to get back to her feet before a running off the floor and to a trainer as blood began to gush from her nose.
Leading the set 22-18, Bradley called a timeout, as she did towards the end of the first set, while Pickens was tended to.
"I called a timeout just so that (the players) could focus just to finish the set after Caroline hurt herself," Bradley said. "They all got it together and were focused just to finish the game."
Two minutes was all that needed to stop the blood. And when play resume, Pickens, exhibiting toughness, ran back onto the floor to a loud applause. Naturally, she dug out the ensuing serve.
"It was really just about, 'No ball hits the floor,'" said Pickens, who earlier this season surpassed 500 digs in her prep career. "Play was still going on. I had to get back out there and finish it off so that we could go to the district finals."
Booker T. plans to 'finish the job' against Choctaw
Like with Arnold, Booker T. captured a four-set regular-season win against Choctaw. That victory came on Sept. 7 from home.
Last season, the Wildcats swept the Indians in a regular-season contest, but could not duplicate that success in the district finals.
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There are five players on this year's Booker T. roster that experienced last year's disappointment, with Dickerson and Pickens serving as returning seniors. If the Wildcats can get revenge, it'll be the program's first district title since 2016.
"We got to go out there and finish the job," Dickerson said. "It's definitely a big game for us, especially being seniors. It's our last opportunity to go out there and show them that this is our trophy."
Pickens added: "As seniors, this is our last time, so we got to give it all we got. We came up short last year, so we're even more driven this year. With it being set up the same way as last year puts that much more pressure, but we want it that much more."
District 1-6A
No. 1 Gulf Breeze 3, No. 4 Tate 0
The Dolphins will play for their fifth consecutive district after taking care of the Aggies in three sets. Set scores were 25-5, 25-14 and 25-9.
Stats were unavailable.
"Tonight's match was exactly what we needed. They played with confidence and execution," Dolphins head coach Jasmine King said. "They played for each other and I'm super proud of them. I'm looking to a tough matchup Thursday, but we are ready."
Claiming its 12th win in a row, Gulf Breeze (21-2) is host at 6 p.m. Thursday to second-seeded Navarre with the district title on the line. The Dolphins have won 33 straight matches against the Raiders, including two this past season and last year's District 1-6A title match.
Gulf Breeze entered the week as the top-ranked team in Region 1-6A while Tate was 13th. The Aggies end the season at 18-8.
District 1-4A
No. 1 South Walton 3, No. 4 Pensacola 0
Likely seeing their season come to an end, the Tigers were slow out of the gates during a road sweep against the top-seeded Seahawks. Set scores were 25-4, 25-22 and 25-13.
Stats were unavailable.
With a 8.587 rating, Pensacola (16-7) entered this week ranked eighth in Region 1-4A, just one spot shy of receiving an at-large bid.
No. 2 North Bay Haven Academy 3, No. 3 West Florida 1
Dropping the first two sets, the Jaguars weren't able to mount a comeback on the road. Set scores were 26-24, 25-19, 21-25 and 25-14 in favor of the Buccaneers.
Stats were unavailable.
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West Florida (18-8) now waits to see if its season will continue. The team begin district play ranked seventh in Region 1-4A with a 9.922, good enough for the region's last at-large bid.
District 1-3S
No. 2 Maclay 3, No. 3 Pensacola Catholic 0
The Crusaders' quest for four consecutive district titles came to a close following a road defeat to the second-seeded Marauders.
Set scores and stats were unavailable.
Pensacola Catholic finishes the season at 5-22.
District 1-1A
No. 2 Jay 3, No. 3 Northview 2
With two rivals squaring off, it just had to go the distance.
The Royals trailed two sets to one before rallying in front of their home fans to claim a five-set win over the Chiefs. Set scores were 22-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-18 and 15-6.
Stats were unavailable.
Jay (16-6) collected its third victory this season over Northview (11-6), with the previous two matches ending in four sets.
The Royals advance to the District 1-1A Final against top-seeded Baker. Those two will duel at 6 p.m. Thursday at Jay High School.
No. 1 Baker 3, No. 4 Central 0
The Jaguars struggled to keep pace with the district’s top-seed, falling in three sets to the Gators at Jay High School. Set scores were 25-12, 25-17 and 25-15.
Stats were unavailable.
Central entered the week ranked sixth in Region 1-1A. The team ends the season at 9-15.
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached at (772) 985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Volleyball roundup: Booker T. Washington headed back to District 1-5A Final
