Seacrest volleyball looking to defend state title once more in quest for three-peat
It's almost becoming routine for the Seacrest Country Day volleyball team.
That routine? Practicing well into November, being one of four teams remaining in their respective classification, and being the standard on the Southwest Florida volleyball circuit.
The Stingrays will look to continue this dominant decade into a dynasty, seeking its third straight state championship. Seacrest is set to take on Orangewood Christian at 4 p.m. on Monday in Winter Haven for the right to play for a third consecutive state title in Class 2A, with the winner set to face either Boca Raton Christian or Oak Hall in the title game at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
"It's been super, super exciting for me," Seacrest first-year coach Jeff Motluck said. "They're a very self-motivated group. They're driven to succeed. They want to win another state championship. They want to create their own legacy here. They don't want to rely on what's happened in the past. I think they're hyper-focused right now, and right now has just been keeping them relaxed.
"The nice thing about it is that they're playing for each other right now. That fuels any team to success. They're focused on playing for one another and making it happen for each other."
Sitting at 27-3 this season, Seacrest was once again the top team in Southwest Florida following back-to-back 26-4 seasons in 2021 and 2022. Over their last three seasons, Seacrest is 79-11 (.878). The Stingrays haven't been swept in a five-set match in over three years, with the last time that happened coming on Oct. 13, 2020, against First Baptist.
Seacrest has done a solid job under Motluck, who is in his first year leading the program. He had to overcome replacing Breanah Rives, the state's all-time kills leader, along with Carole Ann Hussey, Sophia Caruso, Izzy Soderlund, and Melannie Bello from last year's team. Rives and Hussey accounted for just over 50 percent of the team's offense a season ago, with 522 combined kills.
This season, it has been a team effort on the attacking front. After Brooke Spurgeon, Sami Soderlund, and Adriana Garcia combined for 42.5 percent of the attack a season ago, that trio stepped up and has accounted for 69.5 percent this season in the same category entering Monday's game.
“This year especially, we’ve really spread out our offense," Spurgeon said. "Each person on our team has understood that they have a role that they play. We’ve all been able to understand our importance for our team. We don’t have a huge, hefty roster like some of the public schools we’ve played. Each girl has a place that they belong, and they execute super well. It makes it easy for us to come together and do our job as a team. We all have the common goal, and we all work together to get there. It’s all the hard work outside of the game, and in practice, and what we do together on and off the court.”
The Stingrays saw challenges last season, unable to be on the right side of games against deeper programs, but that has been far from the case this season. So far, Seacrest has beaten quality opponents in King's Academy, Canterbury, Westminster Christian, Cypress Bay, St. Brendan, and Lourdes, while being competitive in losses to Boca Raton, Venice, and Tampa Prep.
"Something I really like about this team is that we always rise to the occasion," Seacrest junior setter Milena Lopez said. "I feel like whatever we're presented with, we find ways to adjust and find what works to beat that team. I feel like we all played really well at Westminster. We were making plays and clicking defensively. Every team we played was a little different, but we always figured out a way to work around that."
Lopez has been one of the top setters statewide this season. Committed to UNC Charlotte, Lopez has 937 assists, which ranks fourth in all of Florida. She has taken on full-time setting duties after splitting time in a 6-2 last season alongside Caruso. She has anchored an offense that normally runs just seven players in a game, with Bali Coles and Klaudia Beach rotating at middle hitter.
"The toughest thing is that they had to create a new identity for this team," Motluck said. "Everyone had to settle in to new roles and new responsibilities. There was a lot of figuring out and stuff like that, but they've done a really nice job. I think for the most part, they've all embraced that, this person's a go-to hitter, this one's another go-to hitter.
"With Milena starting to really become more offense oriented, the balance on our team is extraordinary. One player can have an off match, and it's not likely at this point, but it doesn't allow us for teams to key in on just one player. You might be able to control one player for a little bit of time, but we've got several girls who can take over a match for us. That's a very nice luxury to have."
Junior libero Alexa Haley has been a part of two state title teams with Spurgeon, Lopez, and Soderlund, and will look to bring home a third ring into the collection.
"We need to play our game in both games," Haley said. "We just need to play tough. We've been preparing a lot for it — everyone's been working hard. We have a good mindset on it. I think both of the teams are going to be a challenge. We need to play, and we need to step up. It's all about mindset. We have to have the right mindset about it."
Final Four common opponents
Boca Raton Christian: Archbishop Carroll (Seacrest won 25-9, 25-6; Boca Raton Christian won 25-10, 25-22, 27-25); Boca Raton (Boca Raton Christian won 22-25, 25-14, 23-25, 25-15, 15-6; Seacrest lost 25-17, 18-25, 13-15), King's Academy (Seacrest won 25-15, 25-11, 26-24; Boca Raton Christian lost twice, 22-25, 22-25, 25-18, 19-25 and 23-25, 18-25, 22-25), Lake Worth Christian (Seacrest won 25-21, 25-17, 25-17; Boca Raton Christian won 26-24, 25-10, 25-23)
Orangewood Christian: Lake Worth Christian (Seacrest won 25-21, 25-17, 25-17; Orangewood Christian won 25-13, 25-21, 25-23)
Oak Hall: Keswick Christian (Seacrest won 25-12, 25-9, 25-11; Oak Hall lost 18-25, 21-25)
IF YOU GO
What: Class 2A state semifinal, Seacrest Country Day (27-3) vs. Orangewood Christian (22-8)
Where: Polk State College, Winter Haven campus
When: Monday, 4 p.m.
Tickets: $14 per day with advance purchase, $17 day of game via GoFan
Parking: Free
Follow Southwest Florida Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Seacrest volleyball looking to three-peat in Class 2A state championship
