Dyer County tops Dyersburg, finishes district slate unbeaten

Dyer County's Ava Huke (10) goes up for a kill during the Lady Choctaw sweep over Dyersburg on Wednesday in District 13AA action in Newbern.

Photo/Jason Peevyhouse

By JASON PEEVYHOUSE

Sports Editor

After the second matchup between the two teams had a rare rainout on its originally scheduled date a couple weeks back, Dyer County wrapped up its fourth straight district title and third undefeated district season in four years with a three-set win over Dyersburg on Wednesday night in Newbern.

Dyersburg's Preslee Quertermous (24) goes up against Dyer County defenders Erin Foster (15) and Rylee Key (obscured) during the Lady Trojan loss to the Lady Choctaws on Wednesday in Newbern.

Photo/Jason Peevyhouse

“We just needed to not get rattled, stay the course, and play our game,” Dyer County Head Coach Shanna O’Bright said. “And push points across.”

The Lady Choctaws jumped out to a big lead early, using kills from Rylee Key and Teagan Reed to jump out to an 8-0 lead in the first set. Dyer County was able to build an 18-5 lead before Lady Trojan senior Addie Gatlin briefly halted the orange and white momentum with a well-placed return. A Kalli Maclin kill moments later put Dyersburg on the board before the Lady Choctaws closed out the first set with a 25-8 win.

Dyersburg was able to keep the second set close early before an Ava Huke block set off a Dyer County run which saw the Lady Choctaws get a Key block to take a 12-7 lead. A Reed kill followed by one by key and another Huke block set the tone for Dyer County to take the second set 25-12.

Dyer County was able to continue its momentum into the third set as a trio of Key kills and two by Reed countered a Prelsee Quertermous kill to give the Lady Choctaws a 7-4 lead. Key continued play well at the net and accounted for our more points to help keep the Dyer County lead at four. Dyersburg was able to get blocks from Murphy Morgan and Taniyah Brooks cut the Dyer County lead to 15-14. The Lady Choctaws were able to keep Dyersburg from overtaking the lead as a Huke kill and a Reed block and kill put Dyer County on top by four late. With an Emma Wray tip and a Kennedy Hill ace to lead the way, the Lady Choctaws took the third set and the match 25-19.

Dyersburg Head Coach De’Licia Ahmad talked about her team’s slow start against the Lady Choctaws.

“I told them that when we play good teams that we can’t wait until the second set to start picking it up,” Ahmad said. “Tonight was kind of a lesson learned.”

Ahmad added one solution to this would be to come out swinging.

“Blocking has been one thing that has kind of carried us a lot this season,” Ahmad added.

Over the course of the season, the Lady Trojans’ serving has improved.

“We’re giving ourselves more of a chance on defense by getting the ball over while at the beginning of the season we were giving away too many points by not even being able to keep our serves consistent,” the Lady Trojan head coach said.

O’Bright said it was very important to respond to the Lady Trojans’ resiliency in the third set.

“That’s why I called a timeout to talk to them,” O’Bright said of the match-clinching set. “I told them we had to find some momentum and run some offense and put this game away.”

Dyer County will enter the District 13AA Tournament as the top seed with a bye in the quarterfinals while Dyersburg draws Westview in the opening round scheduled for Monday.

The Lady Choctaw head coach said the key over the next week is to keep getting better.

“Keep working hard and keep getting better,” O’Bright said.

Meanwhile, Ahmad said consistency is the key for the next very important seven days.

“Just coming out ready to play,” the Lady Trojan head coach said.

Dyer County returns to action on Thursday what the Lady Choctaws take on Chester County at 6:15 p.m. at home. Meanwhile, Dyersburg is also at home in a regular season finale as the Lady Trojans take on Ripley at 6 p.m. Both games are Senior Nights for two hosting high schools.

Both teams return to action next week when the Lady Trojans take on Westview in the opening round of the District 13AA Tournament at 7 p.m. on Monday. Dyer County will be in action the following night when they take on the winner of the other quarterfinal game between Obion County and South Gibson at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.