Bluebirds Best 'Breds in Five
The Final point in Game Five.
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PHOTO: G. Michael Graham, Fort Thomas Matters. Highlands senior setter Maria Little (3) goes up for a set while Laura Winkler (14) and CC Shick (23) get in position.
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When Highlands Bluebirds junior middle blocker/right side hitter CC Shick and Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds senior middle blocker Madison McCloskey wound up and followed through, the balls slammed to the ground more often that not.
It turned into a matter of which team made fewer mistakes, found them, the other hitters and made their supporters roar better in determining the 36th District champion at Dayton High on Thursday. Trailing 2-1 entering the fourth set, Highlands (13-7 overall) responded pulling out the fourth set (25-19) then the deciding fifth set (15-4) to beat the improved Thoroughbreds (15-10), 3-2 for a fourth straight district championship.
"I think this season (shortened because of Coronavirus 2019) has been a tough one for a lot of teams including us," said Katelyn Sallee, Highlands Head Coach. "We had to fight to just kind of figure out who we were as a team after losing (five seniors to graduation from last year) and clawing back against I think the best NC team we've seen in a few years. It was a hard fight. We were ready for it and we came out strong."