It’s been a long time since the Walton High School volleyball team won a Georgia state championship.
Four years, to be exact, which is an eternity for the Raiders program that has had three head coaches in the last four years.
But first-year coach Ashley Jones inherited a talented roster, and Walton exacted some revenge on Thursday in defeating defending Georgia High School Association Class 6A champion Alpharetta for its 16 state title.
The Raiders lost the first set 25–16, then won the last three sets by scores of 25–23, 25–21, and 27–25 to down top-seeded Alpharetta.
Here’s more from the Cobb County School District:
“Walton’s championship match featured several outstanding performances. Sophomore outside hitter Addison Contestabile led the team with 15 kills. Senior right-side hitter Simone Searles added 12 kills. Senior libero Ella Cobb was credited with 22 digs, and junior middle blocker Scarlett Holden led the team with six blocks. The Championship MVP Award went to sophomore setter Janie Myers, who assisted on 32 kills and had 11 digs of her own.”
Myers added that “I’m just so proud of all of us. I didn’t do this all by myself. This is such a special group of girls. This feels awesome.”
Jones, who was hired from Marietta High School over the summer, said in the CCSD release that “we said from practice number one that this was our year to win it all. To give these seniors, who haven’t experienced a championship and have been with the program for four years, to give them this win in their last season, that’s super special.”
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