CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Each of the last two years, Philip Barbour saw its season come to an end with a loss to Shady Spring.
The Colts weren’t going to let it happen a third time.
In a back-and-forth Class AA final, Philip Barbour prevailed in the fifth set and topped the Tigers 25-23, 22-25, 25-21, 19-25, 15-13, allowing the Colts to claim their fifth state championship at the Charleston Coliseum. It was PB’s fourth title since a three-peat began in 2015.
“This group has been through a lot,” PB coach Healther Halfin said. “We had some losses throughout this season, so for them to come together when it mattered like that is big and speaks volumes for their character.”
The Colts made a 23-22 lead stand in the opening set to go on top. But the Tigers responded and got even, before PB seized control late in the third set and built a 22-16 lead. Although Shady closed its deficit to 23-20 later that set, the Colts hung on to take a 2-1 lead.
The Tigers, however, wouldn’t go quietly. Shady put together its best stretch of the match in taking the fourth set, setting up a winner-take-all fifth set.
But as the stakes grew, the Colts elevated their play and held a close lead throughout the majority of the fifth set.
It allowed them to exact some revenge after falling to the Tigers in a state semifinal two seasons ago, then losing to them again in last year’s AA final.
“I just told them that they had to play hard for 15 hard points and that it would be a much better bus ride home when you have a championship trophy instead of a runner-up trophy,” Halfin said. “Last year, I felt like we got tired and we weren’t in as good of shape. So we conditioned hard this year for this exact moment.
“It couldn’t have been any closer. I feel like we were in much better condition for this, and mentally, too. They’ve been in these tight spots before, so they were a little bit more ready for that.”
Averi Carpenter recorded 14 points and 22 digs in the victory, while MacKenna Halfin added eight points and 18 digs.
Emily Denison totaled six points and Alyssa Hill added five in the win.
“There’s no bond like what we have and I’m going to miss it so much,” said Hill, a senior. “It’s incredible. They took us out in the semis my sophomore year and took us out in the championship last year, but not this year.”