Pace Academy Remains Undisputed Volleyball State Champs
For the fourth year in a row, Pace Academy has won the State Championship for their respective division. Being 3-time defending state champions, every team that played against the Pace Academy Knights this season has been out for their blood. This is evident in the first four games of the season, where out of 14 sets, the Lady Knights were only able to pick up 2 set victories. One of these first games that the Knights lost included rival school, Westminster where the Knights lost 3 sets to none.
In the past, Pace Academy has competed in the Class AAA division, and has met Westminster in the finals for the 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 state championships. They’ve won 3 out of those four games. Now, this is the first year where the knights have played within the Class AA/A Public School Division and they were able to finish the season with a 12-0 run and a fourth consecutive state title. Even though they were no longer in the same division together, the two schools made sure to meet up in the beginning of the season to give each other a competitive start to the year.
The 2020 AA/A Public School Division State Championship took place at the Lakepoint Champions Center in Cartersville on November 7th. The playoff included veteran team, Pace Academy and first timer Gordon Lee high school. The Gordon Lee Lady Trojans appeared in the first state championship of their programs short 20-year history. The game started poorly for the Lady Trojans as they lost the first two sets 18-25, 18-25. Then, giving a fighting push, that could only be drawn from the energy of a state championship game, the Trojans won the next two sets 25-18, 25-22. In a nail-biting fifth set, the Knights ended up triumphant, with the final score of 15-8 and a their fourth state championship in the past four years.
Both teams played with peak abilities and a passion for the game. This first championship appearance for the Lady Trojans also ended with the best season in school history with a 37-12 record. Trojan head coach, Adam Crowley, was happy with Gordon Lee’s results and is feeling very hopeful for the future, as the team is only graduating three seniors.
“These girls have been building toward this and each time we get a step further,” Crowley said. “When next year gets here and we know we’ve been here before, hopefully we can go get it done.”
This is the start of a potential state championships runs for the Trojans and head coach Crowley knows it.
Overall, the Lady Trojans put in a tremendous effort, but ultimately couldn’t push past the powerhouse team of Pace Academy. With the 2020-2021 season at a close, the Knights only have one thing on their mind: Winning their fifth consecutive state title next year.
Written by: Lexi Fitzpatrick
