VOLLEYBALL

Prep Volleyball: Gulf Coast wins fourth straight district title

The Gulf Coast High School volleyball team celebrates its Class 8A-District 12 championship on Oct. 19, 2017.

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity to win its first district title, the Gulf Coast High School volleyball team hasn’t stopped winning championships.

The Sharks beat Riverdale in straight sets Thursday in the Class 8A-District 12 finals to win their fourth straight district championship. Gulf Coast, which opened in 1998, didn’t have any before the run began in 2014.

“It took a long time,” Sharks coach Christy Wright said. “This is my 11th year. The first seven years we didn’t win a single one. It’s nice. It’s very nice. You never want to take it for granted.”

Gulf Coast never trailed in any of the three sets, beating the Raiders 25-18, 25-15, 25-15.

The Gulf Coast High School volleyball team poses with the trophy from winning the Class 8A-District 12 title on Oct. 19, 2017.

The Sharks (23-3) will host District 11 runner-up Manatee in the 8A regional quarterfinals on Wednesday. Riverdale (14-7) will play at District 11 champ Venice. Both  are rematches from the first round of last year’s state tournament, which both Southwest Florida teams lost.

Senior Emily Damon, committed to play for Miami, led a balanced Gulf Coast attack with 16 kills and 11 digs. Damon will graduate as the first Sharks player to win four district titles.

“My freshman year was the first time we ever won, so four years in a row feels good,” Damon said. “(The seniors) wanted to keep it going. Hopefully the team next year keeps it going, too.”

Gulf Coast needed contributions from multiple players because it was without season kill leader Gabby Curran. Wright said Curran, the reigning Daily News Volleyball Player of the Year, is suspended for violation of team rules and will not play in Wednesday’s regional.

Paige Burgess had eight kills for the Sharks. Alyssa Hoppensteadt, Beka Ocsody and Grace Vernon each had six kills. Carly Richards added four aces and 40 assists for the Sharks.

Though they got swept, the Raiders didn’t make it easy for Gulf Coast. Riverdale trailed early in the first two sets, but put together a string of points to make it interesting late.

The third set looked like it would be the most competitive as the teams went back and forth for the first four points. However, the Sharks scored nine in a row to take command and eventually win the title.

“We played decent defense, but we struggle a bit on offense,” Riverdale coach Roni Hipp said, “so ending the rallies is tougher for us.”

It was the third straight year Riverdale lost to Gulf Coast in the district final.

“You want to play to the highest level,” Hipp said. “You have to play the best teams to be the best. It gives you a measuring stick. It gives you something to work for to play these teams.”

Junior Kaylee Gibson had eight kills to lead the Raiders, followed by junior Heather Demarest with six. Gibson and Tina Taylor had 10 digs each for Riverdale.