By LAINEY MENDENHALL
Sheridan High School Student
Editor’s note: The Sheridan Student Column is brought to readers by Sheridan High School’s 10th grade Accelerated English class, taught by Alicia Burnell.
On Oct. 18, 2025, Sheridan Volleyball won our first-ever volleyball sectional championship. We were down 7-11 in the fifth set. Whoever wins gets the title.
At this point I was losing hope. I really thought this was our year, and now all our hard work is going to waste. With everything on the line, Lapel is still ahead 12-13. Lapel is still winning, but I now have the thought in my mind, we can do this, it’s this or nothing.
Eva Todd, a senior, goes back to serve, which turns into an amazing rally and ends with a point for us. The score is now 13-13. Lapel calls a time out, which I’m thankful for so I can take a breather before obtaining these last two points. Lapel’s right side gives us an easy two-handed push, which sets us up for a perfect set, and I rip one down the line to score the point of the rally. I knew that if I got set on this next point, I had to terminate, whether that was giving a short roll shot to the middle of the court or a hard-driven swing to zone five.
My heart is racing as Todd goes back to serve again. The only thing I can think about is winning, not just for me, but for my team.
I tell my middle blocker, Amiyah Doss, and right side, Kelsie Hagan, that it is just another point and to fight hard and aggressively.
Lapel shanks Todd’s serve but somehow sends it back over with a two-handed push to Adria Jump, the setter, which means we are out of system. Meredith Krupp sends a ball out to me on the outside; I knew at this moment that it was time. I took a big swing to get around the middle blocker and cut to short zone five.
The ball hits the floor.
The crowd goes crazy, my coaches are crying, and all I can think about is how unbelievably proud I am of this team. Everyone overlooked us, they all thought that since we lost some key players last year we would be nothing, but look at us now. We are going to play in regionals on Saturday, Oct. 25.
I remember when I was little I used to go watch the high school volleyball team and felt so inspired. I really hope that I inspire little kids just as much as others did to me. I want people to be able to look up to me as a volleyball player, but I would not be where I am today without my coaches and my parents. Every coach I have had has helped me get to where I am now. My parents have been by my side no matter what, whether that is after a bad game or my best game yet.
Thank you to everyone. I am so excited to see what the future holds for me, my teammates, and our school.