THEY’RE BACK! – Elizabethtown had never won the 5th Region Volleyball Tournament in back-to-back seasons until this year. The Lady Panthers played one of the toughest schedules to prepare themselves for the single elimination format and head coach Bart Catlett’s plan paid off with a 16-6 season and another grueling five-game set against their arch rivals Central Hardin in the Region final. Elizabethtown had successfully replaced major role players with a younger up and coming bunch and despite the loss of three talented seniors, the future is very bright as Elizabeth Godfrey and Grace Filburn will watch Jenna Smallwood, Natalie Shaw and several others step right in along with stars Sarah Clark and Mary Hargan this season.
The HAMMER – Every opponent that plays Elizabethtown must plan to deal with Mary Hargan. The tall and agile front line hitter has become the focal point of defenses this season and the junior stepped right up when Sydney Clark graduated and produced 397-kills, 83-blocks, 228-digs and 46 serving aces and has been especially dangerous late in games when front lines try to rotate and take away her cross court shot which is one of her go-to plays. With Hargan returning for her senior season along with developing Sarah Clark, the Lady Panthers will be dangerous again come 2021.
THE BEST RIVALRY IN THE REGION! – There’s no question that the Central Hardin vs. Elizabethtown volleyball rivalry is not just the best in the District, but probably the best in the Region. A lot of that has to do with the fact that both teams are traditionally competitive and most of their matches go five sets and always have a certain drama because they usually meet in both the 17th District and 5th Region finals as well. Last season, Elizabethtown got a little revenge by going 5-0 against Central Hardin and this time around the Lady Panthers took the first match in late September(3-2), then dropped the return meeting in October (3-0) and then fell (3-1) in the 17th District Final before finally taking a thrilling five game set in the Region Final. Add to that the fact that both Catlett and Lady Bruin coach Bill Rineker are friends and most of the girls on both teams are friendly on and off the court and it makes for an excellent rivalry which will continue long into the future.
The BEST Match of the Tournament! – With all due respects to Central Hardin and Elizabethtown, probably the best match of the Region could easily have been the Thomas Nelson vs. Marion County four-game set. It featured two of the better front lines as the Lady Knights front of Emma Sullivan and Addison Gordon matched up with the Lady Generals Maddie Livingston, Madison Brown and Emma Reiter in a wild 25-22, 25-15, 25-16 and 26-24 win for Thomas Nelson. It was a match full of great comebacks, acrobatic kills, athletic digs and featured the marvelous setting abilities of Tori Thomas and Carol Hellard, who showcased their senior seasons with an incredible performance that left both teams exhausted afterwards. It was a brilliant followup to last year’s Region rematch which Marion County won by almost (26-24,25-21, 21-25, 25-23).
THEY’LL BE BACCKKK!!!! Although it’s been two straight years without the Lady Bruins in the KHSAA State Volleyball Tournament, it may be a bit premature to assume the Empire is Over. Quite the contrary. As Elizabethtown goes, so go the Lady Bruins. True. Central Hardin has stumbled a bit the last two years in the Region Final, but Rineker’s group put together a marvelous 23-2 record in a shortened season and had six experienced seniors including All Area / All State selection Kelsey Brangers and will return a very talented group of underclassmen in front line hitters in Lauren Vest and Addie Atcher along with Lindsey Vest. So, the reports that Central Hardin could be down next year would be a dangerous assumption at best.
