Franklin dominant as Defenders net 4th title

MSU signee’s 26 kills power Lake Worth Christian in 2A final

Sarah Franklin drilled 26 kills as Lake Worth Christian mowed down Lecanto Seven Rivers Christian 25-12, 25-17, 25-12 to win the 2A girls volleyball state title in Fort Myers on Friday afternoon.

The Defenders ran off the first seven points of the match and 13 of the first 14 en route to the firstgame result against an initially nervous-looking Warriors squad.

Seven Rivers did find its footing in the second game as it grabbed a three-point lead on a few occasions. The Warriors held a 13-12 advantage when Sarah Montero was entered into the game to serve.

The move worked out very well as the Defenders ran off eight points in succession on Montero’s serve before Seven Rivers managed a side-out.

“Our second game, sometimes we let up, and I kept reminding them that you can’t let that second game get away,” Lake Worth Christian longtime coach Terri Kaiser. “We have a really strong front line when [Montero is serving].”

It was during this time when Franklin, the Michigan State signee, caught fire. Her crosscourt spike to give LWC (27-4) a 15-13 lead began a run where over the Defenders’ final 36 points of the match, Franklin imposed her will with an amazing 16 kills.

Parker Folino added 22 assists and Kelly Franklin tacked on nine digs and 12 assists.

Seven Rivers (24-4) saw a 15-game winning streak snapped.

Kaiser won her fourth state title (along with championships in 2011, 2012 and 2015), and it was her 13th state title match, the first visit coming in 1981.

Cromartie, Leon rally by Aquinas in 6A: Defending state champion St. Thomas Aquinas knew it was staring at an uphill battle going into the girls volleyball 6A state title match as the

Raiders faced Tallahassee Leon, ranked No. 2 in the nation.

But early on in Fort Myers, the mountain looked a little less daunting, as the Raiders worked their way to a 25-18 first-set win.

Then, however, Mississippi State signee Shania Cromartie grabbed control of the proceedings and the Lions won the next three sets 25-10, 25-22 and 26-24.

Cromartie, who had been held down to a single kill in game one, repeatedly showed off her SECcaliber explosiveness, vaulting high into the air and unloading howitzer-shot spikes over and over. She had 17 kills in those final three games as Leon (29-3) won its second state title (the other in 2011).

She also got to the floor for 14 digs.

“I’m proud of how well we fought,” St. Thomas Aquinas coach Lisa Zielinski said. “I though we fought through a lot of adversity and were a really resilient bunch.”

Zielinski saw a large, talented class graduate in May and then had the injury bug bite (P5-caliber player Carter Mogridge was sidelined, among others).

Sophomore Alyssa McBean tallied 18 digs, more than a few of them Leon cannon-shot spikes that she absorbed.

Also for the Raiders, freshman Zy’aire Barr had 14 kills and junior Lilly Costigan 11, and junior Erin Engel had 19 assists.