Kingwood Park makes history
Lady Panthers write name in the books after capturing first state championship
GARLAND — Kingwood Park wrote several words on a whiteboard at the beginning of the season.
They were simple and had one goal in mind – to win a state championship.
K-Park made school history after sweeping Lucas Lovejoy 27-25, 25-22, 25-22 in the Class 5A state final match to win its first volleyball championship Saturday at the Curtis Culwell Center.
“Honestly, this team will leave a legacy for our school, and that whiteboard has been through a lot with us,” Kingwood Park coach Kelly Miser said. “We’re the first team to accomplish something so big, now everyone coming behind them has something to see and will live up to. I think the white board will stay.”
Kingwood Park (40-11), which was making its first appearance at the state tournament, is the first school in the Humble Independent School District to win a state championship in volleyball.
“It feels surreal,” Kingwood Park coach Kelly Miser said. “It’s an amazing feeling and there are now words. This group is selfless with each other and I really think the team aspect is special and it’s what carried us through.” Lovejoy ends the season 45-7 Junior outside hitter Elizabeth Overmyer was named the Class 5A state final most valuable player.
The junior outside hitter had 15 kills and five digs for the Lady Panthers.
“She’s just one of the toughest kid I know,” Miser said. “She went down with an ankle sprain after a team bonding exercise. Just the fact that she fought through the pain says a lot.”
Lovejoy, which has won six state championships, took a commanding 18-9 in the first set and seemed to be cruising to a set victory.
The Lady Panthers were not going to give up with a state title on the line.
“We had a timeout and were just looking at each other,” Overmyer said about the first set. “We don’t want to go out like this, this isn’t how we finish our season that we worked so hard for to get to this point. We were in the huddle looking at each other saying, ‘I’m playing for you and for us to be a state champions.’ Once we got to the point, we were not going to let them back in the game.”
K-Park went on a 18-7 run to close out the set.
The Lady Panthers played Lovejoy earlier this season at volleypalooza and knew what to expect.
“It helped to know some of their tendencies and we just kind of went with what we saw on film since the last time we did play them,” Miser said. “Getting to watch them yesterday, we saw some of the same tendencies.”
The Lady Panthers kept the momentum going
Erika Williams had nine kills and four blocks, Alia Williams added 7 kills and three blocks, and Katey Searcey had three kills, five assists, nine digs and five blocks for the Lady Panthers. Yater Barker had six kills and 12 digs.
Andie Unwin and five other seniors will end their high school careers as a state champion.
Unwin, who had 19 assists, 12 digs and four assists, was happy that her team accomplished their goal of the season.
“I don’t have any words,” an emotional Unwin said. “It’s crazy; so excited just to get this far, and it was a hard road to get here.”