North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
The NMB High School girls volleyball team smiles with their SCHSL State Runner-up medals after last Thursday’s championship match with Woodmont. The Chiefs battled the Wildcats through five sets before losing the match 3-2. It was the fourth straight year the Chiefs had been in the state finals. They won the state championship last year.
A memory. Coach Jenn Loeswick talks to her volleyball team following their hard-fought 3-2 victory over Lucy Beckham for the Lower State Championship. It was the last time the team joined arms in a victory celebration. The moment will always be there for them. They will always be that team in that moment listening to their coach celebrate their performance.
By John Smithson
The North Myrtle Beach Lady Chiefs volleyball team lost in their attempt for a second straight SCHSL volleyball championship last Thursday night at Dreher High School. The Chiefs and the Woodmont Wildcats were the top two teams in the final match of the 5A Division II playoffs, and the Wildcats won a hard-fought battle 3-2.
The Chiefs were 35-3 and Woodmont 34-5 as the two teams began warmups last Thursday. When the whistle blew and Woodmont served the ball in set one and it didn’t take long for the Wildcats to take a 5-1 lead over the Chiefs.
The Chiefs then got things turned around after a Woodmont service error and a Clara Cloninger kill and two kills by Lilly Loeswick along with the first of Harlow Horton’s aces in the match for an 8-8 tie. The teams traded points and four kills by each team on the way to a Chiefs 15-13 lead and a timeout by Woodmont.
Following the timeout the two teams were tied at 16 and 18 before the Chiefs took a 21-18 lead. The Wildcats got two quick kills, and the Chiefs Jenn Loeswick took a timeout with the score 21-20. The Chiefs led 23-20 after the timeout but the Wildcats tied it at 23-23 and it was tied at 24-24 before the Chiefs won the set 27-25.
The second set stayed close with the teams tied at 4, 8, 9 and 11 and 12. The Wildcats used three kills and a block and led 17-14. Loeswick and Cloninger helped the Chiefs tie the score at 17-17 but Woodmont scored the next three points and led 20-17. The Chiefs came back to tie it at 20-20. Two kills by the Wildcats were part of a 5-1 run to win the set 25-21 and tie the match 1-1.
The third set began with three kills by the Wildcats as they quickly led 6-1. The Chiefs slowly closed the scoring gap to a 11-8 Woodmont advantage. A Wildcat block and four kills helped them to a 17-12 lead and Loeswick called for a timeout.
The Chiefs were unable to get close after that, as Woodmont maintained its lead and ended the set with two straight kills and a 25-18 set win and 2-1 lead going into the fourth set, a set the Chiefs had to win to stay in the match.
The Chiefs began the fourth set with a Cloninger kill, a kill by Madison Johnson and a service ace followed by a kill from Mikayla Altena for a 4-0 lead. Woodmont battled back to trail 6-4 before the Chiefs scored three straight points for a 9-5 lead.
With the Wildcats offense sputtering, the Chiefs players stepped up. A Horton service ace, Altena kill and service ace, two Johnson kills and two kills by Lilly Loeswick kept the Chiefs in front 20-14. The Chiefs led 22-15 but the Wildcats fought back with four kills and a block that cut the Chiefs lead to 22-20. A Wildcats attack error, Altena service ace and a Cloninger kill ended the threat with the Chiefs winning the fourth set 25-20 and sent the match to a fifth set, with 15 points and a state championship for the winner.
The set action was much like all four before. The Chiefs Lilly Loeswick had three kills in the early going helping the Chiefs to a 5-4 lead. Another Loeswick kill and a Johnson kill kept the Chiefs in a tie at 9-9.
Altena’s ace made it 10-9, an attack error by Woodmont and it was 11-9. A Chiefs attack error and kill by the Wildcats tied the score 11-11. A Johnson kill and a block by her and Loeswick made it 13-11. The Wildcats tied it at 13-13 and the Chiefs called a timeout.
Unfortunately, the Wildcats momentum kept going as their star sophomore Mallory Mizell scored two of three straight points for a 15-13 fifth set win and the first state championship for the cheering Wildcats fans and players.
The Chiefs were once again the state runner up for the third year out of the last four. Last year’s championship was still the crowning achievement for a program that has put North Myrtle Beach girls’ volleyball on the map.
The Lady Chiefs disappointment was obvious, but their accomplishments are still noteworthy and amazing.
The Chiefs senior Clara Cloninger and junior Lilly Loeswick each had 20 kills in the match and Madison Johnson had 9 kills. Mikayla Altena had four aces in the match and 49 assists. The Chiefs trio of Loeswick, Cloninger and Katlyn Powers accounted for 57 digs, many of those saving a point.
On the other side of the net, sophomore Mallory Mizell had 25 kills and 24 digs. Aubrie Walker had 19 kills and Kendall Cobb 14 kills. Lauren Smith had 26 digs. Statistics that go along with two talented teams, either one worthy of a championship.
Congratulations are in order for the North Myrtle Beach team and their coaches. Their progress throughout the season and their commitment to each other, and the school and community should be saluted and remembered. Each Lady Chiefs player contributed to this journey to the state championship game and another memorable Chiefs season. Coach Jenn Loeswick’s guidance, tenacity and knowledge of the game can’t be overlooked by anyone in celebrating this team’s incredible accomplishments.
