Tomorrow night two local volleyball teams in two separate classificatons will be playing to make the finals on Saturday. A state championship is close for both of them. One team, Starr’s Mill, knows what it takes to win it all. The Lady Panthers won the state title two years ago. The other team, Sandy Creek’s Lady Patriots, know they just have to keep playing the way they are capable of playing.

Both of these teams won three games in the opening rounds of the state playoffs to make the state semi-finals.

Starr’s Mill (41-10) took on Glynn Academy and won 25-14, 25-9 and 25-17. They followed that win with wins over Chapel Hill, 25-19, 25-11 and 25-6 and Dacula, 25-22, 25-15 and 25-18.
The Lady Panthers will now face last year’s AAAA state champs, Woodward Academy (39-18) at 5 p.m. at Marist. In their only meeting this year, Starr’s Mill lost to Woodward 25-12, 25-14.
The winner of this match will take on the winner of Marist and Dutchtown on Saturday.

Sandy Creek (50-11) started the state playoffs with a win over Grady, 25-10, 25-5, 25-9, and followed it with wins over Hart County, 25-9, 25-9, 25-11 and Harris County, 25-22, 25-22 and 25-19.

The Lady Patriots will now face Blessed Trinity (40-18) at 5 p.m. at Marist. The two teams have not met yet this season. The winner of this match will take on the winner of Westminster and Columbus on Saturday.

While these two teams will continue their seasons this week, the season came to an end for four other local teams.

McIntosh defeated Lakeside, Evans and Hillgrove but lost to the team that knocked them out last year, Woodward Academy, in five games; 21-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20, 14-16.

Whitewater’s Lady Wildcats lost to Greenbrier in the opening round in four games.

In Class AA/A, Our Lady of Mercy was eliminated by Savannah Christian in four games; 25-13, 25-15, 25-27, 25-12.

Landmark Christian opened the playoffs with a win over Savannah Country Day, 25-23, 25-13 and 25-20, but lost to Walker in five games, 25-9, 23-25, 25-21, 29-31, 15-10.