BACK TO BACK – Heritage Christian Concludes KCAA Run With State Title

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As Heritage Christian Academy makes its farewell tour through the Kentucky Christian Athletic Association during the 2022-23 school year, the Warriors continue to bring hardware back to Hopkinsville.

The HCA volleyball team survived a tough semifinal matchup Saturday and cruised to the championship win that night to win the school’s second straight KCAA volleyball state title and fourth in school history.

Last year, the Lady Warriors played for late coach Eldridge Rogers who had passed away six months earlier. His wife Sheryl and daughter Laura made the trip to Nicholasville to watch a core group of girls who began playing under his watch win a state championship as he did in 2011.

This year, the team played for head coach Grace Stewart, who was unable to be on the sidelines for HCA’s wins at Super Region and the state tournament after giving birth to her first child earlier this month. Stewart watched the championship win over a live stream and face-timed the team after their win.

Assistant Mallory Dawson coached the Lady Warriors in Stewart’s absence and led them to an undefeated mark.

HCA’s championship win came over Oak Christian Christian Academy 25-13, 25-15 in what will likely be the final contest between the long-time region rivals. Heritage Christian becomes a full member of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association next year, and their rules prohibit playing non-sanctioned schools.

Elle Heltsley, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player, had 13 kills to lead the Lady Warriors in the championship match. Mya Goodwin and Bailey Craft joined Heltsley on the all-tournament team. Goodwin had eight kills and four assists, and Craft had 17 assists and three aces.

HCA also got strong nights from Macy Lake (four aces, four digs) and Katie Cansler (three assists, seven digs).

The Lady Warriors fell behind early 3-1 in the first set but used a 9-2 run to take control of the set sparked by four kills by Goodwin.

There was no such drama in the second set as HCA jumped out to a 9-3 lead behind four kills from Heltsley and two aces from Lake.

Saturday’s semifinal match with Community Christian proved to be HCA’s toughest match of the postseason. The contest was a rematch of last year’s championship won in three sets by HCA. The Lady Warriors scored the final four points of the first set to claim a 26-24 win and held on for a 27-25 victory in the decisive second set.

Heltsley was again tough to tame at the net with 18 kills in addition to four aces. Goodwin added five kills and eight assists, and Craft added 14 assists and six digs to turn back the Christian Community offensive effort.

The Lady Warriors wrapped up a 35-7 season that included a perfect 17-0 run through KCAA competition. HCA will become a full-time member of the KHSAA starting with the 2023-24 season and will likely be placed in the 8th District with the other Hopkinsville schools and Fort Campbell. The KHSAA Board of Control will make that determination in the coming months.

During its two-year probationary period where HCA was able to play KHSAA schools for the first time, the Lady Warriors were 25-12 against KHSAA competition. That included wins over 2021 2nd Region finalist Webster County and 2022 1st region finalist Mayfield.

HCA’s Mya Goodwin, Bailey Craft, and Elle Heltsley were named to the KCAA All-State Tournament Team with Heltsley named the tourney MVP.

STATS FROM COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN SEMI-FINAL WIN

Bailey Craft – 17 assists, 6 digs

Elle Heltsley – 18 kills, 4 aces, 1 assist, 8 digs, 1 block

Macy Lake – 3 aces, 1 dig

Mya Goodwin – 5 kills, 8 assists, 4 digs

Cora Hale – 2 digs

Katie Cansler – 2 kills, 1 ace, 2 digs

Hadlee Hayes – 1 dig

STATS FROM OAK RIDGE CHRISTIAN CHAMPIONSHIP WIN

Bailey Craft – 17 assists, 3 aces, 2 digs

Elle Heltsley – 13 kills, 3 digs

Macy Lake – 4 aces, 4 digs

Mya Goodwin – 8 kills, 4 assists, 2 aces, 6 digs

Cora Hale – 2 kills, 5 digs

Katie Cansler – 1 kill, 3 assists, 7 digs

Hadlee Hayes – 1 dig

 

One Response

  1. I’ve have one thing to say.why is the hale girls name is not is not meatiness none .she played as good as any of the other girls if not better and all year her name is not there no where .

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