#TeenLifeStyle: Buford Volleyball – State Champs – November 16, 2015

“State Championship Day” fell on Halloween this year. At Buford High, we call it that because it is one of the few days where two separate sports get to compete for the title of State Champion on the same day. We were fortunate enough to win both of these titles. The 2015 crown was the ninth (yes, ninth) straight title for the softball team coached by Tony Wolfe while the first ever title for Buford volleyball.

By: Stella Alverson @StellaAPSB

To prepare for our match, Coach Daniels called for a team focusing day with yoga and a dinner provided by a previous principal of Buford. Our coaches left us with a very inspiring and uplifting speech, and then we were left to our thoughts for the night. Personally, I was so excited and ready to play I had difficulty falling asleep, but when I did, I dreamed of the court, the stands, and the trophy that we all had envisioned so many times before.

In the morning, we met at the school for our breakfast of champions—or so we hoped. The bus rolled out towards Marietta High School at 8:30 am to face St. Pius, and we were pumped. After a song suggestion from my sister Blanche, I blasted “Big Rings” by Drake for the whole bus to hear, to be motivated.

ED’s Note: “Big Rings” is one of my favorite songs off of the Drake / Future collaboration “What A Time To Be Alive.”

About an hour later, we arrived at the school, and after signing in, we bounded down the hallway into the locker room, following the pregame ritual of listening to our warm up playlist despite not having any speakers other than the phone’s. Our favorites just happen to be “Pipe It Up” by Migos, “Halftime” by Homebwoi and Ying Yang Twins, and “Hotline Bling” by Drake, just to name a few.

Once it was time for the match to start, we were ready. BWOD was written on everyone’s fingers, Buford Wolves Or Die. Our team mantra. Right before the National Anthem, one common message was passed along the line, “Imagine the last point. Pass it down.” After we clapped St. Pius’s hands and wished them good luck, it was time for the match to begin.

The match was the closest match we’d had all year. It was a fifth set battle after we won the first two sets 26-24 and 25-12, and St. Pius won the next two 26-24 and 25-23. We were both playing our hearts out, it was time to battle once the ref blew the whistle signaling the 5th set to commence. Our faith didn’t waver any after starting the set off down 0-2 despite the set only being scored to 15. Then, we kicked in into overdrive, busting out of the gate with many service runs getting us to a 14-10 lead. Then, on match point, Tatum Shipes nailed a 10-foot-line kill in the face of a Pius defender, ending the match. The Buford side of the gym erupted. We charged the court, jumped in each other’s arms, and screamed at the top of our lungs. We did it. We had made Buford history. The road to the ring was complete.

Next up is the club volleyball season. I’ll keep you posted once I get my schedule and team finalized.

Stella-A-PSBStella Alverson is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com with her #TeenLifeStyle articles. Alverson has been around the PSBPopCulture.com Team since her early days and is well versed in how we do things around here. She is currently an Honor Roll student at Buford High School and is on her way to playing college volleyball upon high school graduation.

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#TeenLifeStyle: Buford Volleyball – “Another Final Four” – October 26, 2015

Ed.‘s NOTE: Located in Buford, Ga., Buford High School is one of the state’s premier public schools. Stella Alverson, an Honor Roll sophomore, will give us an inside look at her life as she knows it.

This year, the Buford High School varsity volleyball team has reached the Final Four of the state tournament, and I couldn’t be more excited. A two-year varsity player as a sophomore, I feel privileged to be apart of such an amazing program. In both seasons, we have made Final Four appearances.

By: Stella Alverson @StellaAPSB

After a heartbreaking fifth set 15-12 loss in the state finals last year, we went back to the gym, working harder than ever with our head coach Hadli Daniels. This year, we are the only undefeated team remaining in Georgia with a 39-0 record and the Number One seed in the tournament.

Our team is full of college prospects. We already have two Division One commitments–Gabby Curry, a class of 2017 University of Kentucky commit, and Tatum Shipes, a class of 2018 Auburn University commit. The past few years, we have gone from a winning team to a team who expects to be amongst the state’s elite annually. Scoring wise, our most dominant this season being a 25-1 win, followed by two 25-2 sets. I think this is directly related to how motivated we are and how hard we have worked as a team in preparation for this moment. This past Saturday in the Elite Eight, we defeated Walnut Grove in three straight sets, 25-10, 25-12, and 25-9. As a part of the second unit, we went in during the third set and converted the match’s final ten points as we won.

As our semifinals match approaches against Woodward, we are working our hardest ever. We are determined. We are motivated. We are family. We are Buford. I’ll check in after we handle our business.

Stella-A-PSBStella Alverson is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com with her #TeenLifeStyle articles. Alverson has been around the PSBPopCulture.com Team since her early days and is well versed in how we do things around here. She is currently a Honor Roll student at Buford High School and is on her way to playing college volleyball upon high school graduation.

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