This was it! State tournament week for Stratford volleyball for the first time since 2003!

vs. Austin Vandegrift

The State semifinal match was set for Tuesday against Austin Vandegrift in Bryan, Texas. Before their departure, Varsity was treated to a full-blown parade down Fern Drive. The band, Spartanaires, cheerleaders, and a large contingent of students led the team from the gym to the departing bus in front of the auditorium. Thank you so much to all who planned and put together this incredible event!

Once the 7 pm start arrived, the Stratford side of the gym had been filled from side to side with students, parents and extended family, countless alumni and their parents, Principal Barnes, and a number of faculty. The cheerleaders were once again energetic, drowning out the opposing contingent across the court.

Stratford took an opening 11-7 lead on the strength of four Gwen Koss kills and a body-bending flick for a score by Milena Miladinovic forcing a Vande timeout. Several Avery Kent scores and a Tess Stephenson kill made possible by an Audrey Cook ace forced another timeout at 18-12. Although Vande rallied, Stratford closed out the set 26-24 on a Kent ace.

Vande opened up a lead in the second, and before long Varsity found itself digging out of a big hole. A pair of Stephenson scores and a Cook ace helped narrow the gap at 12-16 before Vande made another run. The Spartans would make one last gasp to save the set, with a strong Sarah Hickman - Miladinovic block and scores by Stephenson and Kent, but Vande held on to win the set 22-25 and even the match.

The third set saw Stratford open a lead on the strength of THREE blocks by Miladinovic and several Koss scores. After a timeout, more scores by Koss, Kent, Stephenson, and Cook kept the margin comfortable. Miladinovic then had her fourth block of the set to the thunderous applause of the Spartan faithful, and Koss powered home two kills to take the set away 25-15.

Stratford trailed much of the fourth set, but Coach Adcock elected to conserve her timeouts and have the team work through it. The Spartans gradually chipped at the lead, and a pair of Hickman kills and a Spartan front-row joust score gave them a tentative 16-15 lead and prompted a Vande timeout. Stephenson delivered a pair of punishing attacks from the middle that shook Vande and had them calling their final timeout at 19-15. Vande would make one last run, weathered by Stratford with the help of another Miladinovic block and a Caroline White ace. Another power shot by Koss and two Hickman lasers to the floor closed out the set 25-23 and the match 3 sets to 1.

The team rushed the court again to celebrate the program’s third trip ever to the state finals. It was a night to remember, and a brief respite before the ultimate challenge.

All that stood between Stratford and its first ever State Volleyball title was Byron Nelson. The Bobcats (39-1) were not only the state’s top ranked team all year, but came in ranked No. 1 by MaxPreps in the entire nation. While Byron Nelson mowed through their playoff competition, this was not exactly David vs. Goliath matchup facing Varsity. Stratford entered the contest sporting its own MaxPreps ranking of 14th in the nation. Varsity had beaten Fulshear (twice) and Cedar Park, and both programs wound up in the State finals in other divisions.

It was one last trip for this amazing team, this time to Garland for the Saturday afternoon matchup against the top-ranked team anywhere for all the championship.

vs. Byron Nelson CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

When the opening whistle sounded, Stratford fought hard. But for every Spartan crushing kill, nifty tip, booming block, and gutsy dig, the Bobcats would have an answer. The teams traded punches with Stratford claiming the lead three times after a slow start and in position to make a run at the end for the opening set. But Byron Nelson closed strong and would claim the first set 20-25.

The Spartans would not claim the lead again. The Bobcats would blitz to the lead and hold off repeated Spartan efforts and would take the second set 13-25 and the third set 14-25 to claim the state title and put an exclamation point on their ranking as the nation’s best team.

As silver medals were hung on the players’ necks, a sense of immense pride came over the team, coaches, parents, and supporters, who all rose with applause for several minutes to recognize the accomplishments of this team. Stratford finished a mind-boggling 42-3 on the season. Buoyed by a legion of supporters who made their presence known the whole match long, and well afterward, Varsity soaked in all that had been accomplished and the life-changing experiences they had along the way. What a ride!!

Well done, Spartan Nation!