By DAN HOEHNE
daniel.hoehne@newssun.com
MULBERRY - If they awarded rings for district championships, Lake Placid head coach Marilyn Jones would now have a handful, with the most current one earned Thursday night for the Lady Dragons with a three-game sweep over McKeel Academy.
"It feels great," an elated and relieved Jones said when it was over. "Each year feels better than the last and this one especially so since this is my last year."
Though this one lasted a little longer than it could have with a game Wildcat bunch hanging around in each of the three games.
Save for a momentary 6-5 lead in the opener, McKeel never did hold another lead, but until the third game, they kept things relatively close.
Lake Placid quickly got over that early deficit, but each time they'd go a few ahead, the Lady Wildcats scratched back to either tie or get within one.
But a big kill from Sierra Weaver and a kill and consecutive aces from Marissa Baldwin created some space in the 25-19 win.
The second game looked to be a much easier contest with the Dragons building a 19-11 lead when suddenly, courtesy of a 10-2 run that was a combination of McKeel tenacity and Lake Placid generosity, it was tied at 21-apiece.
Another Baldwin ace, however, helped eke out a 25-22 win and set the stage for the five-peat clincher.
This one, again, started out with the Dragons going for the kill in building a 19-3 lead with Baldwin and Kayla Summerfield each having an ace and kill.
But, also again, the Wildcats did some clawing, Lake Placid did some hawing and the game point at 24-10 took far too long as Jones had to wait out seven more points - coming halfway off her chair at several points in anticipation of celebrating - before the 25-16 final was secure.
"It means a lot, us winning it again, for all my four years and to get it again my senior year," Summer field said. "But it's mostly for coach, to get this for her in her last year."
Which means at least one more game on the floor she's called home for the last 12 years, as the Dragons host Clearwater Central Catholic Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Regional Quarterfinals.
"It's my final one, but not theirs," Jones said. "It's nice to get one more home game in. That's the goal now, with five district titles, to get our first regional win."
Sunday, November 01, 2009 - www.newssun.com/SUN-11-1-LPVB