Parkway survives Hardin Park challenge to win championship, stay unbeaten

October 10, 2023

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Gracie Belle Brown of Parkway gets the ball across the net on Championship Night for the Watauga Middle ?School Volleyball Championships, Oct. 10. Photographic image by David Rogers

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — After Parkway and Hardin Park middle school volleyball teams each breezed through their semifinal matches with 2-0 sweeps, it was “game on” for the Patriots and the Golden Eagles. While Parkway was tested in a second set they lost in overtime, they eventually prevailed to win the championship, 2-1, remaining undefeated in the 2023 season.

No. 1 seeded Parkway all but dominated its semifinal tilt with No. 5 seeded Green Valley, which upset No. 4 Blowing Rock in the quarterfinals to gain a berth in the semis. The Patriots took care of business, 25-8, 25-10.

Hardin Park’s Gracyn Phelps started things off with a 10-run on the service line against Cove Creek in the semifinals, Oct. 10, of the Watauga Middle School Volleyball Championships. Photographic image by David Rogers

No. 2 seeded Hardin Park jumped out to a 10-0 first set lead before Cove Creek could get on the board and find themselves. Although the Raiders rallied, the Golden Eagles advanced to a championship date with archrival Parkway with a 25-15, 25-15 semifinal win.

Parkway seemed destined for the championship after a convincing, 25-14 first set victory against Hardin Park in the final, but the Golden Eagles would not go quietly into the night, battling to a 27-25 overtime win in the second set and necessitating a third, deciding set. Both teams battled fiercely in the decider, Parkway surviving with an 18-16 overtime decision.