Patrick Henry's six stalwart seniors celebrate another volleyball win as Rebels beat Chilhowie for Hogo tourney title (copy)
Patrick Henry won the 2026 Hogoheegee District volleyball tournament.
Six wins separate the volleyball team at Patrick Henry from the grand prize – the VHSL Class 1 state championship – and the Rebels have six seniors who are dedicated to going out winners.
PH’s experienced squad passed a tense postseason test on Thursday night as the Rebels recorded a 25-22, 18-25, 25-21, 25-22 triumph over archrival Chilhowie in the finals of the Hogoheegee District tournament.
Patrick Henry (20-7) swept the Hogoheegee regular season and tournament titles with the Stalwart Six of 12th-graders Erin South, Kinsley Counts, Ava Kiser, Carrie Alexander, Emma Reasor and Erin McCray-Eskridge playing pivotal roles.
“This group of seniors are my best friends,” Alexander said. “We’ve been friends since elementary school and they mean everything to me. I can’t imagine a better group of girls to play with, let alone experience life with.”
South (12 kills, three blocks) and Counts (27 digs, seven kills) performed at a high level as usual for the Rebels.
They had to in a showdown against a familiar foe.
PH posted a 25-20, 25-16, 22-25, 25-23 win over Chilhowie on Oct. 6 and outlasted the Warriors 25-17, 25-14, 12-25, 23-25, 15-11 on Oct. 22.
“Chilhowie’s a hard team to play,” Counts said. “They have young players and know how to get the job done. We had already beat them twice and it’s hard to beat a team three times. We had to come in and have energy.”
The atmosphere was certainly charged.
“I love playing in my home gym,” South said. “We have such a supportive community at Patrick Henry, especially with our student section and our parents.”
A crowded and loud gym.
A match where every point had to be earned.
Just a typical Patrick Henry vs. Chilhowie clash.
“Chilhowie’s a phenomenal team,” said PH coach Crystal Coe Miller. “They are very talented and they are well-coached so you know anytime you play them you’re gonna have a battle. Our girls made fewer mistakes tonight and came out on top. … I am super proud of these girls for showing grit.”
Junior Mia Owens (34 assists, 10 digs, three aces), sophomore Aspyn Harner (33 digs, three aces), junior Autumn Parks (12 digs, three kills), sophomore Andie Boone (14 kills, three blocks) and junior Emma Harris (19 digs, four kills, one ace) also helped Patrick Henry prevail.
The Rebels have been running like a well-oiled machine.
“We have great team chemistry,” Reasor said. “We’re truly all friends and it feels like a sisterhood. We enjoy each other’s company and that helps us a lot in tough games like tonight.”
While Patrick Henry is senior-laden, Chilhowie is a youthful squad.
“We have 10 girls and six of them had never been in a district tournament [before the week began],” said Chilhowie coach Laura Robinson. “That makes a difference. … I thought we played a tremendous game tonight.”
Rilynn Copeland (17 digs), Hailey Shortt (13 digs), Rylee Hill (15 kills, five blocks), Raegan Jones (13 digs, 12 kills), Kenley Hill (36 assists, 17 digs) and Maddie Williams (15 digs, six kills) were stat leaders for Chilhowie.
The Warriors have been tested by a tough schedule that has included matches with the likes of Ridgeview, Wise County Central, Eastside, Auburn and Lancaster.
“It helps,” Robinson said. “They have learned a lot and they keep improving all the time. They’ve starting to mesh.”
Chilhowie beat Patrick Henry in the Region 1D finals last season. Both teams lost in the VHSL Class 1 state quarterfinals.
“We want to get farther than we did last year,” McCray-Eskridge said.
Patrick Henry hosts Thomas Walker in the first round of the regional tourney on Wednesday as the Rebels look to keep rolling.
“I’m very confident,” Kiser said. “We trust each other very well and that helps us push through if we get behind.”
Northwood 3, Rural Retreat 0
Emma Burress slammed down 19 kills and served three aces as the Northwood Panthers topped Rural Retreat 25-22, 25-23, 25-22 in the third-place match.
Channing Waldie (seven kills, four blocks), Lexi Feeny (12 digs, two aces), Khloe Salyer (six kills, four digs), Pyper Chapman (16 digs) and Aubree Kegley (34 assists, seven digs) also had performances worth noting for the squad from Saltville.
Northwood goes to Rye Cove in the first round of the Region 1D tournament.
Rural Retreat was led by Emery Sage’s 18 assists and 11 digs. Grace Watkins (six kills), Addison Umberger (17 digs) and Alice Martin (three aces) also played well. The Indians travel to Cumberland District champion Eastside to begin the regional tourney.
