Green Level Volleyball has secured its second state championship and its first-ever 8A state championship in program history after a heart-stopping finale. The Gators entered the championship 28-0 on the season against the West Forsyth Titans, who entered 23-6 on the season. The game took place at North Carolina State University at 6:00 PM last Saturday, November 1st. Zaida Bagaasen, a blocker and Green Level junior, says the team had vibrant energy even before they arrived at Reynolds Coliseum.
“Preparing for the game was so much fun and really exciting,” Bagaasen said. “We started with a serve and pass session, then drove a bus to NC state to get ready for the game. In the locker room, we all got hype, blasting music and dancing.”Even though the West Forsyth Titans were the underdogs, they won the first 2 sets, keeping Green Level on their toes. The Gators were forced to battle back.
“Before entering the 3rd set, we all went into the walkout hallway to have a team huddle without too much noise. We talked about our errors and mistakes, and how to fix them. At the same time, we were thinking about our seniors and how we were going to make sure that this set was not going to be our last.” Bagassen said.
A little past halfway in the 3rd set, Green Level was down 16-17, when Jayla Egerton made a diving save into the score table, and they ended up winning the point. Fans are even marking this moment as the turning point of the game. They end up winning the set 25-22, setting up for a reverse sweep.“I saw the scoreboard bench before going for the ball, but at that moment all I cared about was reaching that ball, no matter what.” Egerton said.
Immediately after the point, the stadium erupted in cheers and ignited the team with energy never seen before in the Gators.
“Jayla’s diving save definitely shifted the momentum of the game; you could visibly see the environment change. The score was still 17-17, but Jayla’s moment of courage reminded us of something crucial: we still had work to do, and that we came here to win.” Bagassen said.
“There’s no way to train for moments like that.” Said Egerton. “Diving plays are all about being fearless, showing grit, ignoring the chance of injury, and getting to that ball. That’s the kind of mentality you have to have going into a big game like the state championship, and I know I’m not the only one with that mindset.”
Following the 3rd set, Green Level dominates West Forsyth in the 4th set, 25-9, forcing the match to go into a 5th set to 15 points.
Maddison Simmons, sophomore libero at Green Level explains how rigorous preparation makes up Green Level’s confidence towards the end of the match.
“Walking into the final set I felt certain that we were going to win because I trusted the way we train. At practice, we always put ourselves in tough high high-intensity situations; sometimes our practices are even harder than our games.” Simmons said. “It didn’t matter that it was the state championship, it didn’t matter how close the game was, we knew what to do and how to handle the situation because of our intense practices that we have 5 times a week.”Green Level goes down 0-6. However, after a quick timeout, they win a point, and Madison goes out to serve. She serves for 10 points in a row, green level winning all of them.
“Going up to serve I was confident, I kept doing the same serve I had been doing all game, thinking about where to place the serve and attacking the ball aggressively.” Simmons said
After a long game, Green Level wins the 5th set, coming out with a hard-fought victory and a miraculous reverse sweep. Madison Simmons had 21 digs, Scarlett Taylor had 11 kills, 35 assists, 14 digs, 3 blocks, and 5 aces. Hannah Pantiga had 18 digs, Riley Taylor had 5 kills and 3 aces. Aarushi Shah had 18 digs, and Summer Smelko had 6 kills. Lindley Miller had 14 kills, 7 digs, and 2 blocks. Zaida Bagaasen had 8 kills, and Naja Thigpen had 3 kills.
Two awards were given at the last game of the season. One of which was the MVP award that was given to Scarlett Taylor, a setter and Green Level sophomore. “I was surprised to receive the MVP award. I thought the award would go to someone with a different role on the team, or a Senior. Taylor said. “Nonetheless, I was happy and honored to receive the award, but even though it’s an individual awar,d I believe it wasn’t just a reflection on me but also the entire team because I couldn’t have made it here without every last one of them.”Secondly, a sportsmanship award was given to Aarushi Shah, a defensive specialist (DS) or passer, and a Green Level senior.
“I was super happy to receive the sportsmanship award. I always try to congratulate my teammates and the other team, trying to stay positive and uplifting on and off the court. Sportsmanship means a lot to the team. To us, it means trying to be the best teammate that you can be, and having the best attitude, treating everyone fair, no matter the situation, no matter the challenge, or how heated a moment is.” Shah said.
Our Gators come back to school this week as well-deserved 8A state champions. Going down 2 sets in the beginning of the game, and going down 6 points in the start of the final set, showcases our team’s championship mentality through resilience, determination, and teamwork.
The victory is not just a title; it’s a historic moment for Green Level Volleyball, proving that having heart can overcome early hardships. The 2025 Gators will forever be remembered as having an undefeated, perfect season.
