Great season ends for KHS

A LOSS, BUT A WIN — Kilgore High School's volleyball team was eliminated from the 4A playoffs Tuesday night at home against Pine Tree, but it was the first KHS playoff appearance in about 15 years. Above: Kat McIntyre (6) sends the ball back to PT, as teammates Alyssa Phillips, Raven Wiley, China Hughes (obscured) and Sarah Morris look on. Below: a huge crowd, particularly KHS students, turned out for the contest to support the Lady Bulldogs and for PT's team, as well. Bottom: Kilgore coach Lacy Thompson talks with Morris and Kelsey Jackson. It was definitely a playoff atmosphere at Kilgore High School gym on Tuesday night, something that's been missing for a long time for the KHS volleyball team.

Kilgore hosted Pine Tree in a UIL Class 4A bi-district playoff game last night, a big crowd for both teams but an especially large crowd for Kilgore, making its first playoff appearance in about 15 seasons.

Pine Tree, who makes the postseason regularly, swept the match, 22-25, 8-25, 18-25, and advanced to the area round. But being in the postseason — winning six of its 10 District 14-4A matches and all but one at home — had to feel good to a Lady Bulldogs team who's own coach, Lacy Thompson, had been part of the stretch without playoffs.

Photos by Lester Murray Kilgore could very easily have won the first game, which it led for much of the way, but mistakes allowed Pine Tree to slip in front and finish with the victory.

"It hurt not winning that first game," said Thompson, in just her second season. "The girls gave everything they had. We had a few mistakes the first game that cost us. The third game made me proud when they kept fighting."

In the first game, Kilgore looked like the playoff team, and Pine Tree, which seemed rattled by the crowd noise, looked like the playoff newcomer, making uncharacteristic mistakes. The Lady Pirates settled down in Game 2, though, and one KHS mistake seemed to lead to another. Before long, PT had grabbed a 25-8 win.

Game three was much like game one. Kilgore never led, but played PT very closely, tying the game at 8, then again at 11 before the Lady 'Dogs made mistakes that led to five straight PT points. Pine Tree finished it off for a 25-18 win.

Kelsey Jackson had two kills and a block for Kilgore. Sarah Morris had two kills. Raven Wiley and Alex Phillips each had a block for the Lady 'Dogs, and Wiley had a kill.

In spite of the defeat, Thompson said the season ended on a good note, thanks in large part to the great crowd support for that final playoff game.

"I would like to tell family, friends, faculty, and students thanks so much for coming out and supporting the girls," the coach said. "It was awesome to hear the cheering of the crowd. Win or loss, they made last night a night to remember for the volleyball team and for me. It was a great feeling to look in the stands and have so many supporters."

Thompson is assisted by Cassie Newell and Amanda Farmer.

Kilgore made the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in 14-4A, and defeated every team in the district at least one time, except Whitehouse (who's varsity girls went undefeated in district play).

Watch the News Herald in days ahead for all-district selections.