BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Chelsea LeMire, Bradford High School’s new volleyball coach, played in a successful program at Keystone Heights High School, which included being a part of almost 50 wins during her junior and senior seasons.
After winning a district championship in 2008, the Indians failed to reach the title game in 2009, ending the season with an 11-13 record. They bounced back in LeMire’s junior season going 24-3 in 2010 and winning their district championship.
The team didn’t win a district title in LeMire’s senior season in 2011, but was the district runner-up, which earned the Indians a regional playoff berth. They finished the season 24-4.
Those teams were coached by Belinda Phillips.
Keystone went undefeated in the regular season against District 4-3A competition in 2010, with all of those wins coming by scores of 3-0 or 3-1. The Indians’ two regular-season losses were against Eastside, a playoff qualifier in Class 4A.
The Indians entered the district tournament at the number-one seed and defeated West Nassau 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-21) in the quarterfinals. LeMire recorded 22 assists and six service points. Meghan Zinkel and Madyson Maxwell had nine and eight kills, respectively. Zinkel also had 12 points, four aces and two blocks, while Maxwell added seven points and four blocks.
In the semifinals, Keystone dropped two sets for the first time all season, but in the end, the Indians defeated Crescent City 3-2 (23-25, 25-12, 22-25, 25-19, 16-14). LeMire had 27 assists and 16 points, while Zinkel had 13 kills, 12 digs and 12 points. Dakota Thacker recorded eight kills.
The championship match wasn’t as dramatic, with Keystone sweeping Baker County 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-17), giving the Indians their fourth title in six years.
LeMire had 28 assists to go along with nine digs. Zinkel and Thacker had 10 and nine kills, respectively, with Zinkel also recording 12 digs and three blocks.
Taylor Semione had seven kills, while Chelsea Velazquez had 18 digs. Maxwell had three blocks.
Keystone’s season ended in the regional quarterfinals with a 3-1 (26-24, 25-23, 22-25, 25-17) loss to Episcopal.
The Indians led 15-9 in the first set, but Episcopal went on a run and eventually took a two-point lead. An Episcopal service error and a kill by Zinkel put Keystone on top 21-19, The Indians later held serve with a 23-21 lead, but Episcopal forced a side-out and then scored two points to take a 24-23 lead. Keystone was able to tie it at 24-24 before the Eagles scored two straight to close it out.
Keystone led 17-14 in the second set before scoring two straight points with Mackenzie Dicks serving. Later, it was knotted up at 22-22 after Episcopal went on a 6-0 run. A Maxwell block put the Indians up 23-22, but the Eagles forced a side-out and then recorded two straight kills for the win.
The Indians held the lead for most of the third set, with the final point coming off a Zinkel kill.
Episcopal never trailed in the fourth set.
LeMire finished with 31 assists and 16 digs, while Zinkel had 12 kills, nine digs, eight points and three aces. Thacker recorded nine kills.
Like the 2010 team, the 2011 team also put together a perfect regular season against district competition. The Indians swept every one of those District 5-4A opponents with the exception of Santa Fe, who they defeated twice by scores of 3-2.
Keystone’s only regular-season losses came against Orange Park, a playoff qualifier in Class 6A, and Saint Francis, a playoff qualifier in 2A.
In the District 5 tournament semifinals, the Indians swept Fort White 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-17). LeMire had 24 assists and eight points. Velazquez had 16 digs, while Semione had nine kills, 10 points, four aces and nine digs. Maxwell and Zinkel each had five kills, with Maxwell also adding six points, five aces and four blocks.
Thacker recorded four blocks, while Dicks had nine points and three aces.
Keystone couldn’t repeat as district champion, dropping a 3-2 (18-25, 25-20, 21-25, 25-21, 17-15) match against Santa Fe.
The Indians trailed in the early portions of the first set, but scored three straight points with Velazquez serving to even it up at 13-13. Later, Keystone scored three straight points with Dicks serving to go up 22-17. The Indians closed out the set with LeMire setting Tara Shobris up for the set-winning kill.
A six-point stretch with Semione serving gave Keystone an 8-3 lead in the third set. Zinkel recorded three straight kills during that span. The Indians later held a 24-19 lead before Santa Fe scored two straight points. Maxwell then blocked an attack for Keystone’s winning point.
A late rally in the fourth set came up short. Keystone trailed 24-17 before scoring four straight points with Velazquez serving. Maxwell and Semione both had kills during that stretch.
The fifth set was a back-and-forth affair, but the Indians couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities, holding serve for match point twice.
LeMire ahd 46 assists and 21 digs. Velazquez also had 21 digs as well as 14 points.
Zinkel had 20 kills, while Maxwell and Shobris had 13 and 10, respectively. Zinkel added 17 digs, while Maxwell also had five blocks.
Semione recorded 16 points, 12 digs and nine kills, while Dicks had 13 points.
The loss sent the Indians to Ocala for a regional quarterfinal match, which resulted in a 3-2 (25-16, 25-22, 12-25, 21-25, 15-7) loss to Trinity Catholic.
Keystone rallied late in the second set with LeMire serving. Maxwell scored two points off a block and a kill to make the score 24-22 before Trinity Catholic earned the three-point win.
The Indians scored four straight points early in the third set with Semione serving. They also had a 6-0 run in the set with LeMire serving, getting two straight kills from Semione and three points from Maxwell off blocks and kills. Two straight points with Semione serving made it a 23-10 game. Zinkel closed it out with a kill.
A Shobris kill helped Keystone take a 9-4 lead in the fourth set, but the Celtics rallied and took a 13-12 lead. It was 21-20 in favor of Trinity when the Indians scored five straight points with Velazquez serving. The run included two straight kills by Maxwell off LeMire assists. Semione recorded the set-winning kill.
Keystone failed to score a single point while serving in the tie-breaker set. Maxwell had two early side-out-forcing blocks for two of the team’s seven points.
