DECATUR OVERCOMES FIRST-SET LOSS, WINS 7TH STATE TITLE SINCE 2013
BY CHUCK LICATA, GMSPORTSMEDIA INSIDER/CEO, BIG DADDY MEDIA
Photo by Matt Smith / Matt’s Photography
Before Saturday’s UIL Class 4A, Division I state championship match between Decatur and La Vernia at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, I popped over to the Decatur bench to say hello to Eagles’ Head Coach Stormi Snider.
I wrote a story on Stormi when she took over the reins at Decatur. While I only talked to her once – at state last year, when the Eagles won the first-ever 4A Division I championship – I was looking forward to a quick conversation.
“I’m so proud of these girls,” she told me. “We had a lot of doubters at the beginning of the season. Not many thought we’d be here tonight.”
Snider and the Lady Eagles silenced those doubters with a four-set (19-25, 25-20. 25-18, 26-24) victory over La Vernia, claiming the Decatur program’s seventh state title. Amazingly, Decatur (41-7 overall) has been to the state tournament seven times since 2013, and all seven times has won both the state semifinals and finals, giving the Eagles a perfect 14-0 record in the state annals.
La Vernia, appearing at the state tournament for the first time in program history, finished its tremendous season at 43-10.
There were concerns for Snider after her Eagles jumped out to a 9-0 lead in Set 1 against the Bears. That’s because La Vernia coach Danielle Coleman’s crew slowly came back: they cut the lead to 9-2, 12-6, and 12-10.. They would eventually tie the set at 15-all, and actually take their first lead at 16-15 on an unforced error.
Then, leading 18-17, the Bears went on a mini 3-0 run to open up a 21-17 lead and would eventually finish off a 25-19 victory.
After blowing that 9-0 lead, what did Stormi say to her troops?
“I just told them to calm down a bit,” she replied. “It’s a big arena and a great crowd with a lot of noise! And remember, losing nine seniors for us meant that only three of this year’s players have ever been on the floor (at state).”
The Eagles gathered themselves well.
They battled La Vernia to a 16-16 tie in Set 2, then ran off an 8-1 run to take a 24-17 lead. The Bears would battle but Decatur got a kill from freshman Gracelyn Byford (who finished the match with 10 kills on .308 hitting) to claim a 25-20 set win.
An ace by senior setter Grace Fortune (match-high 40 assists to go with 11 digs and two service aces) would give the Lady Eagles a 7-3 lead in Set 3. Snider’s crew would maintain a 5-6 point lead throughout before a kill by Anna Wrenn (seven kills, four total blocks, two digs and an assist) would cap off a 25-18 Set 3 victory.
La Vernia would battle back in Set 4, grabbing leads of 14-9, then 21-17. But back came Decatur; a kill by Sayler Peck (nine kills, seven total blocks and three digs) tied it at 22-all to cap off a 5-1 run. The two teams would then swap out points before Fortune got a dump-kill and state match MVP Ava Green (18 kills, two digs and two total blocks) would make a match-clinching block to set off a celebration on the Decatur side of the arena.
The Lady Eagles would make nine total blocks and dig out 65 attempted kill shots. La Vernia countered that with 10 team blocks and 73 digs in a tremendous effort.
The Cubs were led on the state sheet by senior Paisley Pavliska (17 kills, seven digs, two aces and one block). Other LVHS contributors included senior Avery Keck (double-double with 14 kills and 14 digs to go with two aces and a block); setters Aubree Glzener (a senior with 12 assists and five digs) and Macely Naeglmueller (a junior with 18 assists, 11 digs and one ace); senior libero Karis Carpenter (20 digs, seven assists and an ace); and, senior Kadyn Read (two digs, one block and one kill).
Starting her coaching career at Sunray, Snider spent the eight years as the head coach at Ponder before taking over at Decatur last season and taking the Lady Eagles to their first state title since 2021.. The 2009 Fort Elliott graduate and 2012 Lady Buff grad just finished off her 10th year as a head coach.
Oh yeah – the fact Decatur has yet to lose a state semifinal or finals match. Is the Decatur community aware of that?
“EVERYBODY is aware of that!” Snider chuckled. “Pressure is a privilege and no moment is too big for this group. That record (14-0 in state semifinals and finals) speaks to the coaches who came before us, It’s our job and privilege to get to uphold that.”
And to prove ALL the doubters wrong about the Lady Eagles of 2025.
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