BY BRIAN GOSSET
X – @Gosset41
GARLAND – Harrold’s Mylie Maness was voted state champ MVP with 15 kills and 14 digs as the Hornets defeated Neches 25-23, 19-25, 26-24, 25-21 for the Class 1A state championship on Thursday night at the Culwell Center.
Making its second state appearance (back to back), Harrold ends the year with a 39-5 record. The Neches Tigers (38-9) were making state for the sixth time and five of those coming in the past seven seasons.
Maness also added four assists and one ace while hitting 0.244. Iyona Willie and Flo Richardson added 14 and 10 kills, respectively while setter Jaylee Lowe posted 41 assists and 11 digs. Maness led the Hornets in digs and was followed by three players with 11 (Richardson, Lowe and Saydee Duncan) and 12 from Emma Box.
Neches was led by Kacie Trimble’s whopping 31 kills.
The Tigers knocked out two-time defending 1A champ Blum in the Region 3 semifinal.
