Nov. 4
November 4, 2008
Roger "Jay" Rebstock
November 6, 2008
Before the season starts, teams practice with the same goal in mind – to win the district championship.
They go through grueling offseason drills and nearly four months of competitive volleyball to win a playoff berth.
When it’s all said and done, only one team can call themselves district champion.
The E.D. White Lady Cardinals gathered around the net Thursday night for a team picture. Players excitedly waved their index fingers in the air.
It was a sign of accomplishment and achievement as they move one step closer toward winning a state title. For head coach Mary Cavell, it was another feat on an already impressive 17-year coaching resume.
The night’s three-set win over the Patterson Lumberjills completed a perfect District 4-III slate for the Lady Cardinals (10-0) and earned Cavell’s team their 10th straight district championship.
This year’s return to the state playoffs is the Lady Cardinals’ 15th under Cavell’s leadership.
The Lady Cardinals officially locked up the district crown two weeks ago with a five-set win over second place Catholic High-New Iberia.
“It’s been a wonderful run and a credit to all of the girls who have come through the program,” Cavell said. “They really believed in what we were trying to teach them and they kept building and kept supporting us. The girls are looking for a great state playoff run that hopefully ends with a championship.”
Cavell credits the talent she’s inherited from lower grade schools for E.D. White’s win streak.
“I have great feeder coaches at the junior high level, and they know what I demand out of the players and they demand the same thing,” she explained. “Our feeder program is really working very strong for us with our junior high coach and the program we have.”
“We train together and practice together as well, so that certainly helps,” she added.
The Lady Cardinals will close out their regular season tomorrow night at Assumption.
Cavell said the match against the Mustangs will help the team prepare for the playoffs, which begin Monday.
“That’s why we played in the Spooktacular tournament,” the coach said. “We’ve always enjoyed going there because of the caliber of teams that play there and it gets us really ready for the playoffs. Now, we’re looking to hopefully bring home a championship.”
Cavell said her players’ sheer determination should put the Lady Cardinals in a position to make another deep run in the playoffs.
The team has been forced to toughen up after being dealt a hard blow early in the year: Hurricane Gustav destroyed their gym, forcing the team to play all of their home games at Warren Harang Municipal Auditorium.
If that resiliency carries over into the playoffs, a trip to the state championship is not out of the question, the coach said.
“This could be the team,” Cavell predicted. “We’re very talented and the depth we have on this team is the most depth we’ve had in a while. They are really playing well. If we take care of business, good things could happen.”
E.D. White’s Emily Albert goes for a kill against Patterson last week. The Lady Cardinals won the game 3-0 to finish undefeated in district. It was their 10th straight district title and 12th overall for head coach Mary Cavell. * Photo by KYLE CARRIER
