MOORE HAVEN – Just like championship teams in college and pro sports, the Moore Haven High School volleyball team happily put on T-shirts celebrating a triumphant accomplishment.

Moments after the Terriers swept visiting Frostproof, 3-0, to claim their second consecutive district championship Oct. 17, 2025, the players, which include eight from the Seminole Tribe of Florida, donned gold shirts. The front of the shirt reads “Moore Haven Lady Terriers District Champions” while the back features “Rural Region 4 District 8 Back2Back” along with two volleyballs, one with “2024” and the other with “2025.”

The same teams will meet in a Class Rural regional semifinal Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. in Moore Haven. The winner will face Williston or Trenton in a regional semifinal Oct. 28.

Despite losing valuable starters from the 2024 squad to graduation, including Preslynn Baker and Akeelah Ling, the 2025 Terriers returned plenty of depth. They’ve compiled a 15-10 record.

With six seniors – all tribal members – the Terriers had an advantage in experience against a younger Frostproof team, and it showed in the district final. Moore Haven played confidently and never trailed on its way to posting wins by scores of 25-10, 25-23 and 25-16.

Being district champion this season was as sweet as it was last season for the Terriers.

“When I started here six years ago, we couldn’t pass the ball, we couldn’t set the ball, we couldn’t serve the ball. Now we’re where we are. Everybody is doing phenomenal. We’re running plays, we’re making plays. It’s super remarkable,” said Moore Haven head coach Mona Baker, who noted the program’s surprising turnaround has been aided by the addition of assistant coach Jerry Veloz.

“Jerry being here is a tremendous blessing for us. We were very blessed to be able to pick him up,” Baker said.

Outstanding serving from Truley Osceola sparked the Terriers early. The senior delivered four aces as Moore Haven surged to a 10-1 lead in the first set. Along the way, the Terriers received kills from Tiyanni Anderson (match-high 17 kills), Rae Gentry and Tara Person, and aces from Anderson and Trinity Guerry.

The second set featured more Terrier dominance at the net behind kills from Anderson, Gentry and Miley Jimmie. Frostproof fought back from a 20-11 deficit and drew to within one point before Moore Haven won the final point for the 25-23 win.

Thanks to strong defense led by freshman libero Kulipa Julian (19 digs), Moore Haven excelled in winning side outs throughout the match, preventing Frostproof from generating momentum, including in the third set. Again, it was Osceola’s serving and Anderson’s hitting that set the early tone as the Terriers built a 13-5 lead. An ace by Jimmie put the Terriers up 21-16. Soon after, the Terriers celebrated with the winners’ plaque and the back-to-back championship T-shirts, which were made by Quality Tees in Okeechobee.

“I wanted the girls to have them because it’s a super special thing,” Baker said.

Before the game, the team honored Julian for reaching the 500-dig career plateau in just her second season. She had 246 digs as an eighth-grader last year and has close to 300 this season.

“That’s amazing,” Baker said. “She also had 100-something aces. Only a freshman. She’s got good things ahead of her.”