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Okeechobee storms back, but falls short in volleyball regional

Okeechobee’s Yani Smith soars at the net against Innovation in a Class 5A regional quarterfinal Oct. 23, 2024, at Okeechobee High School. (Photo Kevin Johnson)

OKEECHOBEE – After overcoming a two-set deficit and staving off two match points, the Okeechobee High School volleyball team had all the momentum heading into a winner-take-all fifth set in a Class 5A regional quarterfinal against Innovation on Oct. 23 at Okeechobee High School.

Quickly, however, the momentum switched sides as Innovation, a new school in Orlando that is only a couple months old, regained control of the deciding set early and emerged with a 3-2 win.

Okeechobee first-year coach Lauren Throop, whose team finished with its best record (14-5) since 2015, was proud of the way her team battled back.

“They played great. Our defense played absolutely amazing; the best it’s been all season. We just couldn’t find the holes on the other side with our hits,” she said.

Okeechobee’s Yani Smith talks to her teammates during a break after the first set against Innovation in a Class 5A regional quarterfinal Oct. 23, 2024, at Okeechobee High School. (Photo Kevin Johnson)

Adleigh Schwier and Savannah McCoy were the defensive stars for Okeechobee in the digs department.

Innovation won the first two sets, 25-11, 25-20. In the third set, Innovation led 17-11 and seemed to be headed toward a comfortable sweep, but Okeechobee – sparked in part by the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Yani Smith – mounted a fierce comeback. In a span of a few minutes, Smith, a junior middle hitter, smacked a couple kills and delivered a string of service points as the Brahmans knotted the set at 18-18.

Okeechobee pulled ahead thanks to a pair of aces from Madison Ayuso, but Innovation regained the lead and had two match points – at 25-24 and 26-25 – but the Brahmans won points to stay alive. A powerful kill from Ayla Rucks late in the set spurred the home team to a 28-26 win.

Okeechobee owned the fourth set from start to finish, winning 25-16, behind kills from Smith, Rucks, Liv Bartels and Jadyn Jeune.

The comeback took its toll on Okeechobee, which appeared emotionally drained in the fifth set. The Brahmans fell behind 9-2. This time they had no response – especially to kills from Innovation’s Felicia Omosebi – and saw their season end with a 15-9 setback.

The Seminole Tribe’s Yani Smith, left, and Alyssa Madrigal on the Okeechobee High School volleyball team Oct. 23, 2024. (Photo Kevin Johnson)

“It was really back and forth. (We) got really up in the third set and were doing great, fourth set great, fifth set we just didn’t have it.” Throop said.

It was the eighth match this season that went the full five sets for the Brahmans.

Innovation advanced to face South Fork in a regional quarterfinal.

Okeechobee will lose three seniors, but there are eight juniors, including Smith and fellow tribal member Alyssa Madrigal.

Throop said Smith and Madrigal played well this season. During the break after the first set loss, Smith gave an enthusiastic pep talk to her teammates in the huddle.

“Passion. I think it worked,” Throop said. “She’s been great. She played every game [this season], every set. She’s been a real huge asset with her serve and her right-side hitting.”

Smith finished third on the team in hitting for the season with more than 100 kills.

Madrigal played a substitute role this season. She registered more than 50 digs, including eight each in three separate matches. She did not see any playing time against Innovation.

“She’s done well. She plays defense for us. There just wasn’t a right time tonight (to put her in),” Throop said.

In addition to Smith and Madrigal, the Brahmans program featured several other tribal members in junior varsity. Some of those Seminoles played big roles in an outstanding season by the JV “A” team, which lost only one match.

Okeechobee’s Yani Smith delivers a serve against Innovation in a Class 5A regional quarterfinal Oct. 23, 2024, at Okeechobee High Schoool. (Photo Kevin Johnson)
Okeechobee celebrates a point won during its Class 5A regional quarterfinal against Innovation on Oct. 23, 2024, at Okeechobee High School. (Photo Kevin Johnson)
Action at the net during the Innovation-Okeechobee Class 5A regional quarterfinal Oct. 23, 2024, at Okeechobee High School. (Photo Kevin Johnson)
Kevin Johnson
Kevin Johnson is senior editor. He has worked for The Seminole Tribune since 2014. He was previously an editor, photographer and reporter for newspapers in Southwest Florida and Connecticut. Contact Kevin at kevinjohnson@semtribe.com.
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