Jones Senior Earns Historic Playoff Win Over Hobgood Charter
Jones Senior Earns Historic Playoff Win Over Hobgood Charter
For the first time since 2015, the Jones Senior volleyball program not only reached the NCHSAA state playoffs — but made history with a first-round win.
The Lady Trojans, seeded No. 17, went on the road and upset No. 16 Hobgood Charter 3–1, marking what head coach Jamie Harper described as “our first volleyball state playoff win in recent history that we know of.”
It was the third meeting between the teams this season, with both sides having split their early-season series. After dropping the opening set 25–20, Jones Senior found its rhythm. The Lady Trojans surged ahead to take the next two sets 25–15 and 25–16 behind sharp communication, aggressive serving, and key defensive stands.
The fourth set proved to be the most dramatic. Trailing 19–11, Harper called a timeout to regroup her squad. From there, Jones Senior clawed back point by point until Kynlee Whaley stepped to the service line with the Trojans down 24–20. Whaley and her teammates refused to fold, rallying to tie the set at 24–24. After a Hobgood timeout, the Lady Trojans completed the comeback, winning the final two points to seal the victory and punch their ticket to the second round.
“It truly was a team effort all around,” Harper said.
Riley Murphy led the way with 13 kills, 4 aces, 3 blocks, and 27 digs. Taylor Brown and Whaley each tallied 10 service points and 3 aces, while Harper Woolard, Makenzie Maines, Peyton Lucas, and Bailey Carter provided crucial support on defense and serve receive.
Harper expressed pride in how far her team has come. “While our conference record doesn’t show it, we’re in a tough league for a 1A school. These young ladies went head-to-head with bigger, stronger schools all season and kept the sets close every match,” she said. “Their hard work has paid off — not only making it to the state playoffs for the first time in ten years but pulling off a first-round upset to advance. I expect them to go out and do what they’ve done all season: play with confidence, battle, and work together until the last point.”
With the win, Jones Senior advances to the second round of the 1A state playoffs, continuing a season that has already rewritten the program’s recent history.
