NCHSAA 1A Playoff Preview: Jones Senior Faces Top-Seeded Falls Lake in Second Round
NCHSAA 1A Playoff Preview: Jones Senior Faces Top-Seeded Falls Lake in Second Round
On October 21, 2025, the #17 seed Jones Senior Trojans (9-11) travel to face the #1 seed Falls Lake Firebirds (22-4) in the second round of the NCHSAA 1A volleyball playoffs at 5:00 PM. Coming off an upset road win over Hobgood Charter, Jones Senior, from the Coastal Plains 1A/2A Conference, faces a formidable challenge against a Falls Lake team that dominated the Triangle North 1A/2A Conference. This is the first matchup between the two schools. With Jones Senior as our focus, this preview provides a statistical breakdown of Falls Lake to highlight what the Trojans are up against.
Falls Lake Firebirds: Statistical Breakdown
Season Overview
Falls Lake, led by head coach Corrinna Sammons, has a 22-4 record in the 2025-26 season, with a perfect 12-0 mark in the Triangle North 1A/2A Conference. Ranked 29th in North Carolina and 1st in the 1A division, the Firebirds have a historical record of 206-53 since 2016-17, including a 105-20 conference record and a 32-7 playoff record. Their 101-22 home record makes their gym a tough venue for Jones Senior, who have an 18-103 away record. Falls Lake’s losses this season were to Green Hope (3-1), Heritage (3-2), New Life Camp (2-0), and NRCA (2-1), but they dominated conference opponents with multiple 3-0 sweeps.
Statistical Performance
Falls Lake’s stats (updated October 9, 2025) across 81 sets highlight their dominance:
Offense: 884 kills (10.9 per set, 35.1% kill percentage, 0.219 hitting percentage on 2517 attempts, 333 errors). This surpasses the national average (7.5 kills per set, 31.8% kill percentage, 0.146 hitting percentage).
Serving: 336 aces (4.1 per set, 18.8% ace percentage), 1784 serves (89.9% serving percentage, 181 errors). Their serving efficiency exceeds the national average (2.5 aces per set, 14.4% ace percentage, 81.7% serving percentage).
Defense: 1620 digs (20.0 per set), 995 receptions (12.3 per set, 91 errors). Their dig average nearly doubles the national mark (12.0 per set).
Blocking: 89 total blocks (69 solo, 39 assisted, 1.1 per set, 103 errors), aligning with the national average (1.1 per set).
Assists: 726 assists (9.0 per set) on 2335 ball-handling attempts (40 errors), above the national average (6.6 per set).
Key Players
Falls Lake’s 17-player roster features standout contributors:
Sadye Buffaloe (Sr., OH/MB): Leads with 263 kills (3.6 per set, 39.5% kill percentage, 0.258 hitting percentage on 691 attempts). Adds 149 digs (2.6 per set), 29 aces, and 11 blocks (0.2 per set). Her versatility is a major threat.
Tess DeZurik (Sr., S/DS): Primary setter with 379 assists (5.1 per set) on 1113 attempts (10 errors). Contributes 64 aces (0.9 per set), 258 digs (3.4 per set), and 72 receptions (0.1 errors per set). Her setting and defense drive the team.
Devanee Wampler (Fr., OH/MH): Freshman star with 171 kills (2.1 per set, 40.2% kill percentage, 0.308 hitting percentage on 540 attempts). Adds 221 digs (2.8 per set), 26 aces, and 19 blocks (0.2 per set). Her efficiency stands out.
Maggie Penn (Sr., L/DS): Defensive leader with 593 digs (7.3 per set) and 422 receptions (5.0 per set, 22 errors). Has 50 aces (0.6 per set). Her back-row play anchors the defense.
Caroline Sellers (So., MB): Contributes 65 kills (0.8 per set, 31.7% kill percentage, 0.176 hitting percentage), 34 blocks (0.4 per set), 140 digs (1.8 per set), and 20 aces. Her net presence adds balance.
Other notables include Addison Buffaloe (So., S, 233 assists, 3.6 per set) and Lily Voss (Jr., OH/RS, 154 kills, 2.0 per set, 0.202 hitting percentage).
Strengths
Efficient Offense: Falls Lake’s 10.9 kills per set and 0.219 hitting percentage, led by Buffaloe (263 kills) and Wampler (171 kills), create a potent attack that challenges defenses.
Aggressive Serving: Their 336 aces (4.1 per set), driven by DeZurik (64) and Penn (50), can disrupt Jones Senior’s serve receive, which has been a historical weakness.
Defensive Strength: With 1620 digs (20.0 per set), led by Penn’s 593, Falls Lake limits opponents’ scoring chances, a concern for Jones Senior’s offense.
Playoff Experience: A 32-7 playoff record and consistent top seeding give Falls Lake an edge over Jones Senior’s 1-1 playoff mark.
Challenges for Jones Senior
Jones Senior’s best season was 2015-16 (6-9 overall, 6-6 in conference, #62 in 1A), a high point in their 43-208 historical record. Their 2025-26 season (9-11, 2-9 in conference) marks significant improvement over recent years (4-15 in 2024-25, 4-16 in 2023-24). Despite their conference record, the Trojans have shown growth, competing tightly in sets and pushing matches to four or five sets against powerhouses like Lejeune, Northside-Pinetown, and Pamlico, while keeping sets close with East Carteret. However, they face steep challenges:
Offensive Disparity: Falls Lake’s 10.9 kills per set outpace Jones Senior’s best historical output (9.9 kills per set in 2015-16). The Trojans’ attack, led by Riley Murphy and Peyton Lucas, must be highly efficient.
Serving Pressure: Falls Lake’s 336 aces will test Jones Senior’s passing, a vulnerability given their historical struggles.
Road Struggles: Jones Senior’s 18-103 away record contrasts with Falls Lake’s 101-22 home dominance, making this a tough environment.
Game Outlook
Falls Lake, with a 22-4 record and home advantage, holds a clear edge as the top seed. To compete, Jones Senior must:
Disrupt Serve Receive: Target Penn (422 receptions) with aggressive serves to unsettle Falls Lake’s setting.
Exploit Newer Players: Focus attacks on freshmen like Wampler or Carson Outland to create mismatches.
Maximize Offense: Murphy and Lucas need high-percentage kills to counter Falls Lake’s defensive strength.
Falls Lake’s balanced attack, serving pressure, and defensive prowess make them favorites. However, Jones Senior’s recent growth and confidence could make this competitive. As head coach Jamie Harper noted, “The girls have improved and matured so much this year and really come together as a team.” She added, “Tomorrow is a tough matchup, but the girls are going in confident and feeling like they are going to be able to compete. I expect us to hopefully be competitive and at a minimum make them earn every point they get.” Regardless of the outcome, Harper emphasized, “We made the playoffs for the first time in ages and won a first-round game… it’s been a great season.”
