Page 21 - DEC2021

December 2021 NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM Page 21
Sports
By BRiTTaNy amalfi
A high school sports team’s dynamic always depends on its heart, and the Newfound Re- gional Girls Varsity Volleyball team has plenty of it. Coming off from a well-deserved state cham- pionship win from last year, the Newfound girl’s team showed up to the 2021 season, ready to work and ready to play.
I had the opportunity to sit down and speak with coach Amy Fairbank, and when asked about the team and the season, she had nothing but good things to say. Starting a new season every fall can be unpredictable, and since the Newfound team lost three se- niors, there were some big shoes to fill. Fairbank told me that there were five returning players from last year, a player who moved back to the school, and five swing players from the JV team. Four seniors: Paulina, Emalie, Jamie, and Tiffany, three juniors Malina, Danielle, and Mikayla, sopho- mores Laurel and Stacia, and freshman Isa and Mia made up the 11 player roster. These girls showed up every day to work hard for that championship and their focus and determination for the season were unmatched.
The Newfound team played 16 regular-season matches throughout the season, which to- taled 48 set wins and 2 set losses. These impressive statistics are what made them the number one seed by the end of the regular season. The skills and talent from each and every one of these girls reflected this season’s undefeated 19-0 record and the ending of their successful run. With every starting player being a strong hit- ter and each playing phenomenal defense, the Newfound Girls Vol- leyball team was not one to un- derestimate.
After an impressive regular season and making it into the playoffs as the number one seed, the girl’s strength and determina- tion did not waver. They made it all the way to the championship game versus Mascenic, and it was undoubtedly a game no one will ever forget. Newfound won the first game 25-13. The New-
Varsity Volleyball Team Wins it All
Bump, Set, Spike! Newfound Regional Girls
found team found themselves in a score deficit during the second game, but Coach Fairbank told me they made quick work of fighting themselves out of that deficit and won the second game. The third game was where it all came together. Newfound found themselves in a 19-6 deficit, and with the games going to 25, New- found was starting to believe that this might go to four games. How- ever, as soon as that score hit 19, a timeout was called, and Coach Fairbank rallied her girls and gave them the talk they needed to plug away and pull themselves out of that rut. Once they got back on the court, every girl knew what they had trained to do, one point at a time played, and with that determination, Newfound won the third game 25-23, making the match a well-earned sweep.
“The girls showed good sportsmanship throughout the entire season, but also during that championship game,” Fair- bank informed me. There was no doubt the Newfound team knew what they were doing the sec- ond they walked into the gym at Pinkerton all the way to that final point won in the third game. Fair- bank believed in her girls from day one, and their past few spec- tacular seasons show that. “Every time these girls play and prac- tice, whether it was last season or this season, they won by hard work and determination. We are
a fundamentally strong team be- cause we play hard, and we play smart. There’s no mistake about it.” Fairbank told me that last year they were the first team to wear masks while they played because they all wanted to make sure there was the lowest risk possible of en- dangering their season during the pandemic and that they were conditioned to play in them, and that shows what kind of team they are. “The girls have worked so hard, and they were so excited for this season. And they won it all because of their heart, how hard they worked, and their experience and composure. They are a fluid, functioning team, which makes sense because a team can’t just come back from substantial defi- cits like that and not be a good team.”
The whole team worked to- gether throughout the entire sea- son. “I push them when I have to, I support them in everything they do, and I know they truly deserved all of this. This year, four girls even got recognized for all-state, including Paulina and Malina for first team, and Mikayla and Em- alie for second team.” Also, Em- alie, Paulina, and Malina all hit their 500 digs milestones this sea- son. When asked about how she felt about coaching the Newfound team, Fairbank said this “I have been very blessed this season, and I ended it with no regrets. There was absolutely no sadness to the
end of this season other than the fact that we will miss our seniors terribly. But the 2021 season ended on such a high and happy note, and I’m so glad the girls got this moment. They truly are such a great group of girls, and I love spending time with them.”
There you have it, folks; the Newfound Girls Varsity Volleyball team worked as hard as they pos- sibly could throughout these last few seasons to make it to the top.
They worked hard, they played smart, and their heart shone through each and every player on and off the court. Fairbank has been a phenomenal coach, and this team has earned this win with all of their hard work and deter- mination. Congratulations to the Newfound Girls Varsity Volleyball team, you girls have made such an impact in your community, and you deserve it all!
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