DeSoto County prep volleyball had a strong presence in Wednesday night’s Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) All-Star match played at Millsaps College in Jackson.
Seven of the players on the North roster, playing their South counterparts in the best-of-three match showcasing top Mississippi volleyball talent, came from DeSoto County schools.
North All-Stars from DeSoto County schools playing against the South on Wednesday, July 14 are: Sadie Bridgforth, Ellie Morgan, and Kaley Rikard of Lewisburg; Olivia Hines of Center Hill; Jasmine Chacon of 5A state champion Lake Cormorant; along with Avery Wolf and Kennedy Smith of 6A state champion DeSoto Central. They are joined by their coaches, Margaret Falatko (DeSoto Central), Amy Hendrichovsky (Lewisburg), Robbie Veazey (Center Hill), and Christina Morgan (Lake Cormorant). (Courtesy Allison Burchyett, NWCC Volleyball)
The seven were Sadie Bridgforth, Ellie Morgan, and Kaley Rikard of Lewisburg; Olivia Hines of Center Hill; Jasmine Chacon of 5A state champion Lake Cormorant; along with Avery Wolf and Kennedy Smith of 6A state champion DeSoto Central.
Coaching the North All-Stars were Eric Lancaster of Alcorn Central and Stephanie Cleveland of Belmont.
In addition to the spotlight on the players, DeSoto Central coach Margaret Falatko was recognized as the MAC Volleyball Coach of the Year. Falatko led the Lady Jags to the 6A state championship, its fourth title as a program, in a four-set victory over Brandon last October.
DeSoto Central volleyball coach Margaret Falatko, named Mississippi Association of Coaches’ Volleyball Coach of the Year. (Credit DeSoto Central Athletics Twitter)
Despite the DeSoto County presence, the South prevailed over the North in the three-set match 2-1. Set scores in the match were 25-21, 19-25, and 25-19 for the South.
Bob Bakken is the most recognized and most trusted name in DeSoto County news and sports reporting, as readers continue to express their appreciation for his accuracy and fairness in the stories he writes. Bob is also heard on 95.3 The Rebel twice a week with sports updates and high school football play-by-play broadcasts in the fall. A former newspaper editor and writer, his award-winning background also includes television news producing, sports media relations, and radio broadcasting.
