With the 2020 Class 2A State Championship, Mansfield High School is once again on top of the volleyball world. A resounding 3-0 sweep of conference rival Lavaca in the state finals at Hot Springs’ BankOZK Arena on Halloween Night punctuated the Lady Tigers’ perfect 21-0 season.
Brooke Wright, Mansfield’s 5’ 10” middle blocker, was named the 2A State Most Valuable Player. The senior, three year starter helped propel the Lady Tigers’ young roster to straight set victories (25-12, 25-15, 25-17) over the Golden Arrows for the title.
Sophomores Brooklyn Adams and Skylynn Harris were named to the All-State Tournament Team for their outstanding play. They celebrated with fellow sophomore starters Madelen Jones and Natalie Allison who collected All-State honors as well.
All-District juniors Haylee Helms and Kiara Thomas played well above standard from the back row for the Tigers. Newcomer Alyson Edwards, only a freshman, substituted nicely on the big stage for MVP Wright as a middle rotational player.
Mansfield began their run through the 2A state bracket with an opening round sweep of Midland on the campus of Cutter Morning Star High School. The Mustangs offered little challenge as the Tigers mauled their first stepping stone 25-8, 25-10, and 25-4.
The Flippin Bobcats put up a slightly better fight but were also skinned by the undefeated Tigers 25-17, 25-15, and 25-7. That second round contest was moved into CMS’s newly constructed multi-million dollar gymnasium.
Staying in the freshly opened multi-purpose facility in Cutter, Mansfield faced perennial volleyball power Crowley’s Ridge Academy in the semifinals. Once again, it was Mansfield showing they were a team of destiny with a 25-14, 25-17, and 25-18 takedown of the Falcons.
A one day break allowed all Arkansas high school volleyball classifications to migrate to Hot Springs Convention Center for the finals on October 31. There Mansfield found themselves facing a familiar opponent, the Lavaca Golden Arrows.
The Tigers and Arrows both arrived via the 2A West District as the champion and runner-up respectively out of that league. The two teams had highly competitive matches when meeting twice through their double round robin conference schedule. Mansfield prevailed in those preliminary contests 3-1 and 3-2.
The Class 2A State Finals, the third meeting between the newly aligned conference rivals, proved little challenge for the red hot Lady Tigers. Mansfield was the complete aggressor with timely aces, decisive digs, and hammering hits. The result was another 3-0 sweep, and this time it was for all the marbles.
As it turned out, Mansfield’s propensity to sweep an opponent under the rug in straight sets was quite common. Seventeen times through their 2020 season, the Lady Tigers posted 3-0 wins.
Mansfield only dropped six sets total for the year. Three came from Lavaca, two from Alma, and one from Charleston.
This year’s state championship was Mansfield’s first since 2014. The 2014 title was the third leg of a three-peat sequence. Current Mansfield Coach Kaylie Pyles was a player on the previous two.
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