Daniel volleyball after third straight region title

By Dennis Brunson

hssr.com Associate Editor

           Central – The Daniel High School volleyball team is in position to win its third straight region title – for the first time in the AAAA classification.



           Daniel, which became a AAAA school after reclassification, was 19-4 overall and was leading 7-team Region 2 with a 6-0 record. It remains to be seen how the region schedule will play out as the Upstate region tries to complete its season while recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

           Senior Sarah Ulrich leads Daniel around the net with 221 kills. Junior Zara Russell had 167 kills, junior Anusha Venayagamoorthy had 114 and senior Sydney Hapeshis had 106. Ulrich and Hapeshis led in service aces with 33 while junior Ava Ross had 30 and senior Blakley Pilgrim had 23.

           Ulrich leads in total blocks with 81, while Russell is close behind with 68. Junior Michaela Reed had 44 and Hapeshis had 26. Ross leads in digs with 275 followed by Hapeshis with 218, Pilgrim with 158 and senior Savannah Cato with 124.

           Cato is the assists leader with 336, while senior Chloe Miller had 167 and sophomore Lydia Chasteen had 94. Hapeshis leads in serves received with 287 and had just 19 receiving errors. Ross had 193 serves received with just seven errors.

           FOOTBALL REGULAR-SEASON WIN STREAK SNAPPED

           The Daniel football program had its 47-game regular-season win streak snapped with a 28-23 loss to J.L. Mann on September 6.

The Lions, the defending AAA state champions, are 3-1 but had yet to play a Region 2 contest because of Helene. They had road games against Seneca and Berea postponed.

Sophomore Grayson Clary was off to a fast start, completing 65 of 83 passes for 786 yards and 11 touchdown. Senior Jason Bish had 18 catches for 272 yards and two scores followed by senior Quint Cumbie with 11 catches for 101 yards and a score, freshman Trey Wimbley with six catches for 132 yards and one touchdown and sophomore Elijah Lipsey with five catches for 128 yards and two touchdown.

           Senior Tremaine Davis Jr. was leading in rushing with 224 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. Senior Spencer Conn had 202 yards and three scores on 20 carries.

           Conn leads the defense from his linebacker position with 51 tackles and six tackles for loss. Sophomore Ayden Montgomery had 4 ½ tackles for loss while junior Dexter Johnson had 4 ½ and sophomore Christian Chancellor Jr. had four.