For the seventh straight year, Savannah Christian Preparatory School (SCPS) head coach Julie Jones has her team standing atop their Georgia High School Association area, according to Jones. This season, the Raiders repeated as GHSA Class A–Area 3 champions, capturing their second straight area title in the classification. Despite featuring a new cast of characters, the Raiders served the same championship results, proving that the program’s winning culture remains as strong as ever.
The Savannah Christian Raiders captured the region championship with a 3-1 win over St Vincent’s. The Raiders displayed an impressive level of resilience and perseverance throughout a highly contested match from the first set to the fourth.
“I told the team that [St Vincent’s] isn’t going to go away. This was going to be a dogfight from the beginning to the end,” said Raiders head coach Julie Jones.
Savannah Christian raced out to a dominant 13-2 in the first set, but the Saints would indeed not go away, battling back and eventually tying the set at 21. After a timeout called by Coach Jones, the Raiders recentered and closed the set out 25-22.
“We always talk about how we need to start a game by punching our opponent in the mouth, and really starting strong. We did that, but they settled in. They’re a good team with veteran players,” Jones said.
The intensity ramped up in a crucial second set, as both teams carried momentum and understood how important this set would be in shaping the match. In between a 12-12 tie and a 22-21 Savannah Christian lead, neither side managed to pull ahead by more than a point. Savannah Christian inched ahead 23-21 and appeared to be in control, but the Saints responded with four unanswered points to steal the set and even the match at 1 set apiece.
After opening the door for a near St Vincent’s comeback in the first set, and again leaving the door open in a second set loss, Savannah Christian leaned on its revamped defense and setting game to regain control, and sophomore Carinne Cason was at the center of it. Cason led all players with nine aces, helping shift momentum back in the Raiders' favor.
“Our biggest thing is just moving on after a point,” Cason said. “We definitely got a little shaky in the first set, but we always come together as a team and play smart.”
Looking to regain control of the match, the Raiders made a statement by controlling the third set from start to finish. St Vincent’s made a late push, cutting a 22-17 Savannah Christian lead to 23-22, but it wasn’t enough, as the Raiders slammed the door shut on another Saints comeback, winning the third set 25-23.
In the fourth, Savannah Christian used two critical four-point runs to create separation late. Trailing 16-15, the Raiders rattled off four straight points to take the lead, quickly followed by another four-point burst to finish the set 25-20 and secure the region title in front of their home crowd.
Savannah Christian lost nine seniors after last season. “I’ve been doing this for 28 years, and that is among the most special wins to me,” Jones said. “We’re a young squad, and I’m really proud of the way they pulled together and faced adversities.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Savannah Christian Preparatory School Athletic Department
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