Greenbrier volleyball on pace for record

The Greenbrier High School students on the top rows of the visitor's side in Grovetown High's sparkling new gym let everyone know when the Wolfpack served.

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"BOOOOOM!" the Wolfpack fans yelled each time a Greenbrier player connected with a serve.

Greenbrier volleyball coach Debbie Born pointed to the fan support as one of the keys to her team's 14-0 start, which matches the best start in school history.

The Wolfpack beat county rivals Grovetown and Harlem on Sept. 3 to reach 14 wins.

A win today at Midland Valley would give the 2009 team the school record for most wins to start the season.

Born said the Wolfpack's start has students more excited about coming to watch, and that Greenbrier's football team has jumped on the bandwagon.

"I always say it couldn't get any more special," Born said. "But this is a special year."

The Wolfpack volleyball team boasts nine seniors this season. Born's team had one senior on last year's Region 2-AAAAA title-winning team.

Greenbrier beat the first-year Warriors squad 2-0 (25-13, 25-10) last week. Grovetown coach Amy Slagle, who was the girls basketball coach at Harlem before coming to the new school, said her team was young, but improving.

Slagle got a late start on scheduling, and before last week's matches the Warriors were 1-1, with a loss to Lakeside and victory against Richmond Academy. The Warriors started practices the week before school began, but many had participated in a camp during the summer.

Slagle said she expects Grovetown will compete for one of Region 3-AAAA's four playoff spots.

"We could be good," she said. "We just have a lot of young people."

In contrast to the loaded Wolfpack squad, the Warriors are heavy on underclassmen. The exception is senior Chade Martin, who has been the cornerstone of Slagle's squad.

"She's my go-to," Slagle said. "She's an all-around great player."

Slagle is expecting a child, with a due date around the time of the Class AAAA state playoffs. She said she planned to coach until then.

"I'll go to the end," she said.

Grovetown's gym was packed for the matches last week among Greenbrier, Harlem and Grovetown.

With junior varsity and varsity games taking place simultaneously on the court, the gym got loud.

"It's a great atmosphere," Born said. "It's always fun to play county schools."