The 2024 state high school volleyball championships are set to tip off Thursday on the Mississippi College campus in Clinton.
East Central, Hancock, Ocean Springs and OLA are looking to bring home the top prize.
OLA gets things started around 2 p.m. Thursday with Hancock to follow at 4 p.m. and Ocean Springs around 6 p.m. East Central will have to wait until Friday and should tip off around noon.
All four teams picked up South State championships on Monday while Southern Six squads George County, Poplarville, Resurrection and Vancleave came up just short.
The 3A state title match is between OLA and North Mississippi champion Belmont.
In the South State finals, OLA picked up its 40th win of the season in straight sets over region foe West Marion.
The Crescents swept the Lady Trojans for the third time this season and have yet to drop a set in the playoffs.
OLA is looking for its third consecutive state title and it would be its 17th overall.
Belmont won a five-set thriller over Kossuth in North Mississippi and comes into the finals with its own championship pedigree. The Lady Cardinals won back-to-back state titles in 2021 and 2022 in 2A.
In 6A, Hancock takes the floor next and faces a familiar foe in Lake Cormorant. The Lady Gators swept the Lady Hawks in last year’s 6A final and Hancock coach Greg Dillard said his team is looking forward to another shot at the title.
“We have a group of girls who have used the disappointment from last season to motivate themselves to get back to the finals,” Dillard said.
Similar to OLA’s success against West Marion, Hancock beat region for George County for the third time this season in straight sets to advance. The Lady Hawks ended the Lady Rebels season in South State for the second consecutive season.
Lake Cormorant swept Neshoba Central in the North, has won back-to-back state titles and is seeking its seventh state championship.
The Lady Hawks (30-6) brought home state titles in 2010 and 2016.
Ocean Springs wraps up play Thursday night looking to knock off defending 7A state champion Lewisburg.
Coach Christina Daigle said the South State title victory over Brandon gives the Lady Greyhounds tremendous confidence heading to Clinton.
“Brandon has eliminated us the last couple of years in South State, and to finally beat them gives this group so much momentum moving forward,” Daigle said.
The sweep of the Bulldogs improved Ocean Springs’ record to 35-9 while North champion Lewisburg comes in off a four-set victory over Germantown. The Lady Patriots are seeking their sixth state title.
East Central must wait until Friday before its rematch against North champion Lafayette in the 5A final. It will give the Lady Hornets an extra day to recover from their emotional four-set road win against rival Vancleave in the South State finals.
Vancleave swept the Lady Hornets in the regular season, but East Central saved the best for last. The Lady Hornets improved to 19-23 and take on a Lafayette team that swept Pontotoc. The Lady Commodores swept East Central in last year’s finals.
Matches will be held at A.E. Wood Coliseum and streamed on the NFHS network. Tickets are available at GoFan.
