SILOAM SPRINGS — Having won seven state volleyball championships in her long tenure at Siloam Springs, including winning the last six in a row, some things never change for coach Rose Cheek.
Like the nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach as the state tournament approaches, the restless nights and inability to sleep — those are things Cheek knows will never go away this time of year.
And that’s a good thing, she says.
“I would be upset if I didn’t (get nervous) because it would mean I don’t respect our opponents. I totally respect them,” Cheek said. “You have to in this business. You have to respect everybody that you play.”
Cheek and the Lady Panthers travel to Wynne in east Arkansas today for the Class 5A State Tournament in search of its seventh straight state tile and the eighth in the program’s history.
Siloam (27-8) will open tournament play at 6 p.m. today as the No. 1 seed from the 5A-West Conference and face 5A-East No. 4 seed Greene County Tech. Siloam went 12-0 in conference play this season.
“I think the biggest challenge for the girls is to not look ahead, to just take one game a time,” Cheek said. “Greene County Tech is a good team. They’re very well-coached. The East side is very well balanced. I really like their coach.”
The Lady Panthers are led by four senior starters in middles Lizzy Briones and Allie Wade, setter Laken Grigg and right side blocker Sarah Lowry.
Briones is a commitment to James Madison University and she is a four-year starter, while Wade and Grigg have started for three years.
“We’ve got three girls that have had a lot of experience,” Cheek said. “The other girls play like they’ve been two-or three-year starters.
The Lady Panthers have also gotten significant contribution this year from junior hitters Makenzie Sharp, Lindsey Larkin, libero Lexi Anglin, defensive specialist Caley Cox and freshman Ashley Avery.
Siloam swept 11 of its 12 conference matches in winning its second consecutive 5A-West championship. The Lady Panthers have beaten conference rival Greenwood in the last four state title matches.
Greenwood wound up being the second seed from the 5A-West and plays Paragould today at noon.
Cheek said the team is ready to play but acknowledged that the pressure of winning six state titles in a row does take its toll.
“Oh yeah it makes it difficult,” she said. “You see why I have trouble sleeping at night? I’ve got volleyballs bouncing around.
“I feel very confident in these girls. I know that when they’re totally focused they’re very hard to beat.”