Streaks Rally, Tame Wildcats

Anna West had five kills and four blocks on Thursday night and the Sebring volleyball team showed some grit in dispatching district foe Hardee 25-12, 25-22, 25-15.

The Blue Streaks (4-2) rallied back from an early eight-point deficit in the second game and played with the consistency coach Venessa Sinness has been looking for from then on to earn the district victory.

"We're like Jekyll and Hyde sometimes," she said. "We were the total opposite of what we've been dong the last week and a half. We were full of energy, consistent on serve-receive, talking and having fun.

"It's been a rollercoaster ride, but it's so good to see them play like that."

Hannah Shoop had four kills in two games, Carly Freeland added three kills and Britt Augustine had 13 assists, two kills and two aces on a night the Streaks racked up 12 aces and had just five serving errors.

Senior Kayla Clemens led Sebring's servers with seven aces, including a stretch where she earned nine points in a row.

"I switched up the rotations a bit," Sinness said. "We took turns instead of subbing girls in and out, and I think that let them hold their own momentum and enabled them to be a part of good points and bad points."

Sebring heads to Bartow this weekend for a tournament and returns home on Monday to face Okeechobee. They then travel to arch-rival Lake Placid on Tuesday.

"They're having fun and they're playing like they want to be out there," Sinness said. "It's exciting and intense, and as a coach, I want to make sure they come out and keep up that intensity."

VOLLEYBALL: Lake Placid Sweeps Clewiston

CLEWISTON - Led by Kaneisha Hamilton's six kills and Ali Baker's five kills and four blocks, the Lake Placid volleyball team cruised past Clewiston by scores of 25-16, 25-16, 25-11 on Thursday.

"We communicated well and played as a team," said Green Dragon coach Marilyn Jones. "No one girl was outstanding, but we had a solid effort from everyone and that's always good to see.

"We're starting to come together and jell as a team and that's important because we're getting into our district games and those are the ones that count the most."

Lake Placid faced Avon Park on Friday night in a non-district match.

See Sunday's Highlands Today for complete coverage, including photos and reaction.

SWIMMING: Streaks Race To Sweep

LAKELAND - The Sebring boys and girls swim teams raced to first-place finishes on Thursday in a five-team meet at the Kelly Rec Center pool.

The girls team won more than half of the individual events and all the relays, while Brian Miller and Bryan Kirsch each won individual events to pace the boys. Miller won the butterfly, with Kirsch was tops in the breaststroke.

Kate Bryant paced the girls with a first-place finish in the backstroke.

"We're excited about it," said Sebring coach Pat Caton. "We took some young ones who had to do some stepping up, and it was a team effort."

The Streaks are back in action on Tuesday, when they travel to Lake Wales.