Mosley beats Niceville for 2-6A volleyball title

CRESTVIEW – The Niceville student section finally started to fill up right about the start of the third game of the District 2-6A tournament final between Niceville and rival Mosley Thursday night at Crestview.

The late-arriving Niceville crowd couldn’t have been happy to find their team down two games, and was certainly less pleased with the outcome, as Mosley went on to win 25-17, 25-18, 16-25, 25-21 and take the district title.

Niceville will travel to Washington next week for its regional quarterfinal. Mosley will host Tate.

The Dolphins (24-3), led by senior Deanna Canfield, came out ready to play and took full advantage of a slow-starting Niceville team.

“I think we were a little nervous to begin with and we should’ve started strong but we just didn’t,” Niceville’s Monica Johnson said.

Canfield filled up the stat sheet for Mosley, finishing with 19 digs, 16 kills, nine assists, three blocks and two aces. But she got help from Casey May (16 digs, 12 kills) and Lauren Corbin (20 digs).

“One of the keys was for us tonight was somebody other than Deanna putting the balls away,” Mosley coach Steve Canfield said after winning his first district title in his six season at Mosley. “That’s what we were focusing on, getting other girls involved.”

After being falling behind 2-0, the Eagles (13-5) came alive in the third set and ripped off an 8-0 run. Johnson awoke for the Eagles as well, making her presence felt with big kill after big kill to keep the momentum rolling for the Eagles, who grabbed a 25-16 and got some much-needed momentum.

“I think maybe we were just hesitant,” Niceville coach Jill Benson said, “and then something fired us up in the third game and we got ahead, got a lead and kept the fire. But unfortunately couldn’t carry it throughout the rest of the match.”

The fourth game was back and forth and Niceville took a 21-20 lead on a hard-hit ball down the left line by Johnson, but Mosley knotted the score at 21-21 and ripped off a 4-0 run to take the match, and the district title.

Niceville’s Shelby Russell had 13 kills and nine digs on the night and Kayla Henry added 11 digs, four aces and three blocks.

Deanna Canfield moved to an even 1,000 assists for her career. Lindsey Richardson 13 digs, 19 assists (1,015 career), Ashley Childs five kills, Amanda Singletary 10 digs, 12 target serve receives, Corbin 14 serve receives and Rachel Skibba a team-high four blocks.

District 1-5A

Gulf Breeze 3, Arnold 0

GULF BREEZE — Arnold will travel on Tuesday for its Region 1-5A quarterfinal following its third loss of the season to champion Gulf Breeze 25-12, 25-15, 25-9. The Marlins, 17-9, were led by Madi Wichterman with four kills, one dig and three service points, JoJo Booker had four kills, two digs and two blocks, Emma Moskowitz four kills, four digs, one ace and three points, Sarah Robertson two kills, nine digs, one ace and four points and Alex Dyer had 15 assists, four digs and two service points.

The Marlins play at Wakulla at 6 CDT on Tuesday in the Region 1-5A quarterfinals.

JV football

Arnold 28, Bay Haven 14

PANAMA CITY BEACH — Taylor King scored two touchdowns and Dolan Poole and Ray Peed one apiece for Arnold. Adam McAfee tossed a touchdown pass to Peed for the Marlins, 3-5, and McKenzie Thomas added four extra points. On defense, Michael Mosley and Devon Dutton were standouts for Arnold. Riley Peterson added 80 yards receiving.