- April 29, 2024
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A point here and a point there can make all the difference in beach volleyball.
Just ask the Cardinal Mooney High Cougars.
On March 8, the Cougars were a few points shy of taking down New Smyrna Beach High on the road. The Barracudas have not lost a match in nearly two years — since March 29, 2022 — and finished last season as the Florida High School Athletic Association state champions. New Smyrna finished the year ranked No. 2 in the United States by MaxPreps. Only three teams even won a single pairs match off the Barracudas, and Mooney was one of them, falling 3-1 in the state semifinals while missing three top players.
This year, the match was even closer. Mooney lost 3-2, and the deciding pairs match went the maximum three sets, with New Smyrna ultimately taking it.
The Cougars took the defeat in stride, opting to look at the positives. They came closer to a win against the Barracudas than just about anyone, and they believe that with a few bounces going a different way, the outcome could be different in a hypothetical rematch.
A rematch that could occur in the FHSAA state championship game.
Cardinal Mooney entered the 2024 season with a strong reputation of its own. The Cougars have won back-to-back Sunshine State Athletic Association titles, opting to play in both it and the FHSAA's postseason tournaments. Mooney finished the 2023 season ranked ninth in the country per MaxPreps. It is too early in the season for 2024 rankings, but the Cougars are 7-1 and have appeared as dominant as usual against teams other than New Smyrna. The only other team to challenge Mooney was Hagerty High, who finished 2023 ranked seventh in the country; the Cougars won 3-2 over Hagerty March 9 on the road.
Cougars juniors Katie Powers and Izzy Russell, who combine to form one of the team's top pairs, said this year's team is capable of ending the season on top.
"Our pairs, every practice, are fighting hard," Russell said. "It's super competitive. We make each other better."
On March 12, Powers and Russell won their match against Port Charlotte High in two sets, showcasing their communication and smart decision-making. The pair began playing together last season, they said. Between beach volleyball and the indoor volleyball season, they spend a lot of time together, which has led to sharp chemistry.
It wasn't always that way. Powers said the 2023 season was her first playing beach volleyball. She made plenty of beginner mistakes, Powers said. It is something that could have put a strain on a pairing; instead, Powers said, Russell was "the nicest, most understanding person."
"She never got mad at me when I messed up," Powers said. "That means a lot to me. She's a great teammate."
Russell took the compliment with a smile and the shake of her head. Powers was being modest, Russell said. Powers was, and is, a strong player, especially when it comes to saving balls that Russell thought could not be saved.
"I'll miss a ball and think, 'dang it, the point's done,' and then I turn around and Katie's on the floor and the ball is in the air," Russell said. "I've learned that the ball is always going to come back up with her. I always have to be ready because she gets to everything."
Powers and Russell said they do not have a master plan of how to handle any opposing pair in their way. They take things one match at a time, figuring out what their opposition is good at, then finding ways to beat it. This is where communication comes in, Powers said. Pairs that don't talk about what needs fixing will not be successful. The pairing is at a point where they can make suggestions to one another without feelings getting hurt.
The same goes for the rest of the Cardinal Mooney roster. The Cougars have always been about depth, not just top-pair talent. It is why the team does not panic even if one of their pairs loses an individual match; they know their teammates will clean it up.
Cardinal Mooney has four home matches remaining, the next being against Riverview High (2-1) at 4 p.m. March 19. As usual under Head Coach Chad Davis, the Cougars have gone with a challenging schedule, with road matches against perennially strong programs like Berkeley Prep and Calvary Christian among others.
But the postseason, which begins April 22, is what the Cougars are eying.
A return trip to the state tournament is expected, Powers and Russell said. It is what happens there that will have the sport's community watching.
"We are ready and we are going to work hard," Russell said. "We are coming for the state title. New Smyrna won the last two years, but we know we're right there with them."
