Holding Off Midnight

October 24, 2000, a date that has great significance in Springstead High volleyball history - even if nobody knows it.

That day, the Lady Eagles defeated Leesburg in the opening round of the Class 4A, District 6 Tournament, marking the last time Springstead won a match in district tournament play.

The Lady Eagles went down, usually meekly, in each of their initial postseason contests over the ensuing seven dreary seasons.

But this year has been a much different one for the long-downtrodden program. Springstead heads into this week's Class 4A, District 8 Tournament seeded fifth in the nine-team field.

At 12-12, the Lady Eagles have already recorded their most wins since going 15-5 in 1993. That was also their last winning season, with a 10-12 campaign in 2000 marking their best showing since.

To put that 15-year draught in perspective, consider that a handful of girls in the current program weren't even born yet.

"We talk about how that jersey represents more than just this class of girls," said first-year Springstead Head Coach Darcy Hinton. "We represent the girls year after year that had the same hopes and work ethic but didn't see this many wins."

For a team that has never reached regionals, that at one point endured a 53-match losing streak and won a combined 14 matches from 2001-2007, Tuesday's first-round match presents a rare realistic opportunity for postseason success.

Springstead plays the tournament host and fourth seed, Wiregrass Ranch, at 7 p.m. in what is anticipated as the marquee match-up of the quarterfinal round.

The Lady Eagles lost twice to Wiregrass Ranch in the regular season, including a three-game sweep two weeks ago.

"I think it would mean so much to us (to win)," said senior captain Jennifer Stevens. "We've worked so hard. This is a team full of hard workers. These girls want to play because they love the game. A win at districts would mean a lot to everyone because it would be the pay off."

Starting from scratch

Hinton took over a program essentially starting from scratch. The Lady Eagles had just one returning player with significant varsity experience in Stevens, the lone senior.

"I came in with a game plan," Hinton said. "We've been able to stick to that game plan. I'm very happy we were able to exceed our (expected) results.

"The game plan was to give them a way to win districts, to teach them to hit a target and be a defensive team. That way I didn't have to rely on hitters. Turns out we do have hitters. Not only are they defending but we're able to hit, too."

Junior Jaydilee Rivera Castro, who transferred in from Puerto Rico, and freshman Carly Wiggins, an in-season junior varsity call-up, have become the primary hitters.

Wiggins leads the team with 133 kills, or 1.8 per game. Castro has 67 service aces to target, meaning she has hit a specific spot identified by the coaching staff.

Freshman Allyson Schillinger has hit her target on serve 65.8 percent of the time, while sophomore Michelle DeJesus has caught the eye of opposing teams with her back-row play. She leads the team with 5.2 digs per game.

"I was definitely surprised with all the talent that came in," said Stevens, who has spent four years in the program, two on the varsity level. "It's a young team, but they're all so talented.

"The biggest difference is the strength of our team as a unit. I've never been on a team so close. We're all good friends. There are no conflicts and I think that's really helped us. I think people realize that Springstead is not going to be an easy team to beat anymore."

Still, Springstead didn't even win a single game until its fifth match of the season, a sweep of Gulf High. Then two wins in the Bell Invitational at Bell High in mid-September spurred a six-match winning streak.

Starting with that surge, the Lady Eagles finished the regular season 11-5. That included the first win over Hernando that anyone could remember. Recordkeeping hasn't been much of a priority for a team that would rather forget its past results.

In fact, nobody currently associated with the program knew exactly how long this club has suffered. They just know the culture of the team has finally begun to turn.

"Last year we really didn't have confidence," said Ally Carreiro, a junior in her third year in the program. "That's why we always lost. This year we're actually winning games.

"...People really didn't care. Nobody came to games to support us. Now we get a lot more support."

Hinton gives credit to the support she has received from people such as Athletic Director Bob Levija and volunteer assistant Paul Schillinger.

The rookie coach, who does not work at the school, has no connections to Springstead's past and only knows what she's heard by word of mouth. But she plans to keep moving forward, starting with a proper end to this Cinderella season.

"We want to beat Wiregrass," Hinton said. "They beat us twice. But we know how to beat them. We just have to execute the game plan. And I hope to see the young Eagles handle the pressure."

BY THE NUMBERS: SPRINGSTEAD VOLLEYBALL (1993-2008)
Year Record Head Coach
1993 15-5 Lionel Thornton
1994 8-13 Lionel Thornton
1995 8-10 Lionel Thornton
1996 4-18 Lionel Thornton
1997 1-16 Lionel Thornton
1998 7-14 Lionel Thornton
1999 9-19 Lionel Thornton
2000 10-12 Steve Davey
2001 1-26 Steve Davey
2002 0-24 Steve Davey
2003 2-19 Steve Davey
2004 1-20 Jessica Allnutt
2005 5-13 Jessica Allnutt
2006 3-14 Jessica Allnutt
2007 2-17 Jessica Allnutt
2008 12-12 Darcy Hinton