Baker volleyball falls in 2A regional final

By ADAM PRUIETT

adamp@nwfdailynews.com

BAKER — Sometimes, the determination, grit and savvy that are hallmarks of Kathy Combest teams aren’t enough.

That was the case Saturday in the Class 2A regional finals as the homestanding Baker volleyball team was deprived of a trip to state by ultra-talented North Florida Christian of Tallahassee, falling 3-1 in the legendary coach’s final game.

It was far from a tearful farewell for Combest, who will step down after head coaching the Gators for 22 years due to her bout with breast cancer. Although she’s widely known as “Mom” around Baker High, Combest is far from a sentimentalist and was emotionally composed after the game.

Besides, it’s not as if her coaching career is over.

“It’s sunk in, I’ve just got to get ready for basketball,” laughed Combest, who’s also a longtime Baker girls hoops coach. “We play Tuesday. That’s something else. My life doesn’t stop.”

Combest’s celebrated career coaching volleyball at Baker included 517 victories, a dozen district titles, seven regional championships and seven appearances at state. Although she didn’t want this season to be viewed as her farewell tour, her daughter believed it was unavoidable.

“I said, ‘Well, you know we’re all out here fighting for you, right,’ ” explained setter Chelsea Combest. “She’s like, ‘Yeah.’ ”

Feisty as ever, Kathy Combest expressed her dissatisfaction with the lack of separation between public and private schools in sports in the state after the game. She noted that in her seven trips to state, the Gators won all three of their games against public schools while all seven times the team lost came against a private school.

“I don’t really care about going to state because when you go down there all you play is private schools,” Kathy Combest said. “It’s not like the public schools have a chance anyway. We do not have the same level, no matter what the (Florida) High School (Athletic) Association says. It’s not fair.

“They make all these rules, but it doesn’t matter. They get to go to school anywhere they want, as long as they pay.”

North Florida Christian (22-6), a private school, advanced to Friday’s state semifinals, where the Eagles will meet King’s Academy of West Palm Beach. With solid overall height and potent hitters spread throughout its lineup, the Eagles overcame a 25-22 loss in the first game against Baker (25-4) by claiming the next three, 25-21, 25-14, 25-12.

“Like (assistant) coach (Kim) Harrison was telling me, they’ve got a lot of guns and we’ve got very few,” said Chelsea Combest, who had 15 assists, 10 kills and four aces. “They know how to use theirs. Their guns are more powerful than our guns.”

Baker managed to draw first blood, racing to a 7-1 lead in the initial game. North Florida Christian battled back and the score was tied at 16 when the Gators reeled off a 5-0 run started by Apryl Crawford’s kill and finished by Whitney Boutwell’s ace. Crawford, who had eight kills and seven blocks, clinched the game with a spike.

“They thought they were going to run over us, but we showed them that when they come in here, they have to play to beat us,” Chelsea Combest said. “They played and they beat us.”

Indeed, North Florida Christian, behind the brilliant trio of Alexis Weldon (12 kills), Michelle Jenije (12 kills) and Melody Tenney (nine aces), owned the next three games. In the second frame, the Gators fought back from a steep 22-12 deficit before faltering.

The third game saw the normally disciplined Gators allow a crushing 11-2 run where they made several uncharacteristic errors. The Eagles sealed their bid at state by breaking away from Baker in the fourth game with an 8-0 burst after they led 13-10.

“We would rather have went to state, but that’s OK,” said Baker’s Sydney Boutwell, who had 14 digs. “We came as close as we could.”

Her coach agreed.

“These girls went above our expectations,” Kathy Combest said. “As you can see, we’re not the biggest team and we’re not the strongest team. But we are the team with the most heart and desire.”

Scores: 22-25, 25-21, 25-14, 25-12.

Baker (25-4): Kali Flanders 3 kills, 2 blocks, 7 digs; Sydney Boutwell 14 digs; Chelsea Combest 15 assists, 4 aces, 10 kills, 2 blocks, 7 digs; Apryl Crawford 8 kills, 8 assists, 1 ace, 7 blocks, 5 digs; Whitney Boutwell 5 kills, 1 ace, 3 blocks, 6 digs; Courtney Fountain 2 digs, 3 blocks; Kaylee Bradley 2 kills, 1 ace, 2 blocks.