Leaving their mark

Three Encampment seniors give their last volley

On Oct. 20, the Encampment Lady Tigers played their final game of the season in front of their home crowd as they took on the Hanna, Elk Mountain and Medicine Bow (HEM) Lady Miners. The mostly young team went through the year without a single conference win, but near the end of the season saw several non-conference victories, including their final game against HEM. For three Lady Tigers, that game would be the final match of their high school career and the final time they would put on the red and black.

Lauren Buford, Noelle Peterson and Taylor Huntley, won't be returning to the court next season. All three girls will have graduated and moved onto other things, whether it be college or something else. Behind them, however, they leave a legacy as they had been members of Lady Tigers volleyball in 2015 when they were 1A State Champions, in 2016, when they placed 3rd, and last year when the Lady Tigers snagged 2nd place at State.

"Being in the placings throughout your high school career is incredible. Some people don't get that experience. For us seniors, all three of us that have played all throughout high school, to get to experience all three of those. That's just an experience most people don't get to have," Buford said. "Wearing the red and black, wearing that jersey Saturday was an emotional part. This is the last time I'll wear this jersey. I remember the first time I wore that jersey."

"It was hard, especially after the game. I just sat there for a second, I was trying to take it all in. I was like, 'Oh man, I'm going to take this off and this is going to be the last time taking if off,'" added Peterson. "It was very upsetting at first, but I re-evaluated that it's really not the end."

For the three seniors, the lack of conference wins was disappointing, but they will still treasure memories and bonds formed this season. Next year, the number of seniors on the team will go from three to one. Katie Russell, who is a junior, will be stepping into a similar leadership role that Buford, Peterson and Huntley took on this season. The seniors offered advice for Russell for next volleyball season.

"Don't take it all on your own. Use your juniors. They need that experience for the year after. There's going to be a ton of juniors that will be more than willing to help you," said Buford.

"Encourage her teammates as much as she can and try to keep them up and just be the best role model she can be on the court and off the court, just so they have someone to follow and someone they know they can follow in their footsteps," Peterson said.

"I think she'll do great as a senior during volleyball," Huntley added.

Along with Russell stepping into her senior year, the sophomores that comprised most of the team this year will take their place as juniors. Shianne Finney, Grace Tieszen, Tabitha Farver, Amber Stubbs and Lizzie James will, likely, be returning to the court for what the current seniors believe will be a successful season.

"People expect the juniors to be the ones right underneath the seniors, they're the little guys to the senior. My girls aren't. I believe, if they keep their spirits up, if they just keep heart in the sport they can go all the way. The whole way. I expect it. I see it out of them," Buford said.

Peterson added that the girls need to "leave it all on the court."

"I've been able to experience what it's like to win and what it's like to lose, so being able to experience both of those sides taught me to leave it all on the court no matter whether you're winning, whether you're losing," said Peterson. "Always focus on the next play. I know this year we had a hard time, especially after we lost a point, so my advice would be to always focus on the next play and to know that it's never really over."

With the season at an end, the Lady Tigers ensured that the three seniors had a memorable final match. Not only were they victorious against HEM across three sets, but it was Buford who scored the final match winning point in front of the hometown crowd.

"That final point," said Buford. "Noelle serving for five balls in a row, that was awesome, and telling my girls to stand strong and be big and 'final three, let's push through.' Getting that final point, for me, that was a huge thing. That wasn't just for me, that was for my girls. I got to do that because my girls helped me."

"It's not really the end," added Peterson.

 

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