SHAWNEE – Tanna Smith is doing a post-match interview and a parent walks up to congratulate her. She’s unable to pinpoint exactly how she knows the man, and then the light bulb flickers on.
The man is just one in the horde of people offering up congratulatory praise for the Jenks volleyball coach, who just watched her team survive a 5-set thriller en route to the Class 6A state championship.
The Trojans thoroughly dominated Edmond Memorial in the first set, only to watch the Bulldogs do the same in the second set. Then both traded victorious sets, setting up a winner-take-all fifth set.
Panic? Sure, Smith admitted. Outward panic? Absolutely not.
“I was personally getting a little worried,” Smith said. “I just didn’t let the girls know that.”
The fifth set then encapsulated the four previous sets. Jenks, though managed to thrust through the 14-14 tie and score the final two points.
At long last, Jenks was able to hoist a golden volleyball, its first since 2006.
It brought forth a flood of emotions for Smith, an Indiana native who got her coaching start at Heritage Hall.
“It’s a little bit of an emotional thing for me,” said Smith, whose first head-coaching gig was at Edmond North, where her closest encounter with a state championship was as a runner-up to Bishop Kelley in 2011.
“All I can say is I’m happy to be a Trojan. I’m happy to be a part of this program.”
The first-in-nearly-a-decade title at Jenks is also an appropriate send-off for 10 seniors. Raegan Poole, Lacy Beeler, Jamie Poe, Alisen Hansen, Paige Phillips, Madilynn Hays, Abby Migliore, Karen Montes, Natatlie Schelbar and Cassity Alexander will pass the torch to Sara Nell, Darian Parsons and Anabella Pope – who had the championship-clinching kill.
“Ten awesome seniors that I’m going to miss like crazy,” Smith said. “But they’re the ones who have helped build the tradition back up at Jenks. You’re not going to win it every year, but I hope to continue to have a strong team while continuing to catch the fever.”
With the foundation paved and Jenks back atop the volleyball world, perhaps it won’t be the last time Smith has an interviewed halted temporarily while someone offers up a brief message of praise.
Class 6A state tournament – all-tournament team
Karen Montes (Jenks)**
Hanna Rose Frohling (Edmond North)
Mary Kate Greenwood (Edmond North)
Taylor Horton (Edmond Santa Fe)
Jordan Spence (Edmond Santa Fe)
Kelsi Hughes (Edmond Memorial)
Paige Phillips (Jenks)
Alli Evans (Edmond Memorial)
Lacy Beeler (Jenks)
Class 5A state tournament – all-tournament team
Rachel Moore (Heritage Hall)**
Bria Bergman (Victory Christian)
Sierra Holmes (Victory Christian)
Alli George (Tahlequah)
Amanda Milnick (Tahlequah)
Kaitlyn Holmgren (Elgin)
Jentry Holt (Elgin)
Gabbey Helton (Heritage Hall)
Paige Miles (Heritage Hall)
** - denotes tournament most valuable players
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