VOLLEYBALL: Doyle's status looms large as Claremore eyes historic state championship berth
· Yahoo Sports
The path to a historic first is sitting right in front of Claremore.
However, whether the Lady Zebras will have one of their most important players available to help them navigate it remains uncertain.
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Class 5A No. 2 Claremore enters the state tournament with an opportunity to accomplish something no team in program history has done: reach the state championship match.
The Lady Zebras [28-9] will face No. 7 Shawnee [21-15] in the state quarterfinals at 2:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at Noble High School. The winner will face whoever emerges from the Altus-El Reno match in the semifinals at 5 p.m. Friday at Noble.
The bracket offers a promising route, but an elbow injury suffered by starting middle hitter Addison Doyle during a team activity last week has introduced a significant question mark.
Doyle's availability remains unknown, and her absence would be a substantial blow to a Claremore team that has relied on her presence at the net throughout its 28-win season.
The Lady Zebras are making their fourth consecutive state tournament appearance, the longest streak in program history. They've reached this point before under coach Derek Jackson, but advancing beyond the quarterfinals has remained elusive.
Now, with one of the program's strongest teams in years, Claremore has a chance to change that, and the Lady Zebras have already demonstrated they can beat their opening opponent.
Claremore swept Shawnee 2-0 at the Sapulpa Invitational on Aug. 22, then defeated the Lady Wolves 2-1 at the Claremore Classic on Sept. 12.
Those meetings give the Lady Zebras a 2-0 head-to-head advantage entering the state quarterfinals, though the second result suggests the Lady Wolves are capable of making things uncomfortable.
Shawnee, coached by Hunter Burnett, enters the tournament after sweeping East Central and No. 10 Noble in its regional.
Despite its 21-15 record, the team enters the state tournament playing some of its best volleyball of the season.
The Lady Wolves have won eight of their past 10 matches, including a five-set victory over No. 11 Newcastle and a sweep of No. 9 Collinsville, which handed Claremore a three-set loss in September. Shawnee has also won its past four matches, culminating in the regional sweeps.
Although the Lady Wolves are just 6-11 against top-10 opponents, their recent results suggest they could pose a greater threat than their overall record indicates.
Claremore earned its berth with straight-set victories over Tahlequah and Coweta, continuing a postseason run built on offensive balance and a growing collection of dangerous attackers.
The difference between the teams becomes clearer when their results against common opponents are examined. Claremore holds the edge in several of the more revealing comparisons.
The Lady Zebras defeated Sand Springs 2-1 and swept Duncan 2-0, while Shawnee lost to both teams. Claremore also pushed No. 3 Altus and El Reno to three sets, whereas Shawnee lost all three of its meetings with Altus in straight sets and fell to El Reno twice.
The most striking exception is Collinsville.
Shawnee swept the Lady Cardinals on Oct. 8, while Claremore was swept by Collinsville on Sept. 22. That result alone should discourage anyone from treating the quarterfinal as a formality.
Both teams have also enjoyed success against Noble, Sapulpa and Guthrie.
Claremore's overall resume is stronger, particularly against Class 5A competition. The Lady Zebras are 21-3 against fellow 5A programs, compared with the Lady Wolves' 19-10 mark.
And while Shawnee has struggled against elite competition, going 0-8 against top-five opponents, Claremore has gone 1-2 in those matchups. That experience could prove valuable in a state tournament setting.
Still, the Lady Zebras' most pressing concern has little to do with Shawnee's record and more to do with Doyle.
The middle hitter has provided Claremore with a reliable presence at the net, contributing as both an attacker and blocker. Her absence would force Jackson to adjust a lineup that has helped Claremore produce one of the best seasons in program history.
Of course, there are other offensive weapons.
Emme Baker, a transfer from Coweta, has emerged as a major contributor in her first season with the Lady Zebras. Her performance in the regional championship against her former team helped send Claremore back to state.
Bella Hoisington has also developed into an important attacking option, giving the Lady Zebras another weapon at the net.
That depth gives Claremore options, but replacing Doyle's production and defensive presence would be no small task. Audrey Shaw will fill in for Doyle should she not compete.
The Lady Zebras have already shown their ability to respond to adversity. After consecutive losses to Broken Arrow and Collinsville in September, they regrouped to finish the regular season with a sweep of Catoosa before handling Tahlequah and Coweta in regional play.
Now comes a considerably bigger challenge.
Claremore is positioned for a potential breakthrough, with a favorable bracket offering a realistic opportunity to advance beyond the quarterfinals and ultimately reach the championship match.
But favorable doesn't mean easy.
Whether the Lady Zebras have Doyle could be just as important.
For a program chasing its first state championship appearance, that uncertainty adds another layer of suspense to what already promises to be one of Claremore's most consequential matches in years.