MARIETTA — Hadli Daniels knew that if her Buford volleyball team approached Saturday's championship match with confidence and aggression that it stood a good chance of claiming a second straight title.
Barring a short span in the third set, the Lady Wolves did just that, pulling out a 25-11, 25-11, 23-25, 25-12 victory over McIntosh at Marietta High School to claim the Class AAAAA crown -- its second straight state title.
"I tought we came in very focused and prepared; McIntosh is a good team, scrappy and made us battle through a lot of long rallies," Buford coach Hadli Daniels said. "Then they came out in that third game -- and we didn't do anything poorly. They just stepped up their game and kind of took us by surprise. But after that I could see it in my girls eyes that they were not going to let this happen. They were not going to let this match get away."
Indeed, after cruising through the first two sets, the Lady Wolves shook off the third set stumble to dominate the fourth and deciding set -- thanks in large part to the play of center Morgan Mitchell and hitters Gabby Curry and Tatum Shipes.
"Morgan played the best game I've ever seen," Daniels said. "She didn't let anything hit the ground, and then Gabby and Tatum were just phenomenal. I've never seen them play better."
Mitchell and Curry helped ensure their senior campaigns went out on the highest of notes, as the Lady Wolves stormed to the Class AAAAA title one season after claiming the Class AAAA crown.
"This was really cool; I'm blessed to have, as a coach, the teams I have. Talent-wise we're phenomenal, and we've got a great middle school program and great players coming up. I've also got four really talented players coming back," Daniels said.
Avery Cason, Halston Hillier, Morgan Sutherland and Kenzie Harms will return to a program that will gun for a third crown in 2017 and is building an impressive reputation.
"I tell the girls all the time that they're leaving a legacy, and they really are," Daniels said. "I'm so proud of them."
