Creegan, Knights ready to crash party

OAKWOOD - Not even armed guards would be able to keep Johnson girls volleyball coach Kristi Creegan away from Saturday's Class AAA state tournament.

Creegan, who has had mononucleosis the last two weeks, has been ordered by her doctor to stay at home and rest instead of coaching her team in perhaps the biggest two or three matches in school history.

"They want me to stay home. And, they have even thought if it gets worse I should go to the hospital. But I know if that happens there will be a breakout. Nothing can keep me from being there," she said Friday as her team prepares for its first-round match against Savannah Christian, the No. 2 team in Class AAA.

"They're tough but we can beat them if we play our game. We beat Grayson once this year and should have beaten Lovett last week, so we have the confidence to know that we can play in the big games," Creegan said.

The first serve is scheduled for 9 a.m. in the double-elimination tournament being held at Lovett. Each match is a best-of-five with the first three rounds all being played Saturday. The championship round is scheduled for November 8th.

Lovett, Grayson, Savannah Christian, along with powerhouse Westminster, are perennial playoff contenders. Johnson, despite finishing sixth in the state last year, is still considered the upstart and party-crasher.

Creegan hopes that doesn't change.

"They might take us a little lightly and that would definitely work in our favor," Creegan said. "We have a solid team and as long as we don't make mistakes we can beat anyone."

Seniors Sarah Lane, Angel Balinger and Jessica Bowman give the Knights an experienced core. But Creegan said Haley Padgett and Melissa Johnson have also played well all year.

It will be a tough road for Johnson. If the Knights beat Savannah Christian they most likely will face Lovett, a team they have never beaten.

"We took them to five games last week and I feel we should have won that match. We can play with them. We just have to play a little better on some of the big points," Creegan said.

But no matter what, Creegan knows a shot at the title will go through Grayson or Westminster.

"We know we can beat Grayson so I feel like we have a good shot at winning this. We're a long shot but that's the way I like it," she said.