Tigers Can’t Overcome Slow Start in Season-Ending loss to R.A. Long

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In a 2A District 4 pigtail match into the district tournament, the Centralia volleyball team fell in four sets to R.A. Long Tuesday at Ron Brown Court in a loser-out game, 25-17, 25-20, 27-29, 25-22. 

The first set went back-and-forth, but after a dry spell and errors gave the RAL momentum, the Tigers found theirs too late in the loss. R.A. Long will move on to play Columbia River in the first round of the district tournament, while the Tigers season has come to an end. 

“It was definitely too late,” Tigers coach Marti Smith said of the momentum they grabbed in a third-set win. “We talked about exactly what we needed to do and it just seemed like we tightened up or we tried to do too much. It felt like right when we got on a roll we’d miss a serve or have a hitting error and it would take us out of that roll. I can’t say enough about the team, we preach always being a family, win or lose. We finished stronger than how we started.”

It wasn’t until the latter stages of the second set when Centralia settled in, and by that point, though the Tigers managed to grab a set, it would have been a tall order to come back from down two sets. 

Senior Peyton Smith had 12 digs, 15 assists, and was a perfect 17 of 17 serving to lead the Tigers. When her sister, McKenna Smith, checked in to give the Tigers some much-needed energy in the second set, Peyton got her chance to earn a few attacks and finished with seven kills. 

“I can’t put my finger on it, but when McKenna Smith comes in, she’s such a good kid that the other kids want to cheer for her and see success for her,” Marti Smith said. “When she steps on the floor everyone gets excited, she made some amazing plays in the back row and her serving was spot on. She’s that spark, there’s something that helped turn the tide a little bit.”

McKenna Smith was a perfect 16 of 16 serving and added six digs and seven assists when she filled in as a setter. 



The Tigers’ other senior Tatum Johnston added eight kills in the middle, Lauren Wasson had 22 digs and six kills, Gracie Schofield dug up 22 balls, and Emily Wilkerson had three blocks and five kills. 

With just three graduating seniors, Marti Smith was excited her team got the opportunity to play in this kind of game to earn experience needed for the coming years. 

“It’s still a fairly young group, a lot of these girls are back for next year and they need to learn from this experience and how we can make it better the next time we’re in this situation,” she said. 

But those three seniors, Peyton Smith, Johnston, and Maddie Buchanan, will be tough to replace. 

Coach Marti Smith said that those three left their mark on the program and helped foster a positive environment that continues a strong family tradition in Centralia. 

“I know they’re going to continue to have a place in the program because of how they led the team,” Marti Smith said. “This is the goofiest team I’ve had in all of my years coaching. They’re a fun-loving, supportive-of-each-other team. My group is great, they love each other and they support each other. That’s the biggest thing that we preach. I care more about what they do outside these walls than what they do on the court. I never have to worry about when they leave and graduate, we have so many kids that come back, and that shows a lot of what we’ve built as a family here. That’s what makes them special, that they’ve continued that legacy.”