The third time was the charm for Newton County Monday night.
The Lady Cougars might have lost two regular season matchups to Northeast Lauderdale, but Newton County won the one that mattered the most sweeping the Trojans 3-0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-20) in the North State Championship match.
Newton County (32-4) will take on Purvis (16-7) for the 4A State Championship at 7 p.m. Friday at the Ole Miss’s Gillom Athletics Performance Center. The Lady Tornadoes defeated Sumrall 3-2 (26-28, 25-21, 18-25, 25-12, 15-9) Monday night.
Newton County head coach Matthew Beasley said he knew his team might have a chance to play for a state championship before the season.
“Newton County girls are just different,” Beasley said. “They just don’t quit. They don’t give up. Tonight, they just wouldn’t let the ball hit floor. They put themselves between the floor and the ball to keep it alive every time.
“I told them before the season started that if they would do what it takes to win, they would have a chance to compete for a state championship. And that’s what they did. I am so proud of these girls.”
Beasley didn’t single out any player except the “seventh player” on the floor: the fans.
“I’m going to tell you, our fans made the difference,” Beasley said. “They fed off the crowd and they gave them the energy to keep fighting. Our fans are the best, and they showed out tonight at Northeast. They were awesome.”
And it made it even sweeter for the Lady Cougars to clinch the state championship berth on the floor of the team that had been a thorn in their side this season.
“Northeast was the only team to beat us on our home floor. They were the only team to sweep us all year long,” Beasley said. “The girls took that personal. They wanted to prove that they could beat them and show that they belonged in the state championship game.”
