Randall falls in heartbreaker for second straight year in UIL Class 4A Division II state championship

For a second straight year, the Randall Lady Raiders looked to have a state championship in their grasp only to see it slip away down the stretch.

Last year it was Comal Davenport, and this year it was Wimberly erasing a 2-0 deficit to pull a reverse sweep leaving Randall suffering heartbreak in a five-set loss, 20-25, 17-25, 25-14, 25-23, 15-9, during the UIL Class 4A Division II state title game at the Culwell Center in Garland on Friday afternoon.

The Lady Raiders, who were making their third straight state championship appearance, finish another tremendous season 32-14 overall under first-year head coach Karli Morrison.

“I thought we played really well in the first two games,” Morrison said. “Then I think are serve/ receive fell apart in the third set. We played better in the fourth and I thought we should have closed the match out but it didn’t go our way. We never gave up and battled the entire way it just didn’t end how we wanted it.”

Just like last year, Randall was in total control up in the match 2-0. However, the Texans never went away behind outside hitter Laney Hennessee. Wimberly powered back to force a fifth and final set. Randall had its chances to put the match away in the fourth set as that set alone saw nine lead changes.

In the decisive fifth and final set, Wimberly jumped out to an 8-4 lead with Hennessee knocking down three kills. The Lady Raiders rallied cutting the deficit 8-6 but Hennessee and Wimberly (42-3) were able to close out the match 15-9.

Hennessee was named the game MVP finishing the match with 18 kills and three aces.

Randall’s Brooke Henderson left it all on the floor in her final match with 15 kills and nine digs. Havi Valdez eight kills and eight digs and Layla Romero added seven kills.

Then, there’s setter Sidney Soria. Soria ended her prolific career full of every accolade an athlete can handle leaving the program as one of the best to wear a Randall uniform.

The University of North Texas commit as well as the heart and soul of the Lady Raiders did everything she could playing for the third and final time in Garland handing out 39 assists and 10 digs for a double-double in her last high school match.

“Being a Randall Lady Raider has been an amazing experience,” said Soria, who finished her career WITH 4,662 assists. “I loved being with my teammates through this journey. It has just been so special. We have the best teammates and it’s been an amazing run.”

For a look at the full stats from Randall’s state championship match, please visit https://www.uiltexas.org/files/athletics/state-volleyball/24VB-4AD2.pdf