The Decatur Lady Eagles (42-7) storm the court after claiming their second consecutive 4A Division I state championship with a 3-1 win over La Vernia — 19-25, 25-20, 25-18, 26-24 — inside Garland’s Curtis Culwell Center Friday. The win served as Decatur’s seventh championship in seven state appearances. BRENDAN MARCHAND | WCMESSENGER
A new path through the 4A Division I playoffs led the Decatur Lady Eagles back to where they finished their 2024 campaign — playing for the 4A Division I state title inside Garland’s Curtis Culwell Center.
With a roster full of new faces this season, the Lady Eagles used experience from a hard-fought season to add another state title to the program’s rich history.
Decatur was put on its heels after dropping the first set to La Vernia despite starting the match with a 9-point lead.
The wake-up call sparked the Lady Eagles to rally back with a 76-62 run in the final three sets, as Decatur earned its second consecutive 4AI championship with a gentleman’s sweep against the Lady Bears — 19-25, 25-20, 25-18, 26-24.
Decatur’s win kept the Lady Eagles’ state record clean at 7-0, and ended the team’s second season under coach Stormi Snider at 42-7.
“We knew it was going to be a battle, and I think the fourth set definitely proved that,” Snider said. “Even when things weren’t going our way, they just kept battling, kept chipping away [and] kept fighting back… We had to fight, and [La Vernia wasn’t] going to give it to us. I’m very proud of all of my girls coming out and fighting.”
Snider said the win helped to show that Decatur remains a dominant force on the court, despite losing nine seniors from its 2024 state title squad.
“There’s three girls that stepped on the court last year at state [on this year’s team], so we had a lot of doubters at the beginning of the season,” she said. “When we say we’re a family, that’s really what we mean. We want to play for everyone on the court — they don’t just want to play for me, but also for the girls next to them and the girls that are cheering them on from the bench. We had our ups and downs, and it wasn’t an easy road. But it was our road, and I think that kind of helped us grow and mature a little bit. We’re stubborn little volleyball players, and we don’t make it easy on teams, regardless of what’s on the other side of the net… We made this season our own, and the girls carved their own way. They weren’t overshadowed by the seniors last year — they proved they wanted it.”
Decatur sophomore outside hitter Ava Green swung for 18 kills, and added two digs and two block assists to claim the 4A Division I MVP trophy following the Lady Eagles 3-1 win over La Vernia Friday at Garland’s Curtis Culwell Center — 19-25, 25-20, 25-18, 26-24. BRENDAN MARCHAND | WCMESSENGER
After spectating during the Lady Eagles’ 2024 state run, sophomore outside hitter Ava Green rose to occasion and earned 4A Division I MVP. She led Decatur’s offensive attack with 18 kills, and also recorded two digs and two block assists.
“Every moment that our whole team has had together just started playing through my mind for a second, especially with [senior setter] Grace [Fortune] and [junior libero] Hope [Escobar],” Green said, about receiving the award. “We need to cut [the MVP award] into a little pie and give them both a piece because they hold this team together.”
Green didn’t feel like she was ready for the spotlight last season, but believes she has grown as a player thanks to the Lady Eagles’ culture.
“I think I’ve grown thanks to great coaching and great teammates, as well as my confidence,” she said. “We have an environment where you can mess up, and everyone’s going to say, ‘You’ve got the next ball.’ That helps you build up confidence and makes you feel like you can do anything.”
Decatur opened the match with a 9-0 lead after kills from Green and senior outside hitter/right side hitter Greyson Harrison, as well as a block by Green and a pair of aces served by senior defensive specialist Tatum Huff.
The Lady Eagles’ advantage quickly dwindled thanks to Paisley Pavliska and Avery Keck awakening La Vernia’s offense. The Lady Bears went on the attack, tying the set at 15 before closing it out on a 10-4 drive.
Decatur senior setter Grace Fortune sets the ball at the net in the Lady Eagles’ 4A Division I state championship battle against La Vernia Friday at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland. Fortune finished with 40 of Decatur’s 46 assists, and earned her second gold medal following the Lady Eagles’ 3-1 win. BRENDAN MARCHAND | WCMESSENGER
Following a back-and-forth battle resulting in a tie at 16, Decatur sophomore middle blocker Sayler Peck came up strong at the net, swatting a pair of blocks to lead the team’s 9-4 push to claim the second set win. Junior middle blocker Harper Smith and junior outside hitter/right side hitter Anna Wren also contributed to the run, which was capped off by a kill from freshman outside hitter/right side hitter Gracelyn Byford.
The Lady Eagles remained in control throughout Set 3. Decatur took a 9-3 lead early as Green led the charge with three kills and a block to consume a La Vernia timeout.
Decatur’s trio of Peck, Smith and Wren went to work at the net to preserve the Lady Eagles’ advantage, adding points on blocks and pushbacks to keep the Lady Bears at bay and take a 2-1 set lead following a 16-15 drive.
The Lady Eagles relied on big swings from Peck and Byford to break through 12 lead changes in the fourth set. Following Decatur’s timeout tied at 22, the heavy-hitting duo delivered on the team’s 4-2 final push to secure the win.
In her first state championship match, Byford was second on Decatur’s roster in kills with 10, and led the Lady Eagles with a .308 hit percentage.
Decatur coach Stormi Snider celebrates with the 4A Division I trophy after the Lady Eagles defeated La Vernia 3-1 Friday at Garland’s Curtis Culwell Center. The state championship win is Decatur’s second under Snider since she took the reins of the program in 2024, and the program’s seventh overall state title. BRENDAN MARCHAND | WCMESSENGER
Fortune, a McMurry University commit, closed her high school career with a second state medal, doling out 40 of Decatur’s 46 assists in her final match.
“At the end, [La Vernia] was fighting for their season, just like anyone else in their position would do,” Fortune said. “They definitely put pressure on us, but I think we handled it well until the very end… It’s meant everything to me to get to play with this team. Getting to play with my best friends in my senior year has been amazing. Winning state with them is the best feeling.”
Defensively, junior libero Hope Escobar braced the Lady Eagles with 16 digs. Four additional Lady Eagles dug up double-digit balls — Fortune (11), Huff (10), sophomore defensive specialist Ava Miller (10) and junior setter Lexie Miller (10).
“We knew it was going to be tough because of who was playing against us,” Escobar said. “We knew what was to come, and what they were committed to… When we were watching film, we knew [Keck and Pavliska] were going to be tough, but we just trusted each other on the back row, and I had confidence in my teammates.”
With five seniors on Decatur’s roster this season — Fortune, Harrison, Huff, middle blocker Kate Hudson and outside hitter/right side hitter Cadence Pavelka — Snider likes her team’s chances to return to the state level in 2026 with another year of experience under their belts.
“It’s a little too early to talk about [next season] — we’re going to enjoy this one first — but I do think it’s a possibility,” she said.
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