North Forsyth High School’s Lady Raider Volleyball team is on a steep incline as they win competitions left and right, bringing home the gold for the school. Recently, the team traveled to Phoenix, AZ for the Nike Tournament of Champions, an exclusive competition for the top girls volleyball teams across the country. The Raiders left Forsyth County for the week of Fall Break (September 25-29) to compete on a rigorous, national level.

When asked about her experience during the trip and competition, senior Madi Butcher exclaimed, “Experiencing arizona with some of my best friends was a blast- full of laughs! I fell in love with every part of the state I was able to see and [I] cannot wait to go back.” Recalling the feeling of viewing the venue for the first time, Butcher elaborated on the nerves that came on the first day upon seeing how intense the level of play was, but by the second day the team was ready to spike and play to win.

Finishing as one of the top twenty teams in the country, the Lady Raiders returned with a new level of experience as well as the bronze trophy. “I think we all gained a lot from that trip,” Senior Marin Black shared with the Raider Wire, explaining how the practice and enterprise prepared their team to return home for more postseason games. This clearly helped as the team came back better than ever and was qualified for the state quarterfinals, the first state volleyball championship in school history.

Though they were soaring, a tight match with Lambert for the region championship saw a loss for the Raiders by a score of 3-2. Despite this, the team is motivated and looking to move forward with confidence, Butcher summed up, “With eyes clear and hearts full, this senior class truly is looking to take this program as far as we can in the short time that we have left.”

The final competition in the GHSA State Championship will take place Oct. 28 between Etowah High School (Marietta) and Walton High School (Woodstock).