The Strawberry Crest High School gymnasium was packed with cheering fans for Tuesday’s crosstown rivalry game with Plant City, and the home fans left with heads held high.
Crest (2-8; 2-0 district) picked up its second win of the season and first of September with a 3-0 win over the Raiders (3-3; 1-1 district). The win snapped a six-game losing streak for the Chargers and the loss snapped a two-game win streak for Plant City.
The Chargers were very much in control for the first two sets, picking up 25-10 and 25-16 victories over the Raiders. But Plant City composed itself for the third set and gave the Chargers all they could handle in the most dramatic set of the evening. Though Crest only trailed once — Plant City scored the first point — the teams battled to four ties throughout the set. The Raiders attacked Crest well enough to throw the Chargers off of the rhythm they’d built up earlier in the game and always stayed within five points or fewer. Plant City forced a 21-21 tie late in the set after being down, 21-17, but the Chargers stayed one step ahead and secured the win with a 25-22 score.
All three schools will play tonight: Durant (1-5; 0-1 district) travels to Freedom (1-6; 0-4 district), Plant City travels to George Jenkins (5-2; 0-0 district) and Crest travels to Newsome (4-1; 2-0 district).