WINTER HAVEN — Rylee Tanner’s senior year nearly came to a premature end in late September when she sustained a severe ankle sprain. However, because of the hurricane, she missed just four regular-season matches — all of which Winter Haven won — and made a pair of cameo appearances in the district tournament.
The Winter Haven senior outside hitter, however, is back in her full role as the team’s leader and it couldn’t have come at a better time as the Blue Devils accomplished two season goals as they defeated George Jenkins, 26-24, 25-20, 25-17, on Wednesday night in the Class 7A-Region 2 quarterfinals.
Winter Haven (20-5) has been winning the regional quarterfinals in recent years, only two go on the road and lose in the regional semifinals. This year, as the No. 2 seed in the region, Winter Haven will play Venice at home on Saturday. The time has yet to be determined.
Having worked her way back, Tanner isn’t ready for her season to end.
“It definitely will be very nerve wracking going into a game that could possibly end our season,” said Tanner, who has committed to Wingate. “But personally, I feel I play best in the higher-level games, and I'm very excited. I think we all are ready to kind of showcase everything.”
On Wednesday, Tanner, who was named homecoming queen last Friday, accomplished a personal feat in leading the Blue Devils to their two goals. Her 16 kills, to go along with her 16 digs, four solo blocks and two aces, gave her more than 1,000 kills for her career.
And the two goals?
Winter Haven won 20 games and went undefeated in the county for the first time.
“It was an amazing feeling to be back for senior night, especially fully back,” said Tanner, a two-time beach volleyball player of the year. “There was obviously some jitters in the first few points, but the second I got my group back, we were balling and it was amazing to be with my girls again.”
While she was out, she did her best to help her younger teammates out as with only four seniors, much of the team will be how the Blue Devils will look next year.
Tanner’s teammates had to step up in her absence and made the Blue Devils even stronger in supporting Tanner’s big night against the Eagles. Addison Traina had a near triple-double with nine kills, 19 assists, and 10 digs. She and Kindyl Goff were strong on the right side and setting as Goff had 18 assists along with five kills and 12 digs.
Sophia Whitaker chipped in with five kills and 10 digs and libero Camila DeJesus had 10 digs.
With Winter Haven needing someone to carry a bigger load in putting down kills while Tanner was out, Emily Drier stepped up big. She had eight kills and six digs against George Jenkins.
“Emily went nuts when Rylee went got injured,” Winter Haven coach Dylan Sechrest said. “She had 17 kills in that match when we beat McKeel without Rylee. That was huge. She's been stepping up big in the middle. Our setters have came alive. That's the biggest thing that happened. Whenever Rylee got injured, we started running our right side hitters and Kindly and Addison, they run a 6-2 (offense) with each other. So they never come out of the game. They had been pounding the ball from the right side.”
After a close first set, Winter Haven controlled the final two sets as Tanner heated up.
George Jenkins a team to beat in 2025
George Jenkins, under new coach Jena Ousley, improved from 12-13 last season to 16-6 and will return a strong core next season. Rhianna Burns, who led in kills, and Aubrey Bailey, who was third, are a sophomore and freshman respectively. Setter Sydney Morrison also is a setter and of their top six players in digs, D'ariel Reed is the only senior.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Return of Rylee Tanner helps Winter Haven volleyball cross off pair of goals, advance to region semis
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