Championship Bond

WORLAND – After Worland's state volleyball title in 1989, Duane Groshart – then Sports Editor of the Northern Wyoming Daily News – wrote, "It will be a long time before we see such a team again."

It's easy to understand why.

The team was nearly unbeatable that year, compiling a 23-1 record while capturing the school's third championship in a four-year span. Unbeknownst at the time, though, was exactly how long it would take before Worland's volleyball team would hoist another trophy.

"A long time" turned out to be 26 years.

The drought finally ended this year as Worland defeated Mountain View in four games for the 3A state title. The Worland crowd was on edge in the stands, waiting for the ball to drop to the court for the final point – waiting to rush onto the floor to celebrate history.

In that crowd was Candace Cottrell. And on the floor was her daughter, Mackenzie Cottrell – a junior setter for the Lady Warriors. Just like the mothers of the other players on the team, Candace had to fight through dozens of crazed fans to find her daughter on the floor.

Once she got there, the two quickly shared an embrace – each of them reluctant to let go.

Candace was ecstatic for what her daughter had just accomplished – for what the team had just accomplished. But for reasons more unique than any other parent on the court celebrating with their daughters.

She was a member of the 1989 team that won it all and was on the court when the final point was scored as Worland defeated Thermopolis for the title.

Fast forward 26 years and Mackenzie was in the exact same position – on the court for the final point as Worland defeated Mountain View.

Ask anyone in Worland and they'll tell you 26 years between championships is far too long.

But for Mackenzie and Candace, it makes the feat that much more memorable. Now, they have something they can always share together.

Something that can never be taken away from them.

Something that makes the bond between mother and daughter much stronger.

...

Candace was one of two sophomores on Worland's 1989 varsity squad, but the only one who played.

And back then, winning was all they knew.

Worland made four straight appearances in the state title match from 1986-89, winning it all three times with the only loss coming in 1987 to Powell.

Candace graduated from Worland High School in 1992, but still paid attention to what was happening with Worland's volleyball team. Early on, not much was thought of the absence of titles. But as the years passed and the deficit grew, Worland's once dominant volleyball program fell from the upper echelon where it had once reigned supreme.

Worland played for the 3A championship in 1997, but lost to Mountain View.

Besides that, the championship caliber of teams Candace was used to seeing at Worland High School and was even a part of just weren't around anymore.

Until now.

"When we won in '89, we had no idea it would take this long to win another one. And as the years went by, I just kept thinking, 'Wow,'" Candace said. "And then we moved here and I saw the team we had coming up and I knew it was time."

After graduating from UW, Candace and her husband Carl moved to southern California for years as he finished optometry school. Soon after, they made the move back to Wyoming and lived in Newcastle for 12 years before moving to Worland in 2010.

"When I found out we were moving back to Worland I thought it was really cool because my mom grew up here and I knew that they had (won a state championship)," Mackenzie said. "Coming in my freshman year when coach (Brittany) Miller took over, our whole season was about winning championships. And (Candace) came in and talked to us, being from the last team (to win a championship), and I just thought it would be so cool to share that feeling. I wanted it so bad."

...

On Saturday, Nov. 5 – the day of the state title match with Mountain View – Candace remembers waking up at 5 a.m. in the dark of her hotel room with a wide grin on her face.

She was wide awake – filled with butterflies – and had lain in bed for another hour, trying to contain her excitement.

Candace was part of the team that captured a state title 26 years prior and just mere hours later, Mackenzie – the middle of five daughters – would have a shot at one of her own.

"It's a process to get there, but they were there. And I knew they had a really good chance at winning," said Candace. "I really had all the confidence in the girls that they were going to do it.

"I wanted it so bad for her and for the team."

Worland just came off of a five-game thriller against Buffalo in the semifinals the day before, which proved to be its toughest match of the tournament.

It also gave the Lady Warriors a huge vote of confidence. After seeing how things played out from the first day of the tournament, they knew the match with Buffalo would be the biggest obstacle between them and a state title.

They had all of the pieces to win it all, it was just about putting them together at the right time.

"I knew it right off the bat. Just coming from last year with the group of girls we had coming back and we gained so many amazing people as well. All of us right off the bat knew we had the talent and our biggest fear was wasting it," Mackenzie said.

...

Worland reached game point in the fourth game against Mountain View, leading 24-19.

Mountain View returned Worland's serve, which was then returned by a kill attempt from Lyndzi Rich.

Fighting to stay alive, Mountain View went to its heavy hitter Taylor Meeks who had success against Worland's blockers throughout the match. But her last attempt went awry as she was met at the net by Bailey Gibbons for a block that fell back on Mountain View's side of the court for the final point.

Mackenzie was in the back row, right behind the block and watched as the ball fell to the floor and the championship celebrations ensued.

"It just felt like a dream. In that instant our biggest dreams came true and it didn't seem real at all," Mackenzie said.

It was an all too familiar feeling for Candace, who was also in the back row for the match-clinching point against Thermopolis. She and Angie Cormier were next to each other, awaiting a Thermopolis serve. The ball came over the net and sailed long.

The two of them followed the ball in flight and as it fell out of bounds, Candace recalls her and Cormier looking at each other with excitement and instantly hugging, soon after being joined by their teammates in the celebration.

"It was like in slow motion. I can remember every single detail of that last point," Candace said.

...

For the Cottrell's, volleyball has never been just a game.

It's a way for Candace to connect with each of her five daughters.

In the 26 years since winning that state championship in 1989, she has yet to quit playing. She still plays in Worland's women's league and also enjoys playing with her family in the back yard.

"I know my mom still loves the game to this day. And I know volleyball is something we can use for life," Mackenzie said.

Volleyball has also created a memory not only the two of them will be have for the rest of their lives, but their entire family as well.

"We're going to be right next to each on the banner," Mackenzie said, talking about Worland's volleyball championship banner that hangs inside Warrior Gymnasium where a "'15'" will hang next to an "'89," signifying the year of the two titles. "It's just so exciting to be able to tell our future generations about it."

Added Candace, "It means so much to me to have something like that to share with my daughter and have her be the next one to do it. Just to be able to share that with her, being from the same school and with no championships in between ... that is really special. It's just an incredible feeling."