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Cougars' perseverance pays off

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 7, 2001

ST. PETERSBURG -- It seemed like the perfect time for Countryside coach Kaylyn Bayly to call timeout, scream, stomp her feet and throw her hands in the air.

Yet trailing 8-6 in the third game of the Keswick Invitational championship match, Bayly was undisturbed.

She simply kept the faith, and her team practiced everything she had preached. It served well, played superb defense and Bayly pushed every button but the one marked "panic." Ending two weeks of frustration and soul-searching, Countryside rallied by scoring the final nine points to beat the host Crusaders 13-15, 15-13, 15-8 and earn the tournament title for the first time.

"It was a tough match and I was pleased with the way we played," Bayly said. "I thanked the girls afterward for being strong."

The Cougars needed to be strong considering the hardships they've had to endure.

Before the season, defensive specialist Brittany Kessler decided not to come out for her senior year and sophomore sensation Katelin Dixon transferred to Mitchell to play for her father, Joe. Two weeks ago, Countryside received word of another loss when Nikki Morzenti transferred to Clearwater.

With so many obstacles to overcome, winning the decisive game of the Keswick Invitational didn't seem that difficult.

So, staying the course, the Cougars put together a balanced attack to win four matches this weekend. They beat Seminole, Trinity Prep and Largo in two games each to advance to the final.

The championship match proved to be tougher than the previous three as Countryside dropped the first game and had trouble putting away the second game despite building up a 14-9 lead.

In the final game, the Cougars' Beverly Stasis took over.

The sophomore started finding vulnerable spots in Keswick's lineup and exposed them with several kills down the stretch.

Stasis, who turned 16 on Saturday, was named tournament MVP. Teammates Carly Brieske and Alicia Hagenau were also named to the all-tournament team.

"It was a nice birthday present for me," Stasis said. "This tournament was important for us as a team. We've improved and everyone is stepping up and giving it their all."

Said Bayly: "Beverly had a strong tournament. She's usually quiet, but you can tell she wants to win. Afterward she came up and thanked me. I told her she didn't need to do that. She deserves the credit. She's a sophomore, but she's taken on almost a senior-type role."

Keswick Christian has gone through similar hardships as Countryside, losing five seniors to graduation and another player to transfer.

"I thought we had a great weekend," Crusaders coach Karrmayne King said. "We played well against a great team in the final. I also thought we had our best match of the season in the semifinal (a 15-2, 15-4 win against Lake Gibson)."

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Alissa Brooks (Keswick); Lindsey Crosby (Keswick); Kristin Mock (Keswick); Heather Harrell (Lake Gibson); Meaghan Lewis (Lake Gibson); Jennifer King (Largo); Amy Wilson (Largo); Erin Huntington (Seminole); and Erica Siaucianas (Tarpon Springs).

PAST KESWICK CHAMPIONS

1984: Keswick Christian

1985: Keswick Christian

1986: Lakeland Christian

1987: Keswick Christian

1988: Lakewood

1989: Tarpon Springs

1990: Tarpon Springs

1991: Tarpon Springs

1992: Pinellas Park

1993: Pinellas Park

1994: Evangelical Christian

1995: Evangelical Christian

1996: Clearwater

1997: Clearwater

1998: Clearwater

1999: Gainesville Oak Hall

2000: Orlando Lake Highland Prep

2001: Countryside

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