GREENVILLE, N.C. — Many of the last names are the same, but many the faces are different. J.H. Rose’s volleyball team is going back to the state championship match in volleyball for the second time in the last three years with a slew of younger siblings from that 2022 team.

The Rampants claimed the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A East regional final with a 3-1 (21-25, 25-14, 25-19, 25-17) win over West Carteret on Thursday night. Rose will play in the state final on Saturday at N.C. State’s Reynolds Coliseum against West regional champion West Henderson. A game time has not been set.

It is the second appearance in three years for the Rampants, who were runner-up to North Iredell in the 2022 championships. Rose will be making its sixth appearance in a state volleyball title.

West Carteret, hoping to make it back to the state final for the first time since 2000, took the first set 25-21, but Rose evened the match with a 25-14 blowout in the second set. The third set was tied 18-all late, but Rose rattled off seven of the last eight points to win it 25-19 and take a 2-1 lead in the match. The Rampants rolled in the fourth set to win.

Rose (23-4), the No. 1 seed in the East, had swept West Carteret (20-7), the No. 2 seed, twice earlier in the season in nonconference play by 3-1 and 3-0 scores. However, six of those seven sets were 25-19 or closer.

Source: highschoolot.com