Taylor Wildcats

FORT MYERS — If the Taylor volleyball team was going to lose the state championship match, the Wildcats did not want to go out in three sets. That was how it looked, though, after Taylor dropped the first two sets to perennial power Sneads. “Some of us got down at the end of the second set,” Wildcats senior middle hitter Brittany Cowart said.

Taylor's Tanya Ramos has waited years for a rematch of the 2014 state championship match, and the longtime coach will finally get her wish Thursday when Taylor faces eight-time defending state champion Sneads in Fort Myers for the Class 1A title.   “They are definitely an established team that has been on this stage multiple times,” Ramos said. “But if we go into this game like we did on Saturday it’s going to be an exciting trip.

PIERSON — Taylor's 13th straight win Saturday vaulted the Wildcats into their first state championship game since 2014.   The Wildcats (23-3) rolled past the Central Jaguars in three sets (25-11, 25-13, 25-10) to book a Thursday date against either Sneads or Dixie County for the championship.   Led by Brittany Cowart (15 kills) and Ava Ramos (22 assists), Taylor got its third straight sweep in the playoffs.

PIERSON — The Taylor Wildcats took down Williston in three straight sets (25-18, 26-24, 25-21) on Tuesday to advance to the Class 1A regional semifinals.   Led by a 20-kill night from senior Brittany Cowart, the Wildcats (21-3) defeated the Red Devils for the second time in two weeks to improve their winning streak to 11 games.   Despite the sweep, it was far from a worry-free night for head coach Tanya Ramos.