Seniors lead team struggling to make playoffs
Post Falls Christian Academy Eagles recently held its volleyball team’s senior night during their match against the Clark Fork Wampus Cats, honoring the careers of right hitter Katie Higgins and middle blocker Heidi Shaw, the squad’s only seniors.
Higgins, of Post Falls, transferred from Christian Center School in Coeur d’Alene. The daughter of Michael and Denise Higgins, she plans to attend North Idaho College and the College of Charleston in South Carolina, obtaining her teaching degree and hopefully coaching a swim team.
Higgins remembers a recent match against Christian Heritage, when, “in the third game we were down 24-19, and it was my serve. I served us up and we came back to win 26-24.”
Higgins says her other interests are swimming, writing and Spanish. She is also active in drama, honor roll, basketball and the swim team. She works at Taco Bell in her spare time.
On the senior night program, Higgins listed a special thanks “to my mommy and daddy and of course my sister (and best friend) Sarah Higgins. I know I can do anything with you backing me up! Thanks for being there.”
Shaw, a three-year veteran of PFCA’s volleyball team, wants to attend NIC as well and acquire a teaching degree at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. She also hopes to travel to Europe. She is the daughter of Dallas and Dianne Shaw of Coeur d’Alene. Her interests include reading, drama, poetry, guitar, piano, skiing, and faith in and a relationship with God. She is involved in National Honor Society and youth groups, and was freshman class president, ASB secretary-treasurer and junior class secretary-treasurer.
In the program Shaw wanted to thank “her parents and siblings for their encouragement, support and love. Thanks to my friends for always being there, as well as my coaches who pushed me to be my best”
“I have really loved all of my high school years here,” Shaw said. “We did go to District during my sophomore year, but it looks like we have to beat out three teams to get back there this year.”
Both seniors have earned the praises of their coach, Alicia Kirsebom.
“They are both well-behaved, poised and conscious about themselves and their actions; really good individuals,” she said.
Both girls are too humble to bring up their recent honors at homecoming. Higgins was voted princess, while Shaw was homecoming queen.
As for the match itself, the much-larger Wampus Cats gave PFCA all it could handle with accurate serves and outside-hitter attacks. The Eagles rallied late in the first game but came up short, ultimately dropping the game 25-12. In game two, Shaw delivered a back-row spike to start a rally, which eventually knotted that match at 14-14. Soon after, Higgins came up with a diving dig to close the score to 23-20. The Cats nailed some good serves to win game two as well, 25-21. The Cats jumped to a a 15-3 lead in game three. Higgins served for three points to cut the Eagles deficit to 19-7 before the Cats recovered and finished with a 25-9 win.
After the game, coach Kirsebom continued to praise her senior athletes. “Katie and Heidi are both very enthusiastic and dedicated,” she said. “They never quit, never give up.”
“They are two of the classiest young ladies you’ll ever meet,” added Tim Mitchell, PFCA athletic director. “Whatever they decide to do in life, they’ll succeed.”