Staff Photo by Allison Kwesell East Ridge's Dimon Darden hits the ball while Boyd Bucahanan's Rachel Harper, left, and Maggie Brown attempt to block it at the Region 3-A/AA volleyball championship match at Boyd Bucahanan High School.

Boyd-Buchanan junior Stephanie Silvers and her volleyball teammates were eager to step onto their home court for Tuesday’s Region 3-A/AA tournament.

Once they did, it didn’t take long for the Lady Bucs to achieve what they came to accomplish.

With a pair of 3-0 victories, Boyd-Buchanan earned its second straight region championship and the right to host a state sectional match Thursday.

“We were ready,” tournament MVP Silvers said. “I feel like we started the game really strong. Everything seemed to be clicking. We pumped each other up before the game, and that’s when we play our best.”

The outside hitter delivered one of her best performances of the season Tuesday, when she totaled 33 kills in the Lady Bucs’ six games. Boyd-Buchanan defeated Chattanooga Christian 25-14, 25-9, 25-18 and concluded with a 25-13, 25-17, 25-18 win over East Ridge.

The Lady Pioneers, who advanced to the final with a 3-0 win over Arts & Sciences, must travel to face Region 4 winner and last year’s Class A/AA state champion Greenbrier in the sectionals, while Boyd-Buchanan will host the 4-A/AA runner-up.

The Lady Bucs rarely had to play from more than a point or two behind the entire night, and coach Kristi Lenoir said her team’s strong starts were a key to their success.

“That was huge,” she said, “particularly with a team like East Ridge that will feed off that energy if it starts doing well. It’s so important to play hard from point No. 1.”

Against CCS, Boyd-Buchanan took control midway through game one and claimed the lead early in game two and late in game three. The Lady Bucs’ toughest challenge against East Ridge came in the third game, when they fell behind 13-9. But after taking the lead at 18-17 on a kill from Silvers, a Boyd-Buchanan missed serve was the only point the Lady Pioneers could manage.

“We started every game from behind,” East Ridge coach Catherine Neely said. “You can’t play from behind all the time and expect to do anything. I told them we have to have a quick turnaround. We have less than 24 hours to forget about this one and get ready to practice again.”

All-tournament selection Takeisha Parham led East Ridge with 28 kills in the two matches, while Boyd-Buchanan’s Rachel Harper totaled 23 to go with her 54 digs and Shelby May made 54 assists.

Tuesday’s losses ended the year for CSAS and CCS, both of which returned to the region this season after long absences. The Lady Patriots were led by all-tournament selection Kayla Kelly’s nine kills and eight blocks in her team’s first region appearance since 1990.

“I was very pleased with the effort we gave today,” CSAS coach Brandon Lowry said. “Things just kind of turned around in the second game. We had a lead on them, and then we made a couple of errors right in a row. But they weren’t errors of effort. I’m pleased with the way the girls fought. I think we played them tough.”

Tiffani Johnson, one of six seniors who helped bring CCS back to the region playoffs for the first time in six years, also joined East Ridge’s Meagan Arand and Meredith Brock and Boyd-Buchanan’s May, Rachel Harper and Hope Johnson on the all-tournament team.

“It’s been the best year we’ve had in a long time,” CCS coach Kevin Ulmer said. “It was a joy to bring the kids back to this level. Hopefully that means that we’re doing something right and that it will continue. This is a special group of girls. It’s going to be hard to see them go.”