CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Kristen Pickett and Payton Tipton were best friends when they were 6 years old. They’re still best friends. They vow to be best friends forever.
Their volleyball-career paths, however, have the Cleveland High School seniors about to part ways. Pickett is committed to play at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn. Tipton is pledged to play at King College in Bristol, Tenn.
Should those teams schedule each other some time in the next four years, it would mark the first time Pickett and Tipton ended up being adversaries. The childhood companions are down to their last few cherished moments as teammates as the Lady Raiders begin postseason play Monday with the start of the District 5-AAA volleyball tournament at Soddy-Daisy.
Third-seeded Cleveland plays sixth-seeded Rhea County at 6 p.m. The winner advances to the second of Tuesday’s semifinals scheduled for 5 and 6:30 p.m. The championshipmatch is Wednesday at 6.
By a wide margin Pickett leads the Lady Raiders in kills – 333 going into the recently completed Middle Tennessee Classic – but she’s not at all one-dimensional. Before Friday the 5-foot-7 outside hitter and setter was second on the team in assists (207), digs (284) and aces (54) and tied for second in blocks (19).
A best friend knows best and said she’s the fiery one.
“I think she’s a little bit more competitive,” Tipton said. “Kristen’s more outspoken.”
Tipton, a 5-3 libero, had a team-high 507 digs and had served 50 aces. She also found opportunities to chip in with 19 kills and nine assists.
“She’s more humble,” Pickett said. “Payton’s more of a quiet leader.”
Cleveland coach Trish Flowers recalls knowing Pickett and Tipton since before middle school. She recalled specifically when Tipton was a volleyball camper in fifth grade.
“Even back then you could see the kind of player she was going to turn out to be,” Flowers said. “She’s probably everybody’s coach’s dream. She’s a great mentor, a great leader. She works hard. She’s every teacher’s favorite student, too.
“Kristen is one of those that has an infectious personality. I’m going to really miss all the fun we have. She’s so competitive. She hates to lose. She’s a take-charge kind of person. Both of them are they type kids you would want on your team, especially if you had a goal to win a championship.”
The Lady Raiders want to win a championship – more than one, actually. The first won’t be any easier than the rest since the top four seeded teams, of which Cleveland is third, each won more than 20 matches during the regular season. Only district finalists move on to region play.
“All the teams want it so bad, but only two teams get to go beyond Tuesday,” Flowers said. “There’ll be two teams good enough to play in the region not going – possibly even the sub-state. Getting out of the district is half the battle.”
Led by Tipton, the Lady Raiders’ strength is defense. Three graduated off last year’s team that reached a Region 3 semifinal and took some hard hitting with them, but Tipton said this year’s team has found ways to get points at the net by tipping the ball into open areas.
“We have the talent, but we have to prove it,” Tipton said. “It’s a matter of whether we come out ready to use it.”
It will likely take Cleveland playing to its potential to achieve any postseason goals, the last of which awaits in Murfreesboro at the end of October. Maybe then “BFF” could stand for “belongs in final four.”
“I think we can definitely make it to state,” Pickett said. “Obviously we want to go to state, but our first priority is getting out of the district and then kind of going from there.”
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653.