MURFREESBORO —Three consecutive state championship appearances. Three straight State Runner-Up trophies. Six consecutive trips to the state tournament. Dyer County volleyball added another remarkable chapter to its program's history Friday, October 23, finishing as the TSSAA Class AA State Runner-Up for the third consecutive season following another impressive postseason run. The Choctaws advanced to the state championship match at Middle Tennessee State University's Murphy Center, where they fell to defending champion Valor College Prep in straight sets, 25-14, 25-15 and 25-20. Although the championship match did not produce the result Dyer County had hoped for, the Choctaws once again demonstrated the consistency that has made the program one of the most successful in West Tennessee. Dyer County finished the 2026 season with a 33-10 record, its sixth consecutive District 13AA Championship, fifth straight Region 7AA title and sixth consecutive state tournament appearance. The road to Murfreesboro began with another dominant postseason performance. Dyer County swept Dyersburg and Crockett County to capture the District 13AA Tournament championship before defeating Bolivar and Crockett County in regional competition. The Choctaws then hosted Millington in the TSSAA Class AA State Sectional, delivering a convincing 25-12, 25-11, 25-9 sweep to earn another trip to the state tournament. Once in Murfreesboro, Dyer County wasted little time making its presence felt. The Choctaws opened state tournament competition Tuesday, October 20, against Signal Mountain at Blackman High School. Dyer County dominated the opening two sets, winning 25-8 and 25-9 before Signal Mountain responded with a 25-19 victory in the third. The Choctaws quickly regained control, closing out the match with another convincing 25-9 victory to secure the 3-1 win. The victory advanced Dyer County to Wednesday's state semifinal against Hume-Fogg, a familiar opponent from previous state tournament appearances. The semifinal proved to be a tougher challenge, but the Choctaws delivered when it mattered most. Dyer County claimed the opening set 25-17 before holding off Hume-Fogg 25-21 in the second. Hume-Fogg responded with a 25-21 victory in the third set, but Dyer County answered with a 25-21 win in the fourth to capture the match 3-1. With the victory, the Choctaws punched their ticket to the Class AA State Championship match for the third consecutive season. Awaiting them was Valor College Prep, the same program that had defeated Dyer County in the previous two state championship matches. Friday's championship match presented another difficult challenge against a talented Valor squad. The defending champions claimed the opening set 25-14 and followed with a 25-15 victory in the second. Dyer County continued to battle in the third set, producing its strongest set of the championship match before Valor closed out the contest 25-20 to secure its third consecutive Class AA state championship. Morris Leads Choctaws in Championship Match Despite the loss, several Dyer County players delivered notable performances in the championship match. Senior Zoey Morris led the Choctaws offensively, finishing with 10 kills on 26 attack attempts, committing just two attack errors for a .308 hitting percentage. Morris also contributed 12 digs, providing production on both sides of the net. Fellow senior Katie Beth Caldwell added eight kills on 38 attempts while recording 10 digs and contributing a block assist. Senior setter Kierstyn Ray directed the offense with **18 assists**, along with one kill, one service ace and four digs. Blair Acree contributed four kills and two digs, while libero Evie Rogers anchored the back row with 11 digs. Sophomore Kate Benedetto added five digs, while Adalyn Harrison contributed a block assist. Kate Davis also recorded a block assist as the Choctaws battled against Valor's powerful offensive attack. As a team, Dyer County finished the championship match with 23 kills, 19 assists, 44 digs, one service ace and four total team blocks. Valor College Prep was led by Jentelle McNairl, who recorded 26 kills on 47 attempts while hitting .404. Anarela Mejias Ayala added 12 kills and 16 digs, while Elsa Love distributed 44 assists. Valor finished with 56 kills and a .317 team hitting percentage, demonstrating the offensive challenge the Choctaws faced in the championship. A Championship Tradition Continues While the state championship trophy remained just out of reach, Dyer County's continued presence among Tennessee's final two Class AA teams speaks to the strength and consistency of the program. Under head coach Shanna O'Bright, the Choctaws have established a championship tradition that includes six consecutive district titles, five straight regional championships and six consecutive appearances in the TSSAA State Tournament. The program has now finished as Class AA State Runner-Up in **2024, 2025 and 2026**, a remarkable accomplishment that places Dyer County among the state's most consistent volleyball contenders. The 2026 season also represented the conclusion of an outstanding run for a talented senior class. Seniors Kierstyn Ray, Katie Beth Caldwell, Evie Rogers, Zoey Morris, Blair Acree and Kate Davis have played significant roles in maintaining the program's championship tradition, helping Dyer County compete at the highest level of Class AA volleyball. Their contributions extended beyond the state tournament, with several earning individual recognition throughout the season. Ray was named District 13AA Most Valuable Player, Caldwell earned Hitter of the Year honors and Rogers was recognized as Libero of the Year. Acree was also named Most Valuable Player of the District 13AA Tournament, while Ray and Morris earned All-Tournament recognition. Those individual accomplishments, combined with the team's continued postseason success, reflect the talent and commitment that have defined the program's championship run. Three consecutive appearances in a state championship match are difficult to achieve. Doing so while continuing to collect district and regional championships makes the accomplishment even more impressive. For Dyer County volleyball, the 2026 season ends with another trophy, another collection of championships and another chapter in one of the most successful stretches in school history. For the third straight year, the Choctaws are Tennessee Class AA State Runners-Up — a remarkable achievement that continues to cement Dyer County's place among the state's elite volleyball programs.