Portland volleyball defeats Knoxville Catholic for first state championship

Tom Kreager
The Tennessean
PortlandÕs McKenna Parker (3) celebrates the team's state championship win over Knoxville Catholic after the TSSAA Class AA State GirlsÕ State Championship Volleyball game with the student body, on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, at MTSU.

MURFREESBORO — Senior McKennah Parker was promised a new car from her parents if Portland won its first volleyball state title on Thursday.

The Lady Panthers' setter is ready to claim her new car.

Portland defeated Knoxville Catholic 3-1, winning 25-17, 25-18, 11-25, 25-23 in the TSSAA Class AA volleyball state championship at Middle Tennessee State's Murphy Center.

"My car is really old, so my parents decided if we won state my parents would be getting a new car and I would get their old one," Parker said. "It's a pretty nice car."

Parker said she'll be getting her parents' Toyota Camry.

The state title came in the program's second state tournament appearance. It is the second team state championship for the school. Portland's football program won the 2000 Class 3A championship.

Marlayna Bullington was named the Class AA championship game MVP. She finished with 19 kills and had 24 digs for Portland (47-6). The win also avenged a 3-0 loss on Wednesday to the Lady Irish (27-13), who were the Class AA defending state champions.

Portland last appeared at state in 1997 when current coach Robert Lesemann was an assistant coach for his wife, Ginger Lesemann. Ginger is now an assistant coach for him.

"We still talk about 1997, and how we remember being here," Robert Lesemann said. "I don't think there are many communities that have the support we have. Just to finally get one home is awesome."

 The Lesemanns, though, don't plan on celebrating the title immediately. That will have to wait until at least the weekend.

"I've got to go to work in the morning," Robert said. "I've got to be at Nissan at 6 o'clock in the morning. 

"We'll find a way to celebrate this weekend. A good T-bone and baked potato sounds good."

Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 and on Twitter @Kreager.