Scully fits in just fine

Burlington Central's Taylor Scully (12) knows about playing winning volleyball. The transfer from Florida has helped the Rockets to the Class 3A State Finals.
shauna bittle | Staff Photographer

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Burlington Central junior Taylor Scully soaked up the moment appropriately with her teammates, coaches, family and friends last weekend after the Rockets defeated Metamora for the Freeport Class 3A Super-Sectional volleyball championship.

It was a moment she knew well.

One year ago, Scully was hopping around a gymnasium in Florida celebrating a volleyball super-sectional title with her teammates from Evangelical Christian High School in Ft. Myers, Fla.

But that wasn't Scully's greatest memory as a member of the Sentinels.

Evangelical Christian went on to win the Class 2A state title in Florida's six-class system. And while Scully did not have a leading role for the Sentinels in the State Finals, the experience alone gives her an immediate edge of what to expect over her current teammates.

Central's victory against Metamora, which was capped off by Scully's match-ending kill, propelled the Rockets to the State Finals for the first time in the program's history.

"I was kind of the girl who would go in if someone got hurt," said Scully about her role with the Sentinels. "I didn't get to play much, but I was there to support my team and it was an amazing feeling winning state."

If nothing else, Central will be bringing a good luck charm with it this weekend to Normal.

Central (34-6) will open with a semifinal match against Chicago Payton (37-1) at 4:30 Friday at Redbird Arena. This will also be Payton's first trip Downstate in program history.

"I've been here before," said Scully after Central's latest victory. "It feels great to be going back (Downstate) with a new team and a great new group of girls."

Evangelical Christian was a senior-dominated squad last season. Scully knew that the Sentinels had reached their peak. The problem was, she already had a taste of the top spot and she wanted more.

"We graduated a really good team of seniors and we weren't going to be very good," Scully said. "If I was going to move, I wanted to get to a good program."

Enter Central.

The Rockets already had plenty of talent in place before Scully's arrival -- namely a pair of Division I recruits in senior Molly Turk and junior Stephanie Holthus. But after two prominent players from last year's squad informed coach Marv Leavitt that they would not be returning, there was a hole for a second attacker on the front line to complement Holthus.

Enter Scully, whose dad moved to Elgin six years ago with the hopes his daughter would someday follow.

"It was a hard decision (to transfer) because it had just been my mom and me since my parents got divorced," Scully said. "I just thought it was a good time."

Speaking of timing, it couldn't have worked out better for Central. The 5-foot-9 outside hitter was the perfect addition for the Rockets, and in hindsight, perhaps the missing link.

Scully finished the season playing a major role for her new squad, finishing third in kills on the team -- behind Holthus (495) and Turk (230) -- with 189. She also contributed 194 digs and 29 blocks. Fellow role players Meghan Zasada (senior), Emily Moxness (senior), Audrey Djukic (sophomore), Katelyn O'Reilly (freshman) and Sam Bohne (freshman) also play important roles for the Rockets.

"She fit in right away," Leavitt said. "The players reached out to her and she was very friendly right away."

Scully's transition wasn't all roses from the start. A right shoulder injury that occurred when she was a freshman was reaggravated prior to her arrival at Central, limiting Scully from getting familiar with her new teammates on the court for summer practices.

"She couldn't really practice with us, but she kept showing up and coming to the practices," Leavitt said. "I think that really showed something to her teammates. She always supported them, even when she couldn't play."

Once allowed to resume playing, a healthy Scully was more than ready to find her niche with the Rockets.

"At first I didn't know how I was going to fit in," Scully said. "The girls took me in and made me feel comfortable since Day 1."

Gradually, Scully became an import piece of the puzzle for the Rockets, earning a starting job by the beginning of the regular season while providing Central with another viable option on the offensive end.

"With all the rotations we use she has been vital to us this season," Leavitt said.

Looking back, Scully now believes there is no doubt she made the right decision to relocate.

"It was definitely a great decision for me. My mom even says that now," Scully said. "I had been in the same school since the second grade. Moving was a small culture shock, but it has allowed me to experience new things and hopefully it's kind of prepping me to go way to college someday."

Right now, however, Scully and her Central teammates have more pressing issues to focus on.