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Bethany Gesell went to sleep worried Aug. 31. The following day was the first that college coaches could contact her about a scholarship, and although she had received some literature from a few, she didn't know how serious any of them were about her.

She woke up the next morning and checked her in box. Sixteen personal messages from major colleges were waiting.

"12:01. 12:02. As soon as they could send," Gesell said. "It kind of blew my mind."

Count Gesell among the last to doubt her abilities. She has been the TAC Player of the Year and an NCISAA All-State selection each of her three seasons at High Point Christian, this one ending with the first state championship in the program's history.

"It's fun seeing them work so hard and see the fruits of their labor," said Corey Gesell, Bethany's dad and the Cougars' athletics director. "As a dad, obviously I know the time she's put in, so it's exciting to see her do well."

Bethany led all attackers with 30 kills in the title game, which paid back nine-time-defending champion Asheville Christian for bouncing the Cougars in last year's semis.

"Coming up just short was really hard," she said. "It gave us motivation to do better because we knew we could win."

Despite nearly every opponent keeping 12 eyes on her, the 5-foot-11 Gesell posted a county-best 387 kills this season at a blistering 48.1 percentage, the kind of numbers even college stars have a hard time matching. Part of her power at the net comes from her left-handedness, a genetic and athletic rarity that makes her hard for defenses to read.

"It all has to do with angles," Corey Gesell said. "It's kind of like fielding a left-footed punter with reverse spin. It's just different."

"My mom will even tell me it looks like I'm hitting with the wrong arm sometimes," Bethany said.

Gesell has three younger brothers, and growing up she'd join them outside for kickball, skateboarding, flashlight tag, whatever the sport of the day happened to be.

"They didn't take it any easier on me," she said. "I guess that's where I got my competitive side."

She's also an all-state softball player and was MVP of her middle school basketball team, but decided her freshman year to work on volleyball year round -- "a tough decision," Corey said, "but she feels like she made the right one."

"You have to love a sport to be able to play it as much as I do," Bethany said. "Well, I love volleyball. I could play it 24/7 and never get tired of it. I love practicing. I love playing. I want to get better. I want to reach my full potential."