Raiders volleyball perfect at halfway point; young cancer patient honored at game
Six-year-old cancer patient Kylie Adams (front row, center) is lifted up on the shoulders of Appomattox Raiders varsity volleyball players Shannon Coleman (No. 3) and Kaydence Gilbert as they pose for a picture with their teammates, head coach Mark Drinkard (front row, far right) and fans in the Raiders’ student section after the Thursday, Sept. 22 win over Nelson County on “Go Gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness” night. Image: Mark Drinkard/Contributed

The Appomattox Raiders varsity volleyball team improved its overall record to 10-0 in the past week with three-set wins over Dan River on the road (25-16, 25-14, 25-13) and Nelson County at home (25-16, 25-11, 25-9).

Even more important than the results on the scoreboard was a little girl with cancer who was honored at Thursday’s home match against Nelson County.

The night was dubbed “Go Gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness.” The gymnasium stands were decorated with gold-colored balloons and streamers, and some attendees and Raider coaches wore gold-colored items.

Six-year-old Kylie Adams was present at the game, frolicking with the Raider volleyball players on their sideline seating area. When the game concluded, Adams was hoisted on the shoulders of Raider teammates Shannon Coleman and Kaydence Gilbert who stood alongside the rest of the team in front of the Raiders’ student section for a photograph.

Adams was diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma stage 3 brain cancer in 2017 when she was just 17 months old. She has received treatment at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

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