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While the Bowie High School volleyball team's 16-0 record might suggest otherwise, it took years of hard work for the Bulldogs to capture the 4A South Region title.

Bowie claimed its first region crown since 2004 with a three-game sweep of Eleanor Roosevelt in the 4A South Region final on Friday. The Bulldogs were scheduled to face Magruder High in the 4A state semifinals on Wednesday evening at the University of Maryland's Ritchie Coliseum after The Star went to press. With a victory, Bowie will play in the state title match at 5 p.m. Saturday at Ritchie Coliseum.

Three Bowie seniors — setter Heather Garnto, outside hitter Siri Ngundam and libero Brittany Griffith — have played instrumental roles in leading the Bulldogs back to prominence after High Point, Charles H. Flowers and Eleanor Roosevelt combined to take the previous four region titles. Garnto and Ngundam were Gazette-Star All-County First Team selections last fall and both have enjoyed stellar senior campaigns.

"It was really such a relief," Ngundam said of winning the region title. "It was a lot of mixed emotions. It really was a bittersweet moment. I think we just kept our heads cool."

As the libero, Griffith undertakes the key role of making sure that passes get to Garnto so she can set outside hitters Siri and Yaje Ngundam and Jehan Assata and middle hitters Loretta Owens and Paris Morrissey. Garnto, Griffith, both Ngundams and Tiffany Eller have also given opponents troubles with their serving skills all season.

"It was great [winning the region]," Griffith said. "We had been working so hard to get to that point and finally get past those teams that had been beating us in previous years. It would make my high school career if we could win [against Magruder] and win again on Saturday [in the state final]. I know those teams present a serious challenge to us, so we have to be ready."

Bowie has been to the state semifinals 14 times and to the state title match once, but never has won a state championship.

Garnto was clearly the most emotional after last week's win against Roosevelt. After two previous years of frustration, including last year's four-game setback to Roosevelt in the region final, Garnto and her teammates could finally claim a region title. Although the team would have two more days of practice in the Bowie High gym, last Friday's region final was their final home contest.

"It's hard to believe that we will not be playing any more games in our gym," Garnto said. "I don't think it really hit me until the next day. It was a very happy moment, probably the best day in my life. I never want to stop playing volleyball with these girls. We always do stuff together. Getting to states has been our goal since day one, and now that we finally did it, I don't know if that feeling has ever sunk in."

E-mail Ted Black at tblack@gazette.net.