T here have been some athletic tandems that

Senior Tristan Powers led the area with 633 assists and added 123 digs and 27 kills to help power GBHS to the district crown. Sue Violette/athletesfeatphotography.com are synonymous with

one another: Montana and Rice, Stockton and Malone and – at least for a time – Shaq and Kobe, to name a few.

While Gulf Breeze High volleyball standouts Tristan Powers and Jasmine Crowell might not be as rich and famous, they do have something in common with the aforementioned professional stars. Together, they are the backbone of their respective team and have won championship hardware.

Those pro tandems have since gone their separate ways, but Powers and Crowell remain together and are hoping to land even more hardware.

Their Lady Dolphins won the District 1-4A championship last Thursday with a 3-0 win over Washington. The Lady Dolphins, 22-2 as of press time, took on Panama City Rutherford in a regional quarterfinal match Wednesday night.

Junior Jasmine Crowell led the area with 257 kills and has more than 30 college programs interested in her future services. Steve Violette/athletesfeatphotography.com A win would put GBHS in the regional semifinals, their first since 2004.

“Winning districts, playing Washington at the level we’re capable, it brought our confidence up,” said Crowell, who led the team – and the area – in kills with 257 heading into postseason play.

The pair has traveled many miles in life before landing in Gulf Breeze. Jasmine, the lone daughter of Denise Crowell, was born in Winter Haven and, for a time, lived in England before moving to Gulf Breeze in the sixth grade.

Jasmine was a cheerleader before trying out for volleyball for the first time – just four years ago. At six-feet tall, Crowell had only one year of volleyball experience under her belt before making the varsity team as a freshman, along with current GBHS teammates Lauren Alverson and Alison Milam.

“As a junior, she’s already surpassed anyone at Gulf Breeze during my time here,” said sixth-year head coach Waynn Sellers said. “There’s just no limit to how good a player she can be.”

Tristan, the youngest of six children, was born in Bloomington, Ill., before moving to Gulf Breeze five years ago. The daughter of Jeff Powers and Kim Lehmann and the stepdaughter of Mark Lehmann says she played “every sport in the world, so I guess volleyball’s just the one that stuck.”

Powers began playing volleyball in the fourth grade after being inspired by older sister Kassi, who also played volleyball.

“I probably got a lot of it from her,” said Powers, a threeyear starter for the Lady Dolphins.

“Tristan’s all-around game is improved,” Sellers said. “She’s definitely playing better defense, and she has a much better understanding of the game.”

Sellers say both of the girls’ hiring of personal trainers has been keys in their development, as well as their participation with the West Florida Volleyball Club’s U-18 team over the summer.

When asked what her biggest improvement was last summer, Crowell’s answer was quick.

“When I was a sophomore, I wasn’t mentally tough at all,” she said. “Then through Chad (Fuller) being my coach, he eventually changed that.”

Both Crowell and Powers have taken on extra responsibilities this season. Crowell said her time with the WFVC helped improved her defensive game. She’s one of five Gulf Breeze players with more than 100 digs this season.

“That made me more of a defensive player,” Crowell said. “When I played sophomore year, Sellers would take me out when I was in the back row. Now, I play all around.”

Powers, who led the team – and the area – in assists with 633 entering postseason play, has been playing more defense and attacking out of the back row this year. She’s second on the team in digs with 123. She also has 27 kills.

“Sellers really thought I could hit back row, so we just went with it,” Powers said.

The pair is hoping to follow a couple of their WFVC teammates (Washington’s Hannah Nichols at PJC, Navarre’s Julianne Haun at the Air Force Academy). Powers already has visited Loyola University in New Orleans and has plans to visit Florida Southern later this month.

“I don’t want a school that’s real tiny. I want to go to a school for the school, because school comes first,” said Powers, who owns a 3.6 grade-point average. She wants to major in child psychology.

“I want to make sure I really like the school and not choose it for just volleyball.”

Ironically, Florida Southern is in Lakeland, site of the state high school volleyball tournament.

Crowell has the chance to be the third GBHS player to sign with a Division I school since 2003. Kalyn Hundley signed with Quinnipiac six years ago. Chelsey Adams, a 2005 GBHS grad, signed with Nicholls (La.) State after two years at PJC. Celia Eddy signed with Elon (N.C.) University earlier this spring and is enrolled there now.

Crowell already has visited South Alabama, Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida. The list of schools interested is close to 30 and includes schools from the Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference and Ivy League.

“I don’t want a small school. I want a big school with a football team,” said Crowell, who plans to major in some area of the medical field.

“As far as volleyball goes, I want a school where I can fit in with the girls and the team and the coaches. I don’t want to go to such a big school where I’m just a number.”

Denise Crowell also wants her daughter to look into Elon, where Eddy plays, and Liberty University in Virginia. Jasmine is hoping to visit more in-state schools like the University of Miami, Florida State University, Florida International and Florida Atlantic.