CLASS 1A VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW – SEPT. 6TH-9TH
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
A busy weekend with a couple of matches featuring ranked teams squaring off got going on Friday night with top teams bouncing back from tough losses earlier in the week. Saturday has one match with the top team in Class 1A visiting the #1 team in 2A, plus a top-five match-up in the classification. All rankings come from the MileHigh Prep Report Media/Coaches poll.
FRIDAY
#11 Eads dropped a sweep to Hi-Plains on Thursday, but got back in the win column on Friday by sweeping Miami-Yoder. The Lady Eagles were missing several key players, who were pulling double duty, playing softball for the SECO Angels. Hi-Plains became the first program other than Idalia to hand #5 Otis a YWKC league loss. The Lady Patriots won in three on Friday.
There were a number of other big match-ups on Friday, with no results having been shared. #6 Weldon Valley visited Briggsdale, Primero hosted Manzanola, and La Veta looked to get back on track after a sweep loss at #8 Cheraw on Thursday when the Lady Redhawks traveled to Kiowa.
SATURDAY
#1 MERINO LADY RAMS (5-0) AT 2A #1 SIMLA CUBS (6-0) (Game Postponed)
It’s a rematch of last year’s 1A state title match, which Merino won in a sweep. In fact, the Lady Rams swept Simla twice during the state tournament and have won all four meetings between the programs over the last two years. Merino has lost one set this season, while the Lady Cubs are 15-for-15 in sets played.
#3 MCCLAVE LADY CARDINALS (5-1) AT #4 IDALIA LADY WOLVES (6-0)
McClave has not played since sweeping Lone Star last Saturday, Idalia played #9 Cheyenne Wells and St. Francis (KS) on Thursday. The Lady Wolves won both of those matches in sweeps and have not dropped a set to date. Idalia had won three straight meetings between these two programs prior to the Lady Cardinals claiming a four-set victory at home last year. Abrielle Gomez (15) and Avery Hemphill (12) combined for 27 kills in that win. Jaylyn Kechter led Idalia with nine.
#9 CHEYENNE WELLS (2-3) AT WILEY (2-3)
After starting the season 2-0 with a pair of sweeps, Cheyenne Wells has dropped three straight. The Lady Tigers were swept at home last Friday by #2 Stratton, then lost to #4 Idalia in two and St. Francis (KS) in three on Thursday. Wiley has been trending the opposite direction, winning its last two since opening the season 0-3. The Lady Panthers swept Walsh earlier in the week to get their first Ark Valley league victory.
#10 SARGENT LADY FARMERS (6-0) VS ANTONITO (2-3) AND CREEDE (3-2)
Sargent is hosting a league triangular and the Lady Farmers are putting their perfect start to the season on the line. They are 12-for-12 in sets played, having swept their way through tournaments each of the last two Saturdays. Antonito swept Manzanola last Friday, snapping a three-match slide. Creede’s winning streak was broken at two in a 3-0 loss to Cotopaxi last weekend.
GRANADA LADY BOBCATS (3-1) AT KIM/BRANSON LADY MUSTANGS (2-4)
Granada bounced back from last Thursday’s loss to Hi-Plains with a sweep of South Baca this past Thursday. Kim/Branson had won two straight before getting swept by South Baca on Tuesday.
ARICKAREE/WOODLIN LADY BISON (7-4) AT 2A #8 BURLINGTON (2-0) AND 2A WRAY (1-2)
Arickaree/Woodlin started the season 6-0, but has only won once in its last five. The Lady Bison were swept at Prairie on Thursday. Burlington has swept its first two opponents. Wray has lost its last two, including a sweep by Goodland on Friday night.
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