CLASS 1A VOLLEYBALL REPORT – WEEKEND
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
Just about every team in our latest MHPR Coaches and Media poll will be in action this weekend, beginning with a handful of top match-ups on Thursday. We’ll take a look at all of these key contests, with all rankings come from the aforementioned MHPR poll.
THURSDAY
#3 STRATTON (2-0) AT #11 GENOA-HUGO/KARVAL (2-1)
Stratton dominated Deer Trail in Union Pacific play on Tuesday, completing the sweep 25-9/19/5. Sophie Isenbart led Stratton with 11 kills, and Rilynn Weickum added seven. Genoa-Hugo/Karval took a hard-fought five set victory over Briggsdale last Friday, winning 15-10 in the fifth. Kazlei Vaughn led a balanced attack with 14 kills. Kallie Yoder notched 10, and Amy James tallied nine. Jira Kissel popped up 36 digs.
#4 FLEMING (5-1) VS 2A #2 WIGGINS (4-1)
Fleming got its biggest win of the early season on Tuesday, sweeping the top-ranked team in 2A, Sedgwick County. Ashley Bornhoft put away 10 kills, and Ciana Lousberg added nine. Since a loss to #1 McClave, Wiggins has responded with a pair of sweep victories, the latest last Thursday against 3A #7 Platte Valley.
#7 HI-PLAINS (4-0) AT #10 EADS (3-1)
After dropping the first set to 2A Burlington on Tuesday, Hi-Plains took control of the match and won it in four. Cambria Seaman led the attack with 13 kills, and Brianna Rueb added a dozen. The Lady Patriots served up 17 aces, five by Addison Henschel. Eads rolled to a sweep victory over Springfield last Friday, winning the last two sets 25-11 and 25-11. Kara Wilson (12) and Anna Wollert (11) both went for double digit kills. Bailey Sierra led the back row defense with 24 digs.
#8 FLATIRONS ACADEMY (6-0) AT WELDON VALLEY (1-4)
Flatirons Academy made quick work of Loveland Classical Academy, sweeping the Lady Lions. It was the fifth sweep victory of the season for the Lady Bison. Brylin Gomer powered the attack with 19 kills, and Lexi Richman recorded 37 assists. Weldon Valley’s schedule has been brutal, with matches against four top-seven teams. The Lady Warriors are 0-4 in those matches. They dropped a four-setter to Hi-Plains last Saturday, winning the opening set 28-26, but then losing the next three.
#9 EVANGEL CHRISTIAN (3-0) VS 2A CALHAN (0-2)
The Lady Eagles have been strong out of the gate, dropping just one of their first 10 sets. They polished off Front Range Christian last Friday in three sets, 25-22/19/19. Calhan had yet to get a set win in heading into Tuesday’s match with The Colorado Springs School.
FRIDAY
#10 EADS AT MIAMI-YODER (1-3)
It’s a quick turnaround following Thursday’s match with Hi-Plains, as the Lady Eagles visit Miami-Yoder. The Lady Buffaloes went into Tuesday’s match against Liberty Tree Academy looking to get back into the win column after falling to Wiley in four sets on Saturday. Emily Cottongin led the team with 16 digs, just ahead of Mindy Quintana (13) and Madison McKnight (12).
#15 CALICHE (3-0) AT PEETZ (1-3)
Caliche picked up a pair of wins last Friday at NJC, sweeping Peetz behind 10 kills apiece by Alexis Breidenbach and Ryann Svoboda. The Lady Buffs would need four sets to beat Idalia, as they lost the opener and then bounced back to take the next three. Svoboda put down 18 kills, and was joined in double figures by Hallie Lewis, who registered 10. Peetz got into the win column on Thursday, taking down Potter-Dix, NE in four sets.
SATURDAY
#1 MCCLAVE (6-0) VS IDALIA (1-3)
McClave ran its unbeaten streak to 12 sets by dominating 2A #4 Swink last Thursday, and following that with a sweep of Lone Star on Saturday. The Lady Cards beat the Lady Lions 25-17/15/22, and then took care of Lone Star 25-20/15/13. Idalia hosts a triangular with Cheyenne Wells and St. Francis, KS on Thursday, with the Lady Wolves coming off that loss to Caliche at NJC. Bristal Robertson had a team-leading eight kills, and Evelyn Cruz added six in that defeat.
#2 MERINO (5-0) VS 2A #3 SIMLA (4-1)
After sweeping 2A #16 Holyoke on Tuesday, the Lady Rams ran their unbeaten streak to 15 sets. They have not lost one to date. Simla’s lone loss came against McClave in the Wiggins tournament two weeks ago. The Lady Cubs responded with sweeps of Byers and Limon last week. Freshman Brynlee Amendt led a very balanced attack in the win over Limon, finishing with 10 kills. Haylee Easler and Carlee Cox both added nine, and Katie Gotschall went for eight.
#5 SARGENT (6-0) VS ANTONITO, (1-2), CREEDE (3-2)
All of Sargent’s matches so far have been best of three, and the Lady Farmers have swept all but one. Last weekend, they took care of Nucla, Crested Butte, and Olathe, all in two sets. Kandace Pargin has 38 kills this season to lead the squad. Antonito has not entered full results this season. Creede has won two of its last three with last Saturday’s sweep of Cotopaxi. Ava Anderson had eight kills and 14 digs, leading the Lady Miners in both categories.
#6 OTIS (3-2) AT #7 HI-PLAINS
Both of Otis’ losses came at the NJC tournament, but the Lady Bulldogs bounced back on Tuesday, sweeping Lone Star. They can take a huge lead in the YWKC standings with a win on the road. It would also avenge a loss to the Lady Patriots last year. A win by Hi-Plains puts it on top of the league standings.
#9 EVANGEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY AT CUSTER COUNTY (4-0)
Custer County picked up it second straight sweep victory last Friday, beating Cripple Creek-Victor 25-9/5/11. Hayden Hampton served up four aces for the Lady Bobcats, and Kenzee Creasy added three.
#13 PRAIRIE (3-0) AT 2A WRAY (0-2)
Prairie stayed unbeaten on the year with a tough five-set win at #16 Akron on Tuesday. The Lady Mustangs got a 15-9 victory in the fifth to seal things. Wray will have had more than a week off between matches when it takes the court on Friday against Goodland, KS. The last competition for the Lady Eagles was a 3-0 defeat by Otis last Tuesday.
#14 PLATEAU VALLEY (7-0) AT NORWOOD (2-4)
It’s been a stellar start to the season for Plateau Valley, who has won 17 of 19 sets played. The Cowgirls added their sixth sweep of the year on Tuesday, beating Grand Valley. After starting the year 2-0, Norwood has lost its last four matches. That includes three last Saturday, dropping contests to Center, Dolores, and Salida.
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