CLASS 1A VOLLEYBALL REPORT – THURSDAY by Kerry Sherman

Picture by Lasting Memories Photography (ECA vs Elbert)

CLASS 1A VOLLEYBALL REPORT – THURSDAY

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

As the season nears the end of the regular season in a couple of weeks, we get a loaded Thursday night schedule in Class 1A. Eight matches involved teams sitting in the top-12 of the current CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.

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#2 FLEMING (15-1) AT #5 PRAIRIE (14-2)

Fleming leads the North Central by one match over Prairie, as the Lady Wildcats have handed Prairie its lone league loss to date. Fleming enters the match-up on an 11-match winning streak, including that earlier 3-0 head-to-head win over the Lady Mustangs. That was the 25^th straight win in the series by Fleming, and the 49^th in the past 50. Looking back at that earlier sweep, Quincy Stull put down 11 kills to lead the Fleming attack. Ashley Bornhoft added eight, and Ciana Lousberg tallied seven. Bornhoft had five solo blocks, and Hayley Chamberlain recorded 23 assists. Hannah Kugler and Tanna Bailey had five kills apiece for Prairie, and Macie Jaeger registered four. Nicole Ludgate led the Lady Mustangs with 13 digs and 17 assists.

#3 MCCLAVE (16-2) VS WALSH (2-18)

McClave wrapped up the High Plains title on Tuesday with a 3-0 win over Eads. The Lady Cardinals went unbeaten in league play for the fourth straight season. Avery Hemphill (16) and Abrielle Gomez (11) combined for 27 kills, and Gomez tallied seven solo blocks. Yesenia Almanza racked up 31 assists. Walsh’s losing streak reached a dozen with a five-set defeat by Kim/Branson on Tuesday. The Lady Eagles trailed 2-0 in that match, before rallying to force the fifth. McClave has won eight straight in the series.

#4 FLATIRONS ACADEMY (17-1) VS 2A #2 LYONS (14-1)

This is a chance for Flatirons Academy to avenge its lone loss of the season, as the Lady Bison fell to Lyons 3-1 about four weeks ago. Brylin Gomer had 16 kills for Flatirons in that loss, and Claire Friedman added 11. Everly Haynes tallied eight, and Jenna Nehrbass registered seven. Lexi Richman recorded 43 assists, and Tessa Miller led the Lady Bison with 21 digs. Lyons put three players in double digit kills, led by Michaela Coleman with 16. Annabelle Hay put away 13, and Audrey Voss followed with 12. Carmen Dumbauld picked up 41 assists.

#7 GRANADA (15-2) VS #17 FLAGLER (10-5)

It’s the first action for Granada since last Friday’s 3-0 win over Walsh. Camryn Coleman put down 14 kills and served six aces in that win. Kinsley Williams added 17 assists, nine aces, and six kills. Emersen Hernandez tacked on five kills for the Lady Bobcats. Flagler dropped its final two matches at the Stratton Bash last Saturday, and the Lady Panthers have lost four of their last six overall. Rylie Berry had a dozen kills for Flagler in the third place match loss to Lone Star. The Panthers opened the tournament with a sweep of Kiowa, before falling to Hi-Plains in a sweep in the semifinals.

#8 SARGENT (15-1) AT 2A MANCOS (7-10)

The Lady Farmers backed up last weekend’s big win over 2A #6 Sanford with a sweep of Sangre de Cristo on Tuesday. That victory locked up the Southern Peaks crown for Sargent and secured the Lady Farmers a spot in the regional field. Mancos suffered its third straight loss last Thursday, falling to Ignacio in three sets. Bailey Beh‘s five kills led the Lady Bluejays in that defeat. Laney Palmer recorded three total blocks for Mancos.

#9 EVANGEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (15-3) VS #13 PIKES PEAK CHRISTIAN (18-2)

The Black Forest league title and its automatic spot into the regional field is on the line in this match. Both teams enter with 5-0 league records. ECA was pushed by Elbert on Tuesday, with the Lady Eagles pulling out the victory in five sets. Ellie Wagner (27) and Mia Castro (22) combined for 49 kills. Wagner’s tally moved her to over 300 kills on the season. Castro reached 200. Alyssa Costain put together 44 assists. A sweep of Hanover on Tuesday put the winning streak of Pikes Peak Christian at 10 matches. The Lady Eagles have not lost in more than a month.

#10 HI-PLAINS (12-5) VS #18 AKRON (8-9)

Hi-Plains will be looking to get back on track after falling to Stratton 2-0 in the finals of the Stratton Bash last Saturday. The Lady Patriots had reached that match by sweeping Genoa-Hugo/Karval and Flagler. Akron helped its postseason seeding with a gritty five-set win over Caliche on Tuesday. The Lady Rams won the first two sets before Caliche rallied to force the fifth.

#11 CALICHE (10-4) AT 2A #5 WIGGINS (10-4)

The loss to Akron was the fourth in the last five matches for Caliche, with the lone victory coming in five sets at Flagler last Friday. The Lady Buffs put together a strong attack in Tuesday’s loss, with Ryann Svoboda and Alexis Breidenbach both recording 13 kills. Hallie Lewis tallied 11, and Faye Lueck made it four in double figures with 10. Lily Armstrong dished out 45 assists, while Lueck and Breidenbach both recorded 24 digs. Wiggins sits second in the LPAA, behind only #1 Merino, to whom the Lady Tigers lost a five-setter last week. They bounced back to sweep Yuma last Friday. Karsyn Kerr had nine kills and 17 digs to lead Wiggins in that victory.