By Jim Thomas

Montezuma-Cortez High School for the second time in three years has captured the regular-season Southwestern League Volleyball Championship. The Panthers won the league title outright and will be a top seed at the District VII District Volleyball Championships this Friday and Saturday, Oct. 29-30, at Steamboat Springs. Cortez won the SWL title in 1997.

The Panthers will be joined by Grand Junction Central, Palisade, Montrose, Steamboat Springs, Moffat County, Rifle, Glenwood Springs, and Delta. Cortez is the no. 1 seed in Pool A while Steamboat is the top seed in Pool B. The Pool A no. 1 team and the Pool B no. 2 team will collide at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Pool B winner and Pool A no. 2 will meet at 2 p.m. The losers will meet at 4 p.m. and the championship is set for 5:30 p.m.

The top two teams advance to Regionals slated Nov. 6. The Class 4A State Volleyball Championships is scheduled Nov. 12-13 at the Denver Coliseum.

"I feel very good about things going into the District Tournament," MCHS head coach Lindy Mortensen said. "I think it is a well balanced tournament and we will have to be ready to play. We have to respect everyone of our opponents."

The Panthers completed a perfect 12-0 league record with a 15-2, 15-7 win over Palisade Friday night, Oct. 22, and a 15-6, 15-7 victory over Fruita-Monument Saturday afternoon, Oct. 23, in Ron Wright Memorial Gym.

In the opener against the Bulldogs, Cortez jumped out to quick 5-0 lead thanks to a block and a kill by Holly Tanner. Palisade scored its first point only because of an aggressive long hit. After Palisade called time at 8-1, it scored what would be its final point of the game on a block by Amy Collard. With Casey Bauer serving, the Panthers went ahead 14-2. Stefanie Allison made three straight kills during that stretch. Lindsay Waggoner polished off the Bulldogs with a kill for the final point.

Cortez took advantage of several Palisade mistakes to take a 5-1 lead early in the second game. The teams traded sideouts several times before Cortez scored two more points, one a kill by Waggoner. Leading 8-2, the Bulldogs made a run on Cortez scoring three consecutive points. An ace by Waggoner put Cortez up 9-5. Leading 9-6 a few minutes later, Annie Mortensen served for four straight points which put the Panthers up 13-6. Palisade score one more point and then Cortez scored the final two, one off an ace by Waggoner and a kill by Bauer.

"They came out ready to play. I knew this was going to be an emotional game since this was senior night. The win (mathematical league title clincher) for us winning the championship early was a credit to the kids. They deserved it," Mortensen added.

Before the match on Saturday, several members of the team were busy taking the American College Test (ACT) entrance examination. But Cortez came out ready to play once again.

Cortez moved out to a quick 5-0 lead over Fruita when the Wildcats called time to regroup. Leading 6-2, Bauer scored on a kill and Bauer and Waggoner blocked which put Cortez up 8-2. The teams traded sideouts several times before the Panthers added another point. They added one more before the Wildcats managed another point. Fruita made a run by scoring three in a row off several Cortez errors. Cortez was still up 11-6. They scored three in a row off Fruita mistakes before Bauer finished them off with a block.

In the second contest, the Panthers and the Wildcats played nip-and-tuck. The score was tied 2-2 before Cortez scored three in a row by taking advantage of Fruita miscues. Fruita kept things interesting with two kills by Val Menger. But Cortez soon was back up 8-5. Cortez then scored three straight to go up 11-5. The Panthers went ahead 13-5 thanks to a nice tip by Bauer and solid serving by Allison. Two mistakes later and the game and the match were over.

"I feel pretty good about this weekend’s play," Mortensen added. "Mentally, the girls were ready and they played hard."

Playing their final game at home were Waggoner, Mortensen, Tanner, and Brianna McCabe.