MCHS to host district volleyball tournament

MCHS to host district volleyball tournament

October 25, 2001

By Jim Thomas
Journal Sports Editor

Montezuma-Cortez High School is the host school for this year’s Class 4A District VII Volleyball Tournament, set Friday, Oct. 26, and Saturday, Oct. 27.

MCHS is the defending district champion and Region D champs. The Panthers this year are ranked no. 2 in 4A and are sporting a gaudy 18-1 record. Their only loss was to Arizona 3A powerhouse Monument Valley High School in Kayenta.

The Panthers are led by starters senior outside hitter Casey Bauer, senior middle blocker Colette Hall, junior outside hitter Stefanie Allison, sophomore opposite Sasha Yarbrough, sophomore middle blocker Sasha Yarbrough, and sophomore setter Cassie Carver. Reserves include junior setter Emily Harclerode, junior defensive specialist Merina Lippis, sophomore middle blocker Arista Petillo, sophomore outside hitter Courtnie Lanier, freshman setter Gina Franchini, and freshman opposite Jessie Pickens.

"It has been a good regular season," MCHS head coach Lindy Mortensen said. "They are good kids. They play well together and now we’re looking forward to the post-season."

Cortez, the state’s no. 2 ranked 4A team, will play in Pool B of the district tourney. The Panthers will be joined by Steamboat Springs, Delta, and Rifle. Those games will be played in Ron Wright Memorial Gym at MCHS. The Sailors will play Delta beginning at 3 p.m. Friday; Cortez will host Rifle at approximately 4:30; Steamboat will play the Bears at 6 p.m.; and MCHS will battle Delta at 7:30.

Competing in Pool B will be Palisade, Montrose, Glenwood Springs, and Moffat County. The Bulldogs defeated Battle Mountain in a pigtail game which was played Tuesday night. Palisade will meet Montrose at 3, Glenwood Springs will take on Moffat County at 4:30, Palisade will host Moffat County at 6, and Glenwood Springs will battle Montrose at 7:30. All of those games will be played at Cortez Middle School.

Pool play will continue on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. At MCHS, Delta will face Rifle and then MCHS will tangle with Steamboat Springs. At CMS, Montrose meets Moffat County at 9 and Glenwood Springs faces Palisade at 10:30. Action then all moves to MCHS. The Pool A top seed will meet the Pool B second seed at 1 p.m. Pool B no. 1 will meet Pool A no. 2 at 2:30. The consolation game will be played at 4 p.m. and the championship game at 5:30. Admission is $4 for students and seniors and $5 for adults. Only Colorado High School Activities Association passes will be honored.

The top three teams will advance to Regionals in either Alamosa or Pueblo Nov. 3. The Class 4A State Volleyball Championships are scheduled for the Denver Coliseum Nov. 9-10.

Class 4A uses a different method for districts than the waterfall format used in 5A. Instead of dispersing teams according to their league finishes, 4A has predetermined districts set up.

Elsewhere in Class 4A, Lewis-Palmer is the top-ranked team in 4A. It will be the host for District IV, which plays Saturday. The Rangers have two losses on their record, but they came against Rampart and Smoky Hill.

Fort Morgan is undefeated and ranked no. 3, despite being hard hit by graduation. Senior outside hitter Lindsey Baumgartner has filled in nicely after being sidelined last season because of a knee injury.

The unranked Mustangs also receive key offensive production from Cami Martin and Amanda Rebol, and Alisha Kauffman has turned out to be an able replacement at setter for Scooter Yearous. Brighton is the no. 4 ranked team.

The Class 2A District III Volleyball Tournament will be played all day Saturday at Telluride. The no. 2 rated Miners won the San Juan Basin League outright with a 10-0 record and is the top seed. The Miners, 18-0 overall, also are protected all the way to Regionals, but their seeding will be determined on Saturday. Dolores will go in as the no. 2 seed, Mancos no. 3, and Nucla, which defeated Dolores County in a pigtail game Tuesday night, as the no. 4 seed.

DCHS lost 15-13, 2-15, 10-15 to the Mustangs in Bulldog Memorial Gym. Ironically, they had defeated tthe Mustangs 9-15, 16-14, 15-12 the final game of the regular season at home on Saturday, Oct. 20.

"Our main focus is Dolores. We beat Dolores last year to go to Regionals. That’s the key game for us," MHS head coach Mona Shepherd said. Dolores and Mancos split games, both winning on each other’s court during the regular season.

Members of the Dolores team include head coach Joye McHenry and players junior outside hitter Sarah Nielson, junior opposite Joni Everett, junior outside hitter Jennifer Cross, junior middle blocker Ann Fecteau, junior setter-opposite Tracy Everett, senior off-hitter Gloria Spada, senior middle blocker Ashley Smith, senior setter Kristen Gutafason, and senior middle blocker Amanda Cross.

Mancos is led by Katie Paxton, Rachel Russell, Lacey Morris, Katie Rosso, Jolene Thomas, Angela Hall, Amy Smith, Cassie Coppinger, Brittany Aspromonte, Kassi Paxton, Tiffany Crites, and Jori Yeomans.

Host Telluride will tangle with the Mustangs at 9 a.m., the Bears will face the Blue Jays at 10:15, Telluride will meet Mancos at 11:30. The matches continue in the afternoon with Dolores facing Nucla at 12:45, Mancos grappling with Nucla at 2 and Dolores battling Telluride at 3:30.

Elsewhere in Class 2A, Swink is the top ranked team with an 18-1 overall record. Heritage Christian is no. 3 rated, Sargent no. 4, and Strasburg no. 5.

The top teams will advance to next week’s Regionals at neutral site Palisade. The Class 2A State Volleyball team is slated for the Coliseum Nov. 9-10.