Panthers team to watch for 4A Regionals

Panthers team to watch for 4A Regionals

Nov 3, 2001

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

No. 2 ranked Montezuma-Cortez, 23-1, has certainly got to be the team to watch as prep Regional Tournaments are taking place today, Nov. 3, across the State in Class 4A. Dolores could be one of the darkhorse teams this year in Class 2A.

The Panthers are playing at the Region D Tournament at Pueblo West High School. They are joined by host Pueblo West (22-1) along with Summit County (20-2) and Cheyenne Mountain (15-9).

A tourney title or a second--place showing there will send the Panthers on to the State Volleyball Championships Nov. 9-10 in the Denver Coliseum. MCHS has won a Regional title the last two years in a row. The Panthers finished tied for third in 1999 and was a qualifier at State last season.

District VII second place Steamboat Springs (20-4) will play in the Region C tournament at Mullen (14-8). Alamosa and Mountain View (17-6) are the other two teams in the field. No. 3 seed Glenwood Springs (17-5) is at Conifer (18-5), along with Lewis-Palmer (22-2) and Valley (19-4).

Meanwhile in Class 2A at the District III Tournament, second-seeded Telluride and top-seeded Dolores will be making the trip to Regionals. North Park (16-3), Dolores (20-3), Grand Valley (15-7) and Telluride (19-2) play in the Class 2A Region C tournament Saturday, Nov. 3, at Palisade High School.

Tickets for the 4A Region D Tournament or the 2A Region C Tournament are $4 for students and seniors, and $6 general admission.

The Panthers earned the top seed from District VII by defeating highly-regarded Steamboat Springs, a State qualifier a year ago, in the championship game Saturday evening played in Ron Wright Memorial Gym. MCHS won 15-8, 15-3.

Members of the MCHS team include: junior Merina Lippis, sophomore Arista Petillo, sophomore Courtnie Lanier, junior Stefanie Allison, sophomore Cassie Carver, junior Emily Harclerode, freshman Gina Franchini, sophomore Lindsey Wilson, sophomore Sasha Yarbrough, senior Casey Bauer, senior Colette Hall, and freshman Jessie Pickens.

Bauer and Allison are two of the best outside hitters in State. Hall also has been a strong force not only at the net but at the service line. Wilson and Yarbrough have improved and are now a strong force at middle blockers. Carver and Harclerode are two very steady setters.

Here is a look at the other pre-seeded 4A regional tournaments: Region A has Conifer (18-5), top-ranked Lewis-Palmer (22-2), Valley (19-4), and Glenwood Springs (17-5); Region B has Brighton (20-1), Fort Morgan (22-1), Evergreen (15-6), and Pine Creek (19-5); and Region C has Mullen (14-8), Alamosa (no record available), Steamboat Springs (20-4), and Mountain View (17-6). Berthoud, the defending 4A champion, did not qualify.

In Class 4A, top-ranked Lewis-Palmer is loaded this year. The Rangers (22-2) only have lost to Rampart and Smoky Hill. Lewis-Palmer was the state runner-up last season to Berthoud and has two highly regarded players in setter Lindsey Laband (who has committed to Georgia Tech) and middle blocker Amy Bladow (a junior coveted by several schools for basketball and volleyball). One of the Rangers' least-known players could be their most lethal. Middle blocker Catherine Beulke is a top blocker.

At the District III Tournament in Telluride, Dolores won the title and top-seed to this week’s Regionals.

Dolores took on Mancos and lost in the first game 11-15, but came back to win 15-4, 15-8. The Bears then beat Nucla 15-4, but struggled in the second game and came away with a 15-12 win. The Bears then faced San Juan Basin League regular-season champ and previously undefeated Telluride. The Bears shocked the Miners by winning 9-15, 15-6, 15-5.

Members of the Dolores team include: junior Sarah Nielson, junior Joni Everett, junior Tracy Everett, junior Jennifer Cross, junior Ann Fecteau, senior Gloria Spada, senior Ashley Smith, senior Kristen Gustafson, and senior Amanda Cross. The Bears are guided by head coach Joye McHenry and assisted by Kendall Allen.

The Bears will take on Grand Valley beginning at 9 a.m. at about 1 p.m. they will meet Telluride and then at 4 p.m. take on North Park. Dolores played as the State Tournament two years ago but did not play well and did not place.

Telluride will likely be the toughest competition for Dolores. Telluride won both of the regular-season games in San Juan Basin League play but Dolores won at the District III Tournament last week on the Miners’ home court. Telluride is led by Sydney Melzer, Chelsey Padilla, Inga Johannson, and Rhea DePagter.

Here is a look at the other pre-seeded Class 2A regionals: Region A has Wiley (18-5), Sargent (22-1), top-ranked Swink (20-2), and Crested Butte (19-5); Region B has Heritage Christian (22-1), Haxtun (15-6), Alexander Dawson (12-10), and Akron (12-9); and Region D has Strasburg (20-3), Fowler (16-6), Byers (16-6), and Hoehne (14-7).

The toughest regional, though, again should be at Coronado, where Strasburg (20-3), Fowler (16-6), Byers (16-6) and Hoehne (14-7) compete.