SASHA YARBROUGH (LEFT) AND CASEY BAUER (RIGHT) escort the trophy they had helped win on Nov. 3 at Pueblo West High School in the Class 4A Region D Volleyball Tournament. Yarbrough and Bauer will join the rest of their Montezuma-Cortez High School teammates at this Friday’s and Saturday’s State Volleyball Championships in the Denver Coliseum.

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

DENVER — Everyone will be shooting for the Class 4A State Volleyball Tournament’s no. 1 seed Montezuma-Cortez. Dolores is definitely the darkhorse of the Class 2A State Volleyball Tournament as the no. 8 seed.

Championship action gets under way in both classes with pool play beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 9. The final pool games will be played early Saturday morning, Nov. 10, and cross-bracket play will be held through Saturday afternoon with the 4A championship game set about 4:45 p.m Saturday in the Denver Coliseum.

The Panthers, 26-1 overall and ranked no. 2 most of the season, takes on a team that it is familiar with as it plays District VII-mate and no. 8 seed Glenwood Springs, 20-6, in its first game Friday morning. MCHS beat Glenwood Springs 15-3, 15-12 in the semifinals of that tourney, two weeks ago in Ron Wright Memorial Gym. MCHS then takes on no. 5 seeded Brighton (22-1) and later in the day they play no. 4 seed Mullen (18-8). In the other pool is no. 2 seed Lewis-Palmer (25-2), ranked no. 1 all season, no. 3 seed Fort Morgan (15-1), no. 6 seed Pueblo West (24-2), and no. 7 seed Alamosa (18-8). One thing is for certain, there will be a new champion crowned. Last year’s champ Berthoud did not qualify this year.

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.

The Panthers earned the right to make their third straight appearance at State by winning the Region D Tournament title last weekend at Pueblo. The Panthers outlasted Summit 15-9, 8-15, 15-10, stopped Cheyenne Mountain 15-9, 15-7, and defeated host Pueblo West 15-3, 15-12.

"I don’t know how we got the no. 1 seed but let’s just say it was a surprise," MCHS head coach Lindy Mortensen said. "The girls are playing well right now. This is our third straight year in going to State and girls deserve it."

The Panthers have two of the best outside hitters in Colorado in the likes of Bauer and Allison. Harclerode and Carver are two solid setters. Hall, Yarbrough and Wilson are good up front. Lippis has been a defensive standout. Cortez certainly has all the pieces in the right the place to make a serious run for the state title.

MCHS has struggled when it has played early in the morning (8 a.m. Friday). Fortunately, they play a team they are at least familiar with having played Glenwood Springs before. The Panthers’ second pool game will be late afternoon and their final pool game late evening.

"They have a hard-hitting team. The girls can’t overlook them. They will have to be ready," she said.

Mortensen said she has not seen Brighton and she doesn’t know too much about them.

Mullen is perennially tough, having played many times at State. Mullen has beaten the Panthers by two points in the third game in each of the past two years at State.

Mortensen said she knows Alamosa has some good hitters and is quick. Lewis-Palmer lost to Berthoud in the finals a year ago and will be the team to beat coming out of pool no. 2. The Rangers have been clobbering many 5A teams all season long. Fort Morgan has won several State titles and are nearly always a qualifier. Pueblo West, a fairly new school, is making its first-ever appearance at State.

The Bears picked up a ticket to State by beating Grand Valley 15-6, 15-12 in straight sets. Dolores then faced San Juan Basin League rival Telluride and fell in three sets 10-15, 15-9, 3-15. Faced with a do-or-die situation, the played North Park and won 16-14, 15-3.

Joining them in Pool no. 1 at State are top-seeded Heritage Christian (25-1), no. 4 seed Byers (19-6), and no. 5 seed Swink (22-3). In the opposite pool will be no. 2 seed Telluride (22-2), no. 3 seed Wiley (20-6), no. 6 seed Strasburg (22-4), and no. 7 seed Akron (14-10). Defending champ Caliche also will not be at the tourney this year. Like MCHS, Dolores will open play in the very first game of the day on Friday. The Bears will then not play their second pool match until late afternoon to early evening. Their final pool game will be first thing Saturday morning.

"I can’t be happier with the seeding," DHS coach Joye McHenry said. "We feel that is a good pool to be in. We are playing well right and we are still peaking. We’re just glad to be getting another tournament shot (Dolores played in the event two years ago but bowed out quietly)."

McHenry said she doesn’t know much about Heritage Christian, a private school which has been ranked high all season. Swink has played at State many times. Byers has been a qualifier for the past two years. Telluride is loaded with seniors and is talented. Strasburg has played at State a few times but Akron and Wiley haven’t in recent years.

"I think the girls are hungrier this year than they were a year ago. They were disappointed they didn’t qualify last year. They want to do well at State this year and they think they can," she added.

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.

McHenry said she was pleased with the strong hitting of Nielson and Joni Everett, the setting of Tracy Everett, and the hitting and blocking of Amanda Cross.