What a show it was in Bozeman last weekend!
The state volleyball championships are a spectacle, in any case: All four classes play at once on four courts in the Brick Breeden Field House at Montana State University. It’s a loud, fun, three-day-long circus.
In Class B, the action was completely dominated by schools from the Southern Division, which, by tournament’s end, had swept the top four places, basically competing among themselves for top honors.
Among those was a tough and talented Jefferson High squad. The Panthers had a thrilling run, proving themselves among the top teams in the state and, ultimately, taking home a third-place plaque. It was a great accomplishment for this young team that could well return to this tournament a year from now.
Jefferson opened on Wednesday against Choteau, a team it had bested in a regular-season tournament. This proved to be a quick, straight-sets affair, with the Panthers moving on, 25-11, 25-21, 25-11.
On the front line, Allison Zawacki notched 12 kills, 3 blocks and a dig; Ryian Eveland powered over 7 kills, 7.5 blocks and 2 digs; and Ada Strauss 5 kills, .5 blocks and 3 digs. In the back, Hannah Stevens had 17 assists and 6 digs; Brooklyn Miller 2 digs; Maia Walters 1 kill and 17 digs; Aubrey Rosenbaum 2 aces, 6 assists and 16 digs; Jaida Jurenka 3 digs; Parker Layng 1 ace and 3 digs; Allie Muffick 1 dig; and Nevayah Weninger 1 kill and 1 dig.
That set the Panthers up for a rematch with a very strong Baker team. The Spartans had bested Jefferson twice in their Divisional tournament, and they weren’t going down easily. This would prove another long, hard match — but the result was very different.
The Panthers took the first set 25-20 and the second, 25-23, then lost the third, 18-25, and went into overtime in the fourth before losing, 26-28. The fifth set was a thriller, with the Panthers digging down deep, playing exceptional defense and pulling out the win, 18-16.
Eveland pounded over 18 kills, blocked 4.5 hits and had 2 digs; Zawacki made 19 kills, 2.5 blocks and 1 assist, and Strauss 14 kills, 2 blocks and 3 digs. Stevens was a busy person with 33 assists and 26 digs, while Miller had 2 digs, Walters 1 kill and 29 digs, Rosenbaum 17 assists and 17 digs, London Ostby 0.5 blocks, Jurenka 1 ace and 12 digs, Layng 1 ace and 3 digs, and Weninger 2 kills, 0.5 blocks and 1 dig.
With the win, Jefferson entered the undefeated semifinal against Broadwater. The Panthers and Bulldogs, conference rivals, had played each other four times during the regular season, with Jefferson winning the most recent battle at the Divisional.
This time, Broadwater won the first set 27-25. The Panthers lost their rhythm in the second, falling, 25-11. The third was very exciting, but the Bulldogs pulled out the win, 26-24. sEveland pounded over 10 kills, blocked 1 hit and had one 1 dig; Zawacki made 8 kills and 6 digs, and Strauss 8 kills and 6 digs. Stevens had 2 aces, 17 assists and 11 digs, Miller 1 dig, Walters 11 digs, Rosenbaum 9 assists and 12 digs, Jurenka 9 digs, Layng 4 digs, and Weninger 3 kills.
Jefferson was guaranteed at least a third-place finish; it played Shepherd for the right for a return match with Broadwater for the title. This was a really exciting match, with Shepherd pulling out the three-set win, 28-26, 25-17, 25-20. Eveland closed out her Panther volleyball career with 10 kills, 5 blocks, and 5 digs. Zawacki had 2 kills and 0.5 blocks, and Strauss TK. Stevens made 1 kill, 16 assists, and 10 digs, Miller 1 ace, and 2 digs, Walters 24 digs, Rosenbaum 7 assists and 14 digs, Ostby 0.5 blocks and 3 digs, Jurenka 4 digs, Layng 1 ace and 9 digs, and Weninger 1 kill, 0.5 blocks, 3 digs.
Shepherd went on to beat Broadwater for the championship, and Baker placed fourth. Over the three days, the Southern Division teams beat everyone else by a cumulative score of 18-1. Wow.
And suddenly, it’s time for winter sports! Practices for wrestling and basketball starts this Thursday, Nov. 20. I can’t wait.
