Vail Valley volleyball teams bounced from regionals
Devils come close
Eagle Valley volleyball nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory in regional play, almost punching its ticket to the 4A state tournament.
Competing in the Class 4A Region 2 Tournament in Montrose, the Devils started the day ranked No. 23 in the state. The Devils bowed in four sets to No. 35 Longmont — only 36 teams make the regional field.
Naturally, Eagle Valley rallied to upset No. 2-ranked Montrose in four sets on its home court. That left all three teams, the Devils, the Trojans, and the host Indians, tied with 1-1 records in the round-robin.
By seed entering Saturday’s action, Eagle Valley played a one-set playoff against Longmont with the Trojans ending the Devils’ Cinderella bid for state.
Montrose defeated Longmont in another one-set playoff to earn the state bid from that three-team tournament. Nonetheless, it was a gutsy end to a rollercoaster season for the Devils (13-11).
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As it turned out, all four local volleyball teams saw their season end in assorted regionals on Saturday.
Battle Mountain (16-9) took Mullen to the limit, falling in five games, down in Colorado Springs. The Huskies’ season ended with a three-set loss to host Discovery Canyon, which is off to the dance.
In 2A action, Vail Mountain School defeated Custer County in three games, only to run into the buzz saw that is No. 2-ranked Limon, falling in three. The Gore Rangers finish the season at 13-12.
Vail Christian, returning to postseason play after a bit of an absence, went 0-2 on Saturday, losing in five sets to Hoehne and getting swept by Wiggins.
In Class 4A, No. 5 Glenwood Springs, the Slope champion, was an upset victim as No. 20 D’Evelyn emerged from that tourney. Meeker (No. 3 in the state) and West Grand (No. 7) will represent the 2A Slope at the Denver Coliseum next weekend.