1A girls volleyball: Wiley’s emotional season ends on Day 2 at state, but not without a victory in hand
By Brad Cochi/CHSAANow.com
Photo: Brad Cochi/CHSAANow
COLORADO SPRINGS – After five Wiley students, including girls volleyball team member Cait Zordel, died in a tragic September car crash, it would have been easy for the Panthers to give up on the 2021 season.
It would have been easy enough, as well, for the Panthers to call it a season and pack it in after losing to defending Class 1A champion Merino in the second round of the state tournament on Thursday. But that’s not the Panthers’ style and certainly not how they intended to honor their fallen teammate and classmates.
So on Friday, the fifth-seeded Panthers returned to The Broadmoor World Arena on a mission to keep their embattled season and title hopes alive in the consolation bracket. In the first match of the day, they made short work of No. 11 Belleview Christian to claim at least one victory at state before eventually being eliminated in a five-set thriller against Dove Creek later that night.
“This has definitely been one of the hardest seasons and hardest school years for us, for sure,” Wiley head coach Melissa Larrick said. “I think that speaks volumes to where the girls are at mentally. We have two sayings now: ‘Now we play for something more’ and ‘Now we play for something bigger.’ I hope that they can take those little mottos with them and leave it out there on the court.
“We still bring Cait’s jersey with us to the game and she still sits on our bench. My girls feel like that’s a good way to continue to honor her.”
Though the Panthers’ season did end on Friday, it took a 18-25, 25-17, 25-23, 16-25, 18-16 epic of at the hands of No. 9 Dove Creek to finally put them away. The win earned Dove Creek a chance to continue its run through the consolation bracket an 8 a.m. match against No. 3 Haxtun to determine who will face No. 4 seed and defending state champion Merino in the semifinals on Saturday.
In the other semifinal, No. 2 seed and runner-up Fleming awaits the winner of Saturday’s 9:30 a.m. consolation quarterfinal between No. 1 Briggsdale, the victim of a quarterfinals sweep by Merino on Friday afternoon, and No. 6 Stratton.
Cheraw defeated No. 10 Flatirons Academy in the first consolation match of the day. Stratton elimination Genoa-Hugo/Karval in the opening consolation round.
