Greg Webb
sports@weatherforddemocrat.com
BRIDGEPORT —
The Callisburg Lady Cats took the points lead over Brock in the first game of the Class 2A, Region II quarterfinal volleyball match on Tuesday, a foreshadowing of the competition in store for the Lady Eagles, but not of the outcome. Knotted at 14-all, Brock applied the pressure it would illustrate throughout the contest, staging the comeback to win the first set, 25-18.
The tenacious Lady Cats made Brock earn its points, and the Lady Eagles did, sweeping through the final two games, 25-16 and 25-21, to win the match.
“[Callisburg] made us earn 21 points in that last game,” said Brock head coach Keith Guyon. “They played some awesome defense.
“We swung at a lot of balls that, for most teams would have been kills, but against them the ball came back over a lot. They were a scrappy team.”
Most of the longer rallies helping Callisburg stay competitive were due to the number of digs rather than defense at the net. In the final set, the Lady Cats climbed back from a 18-9 deficit before Brock closed out the match by a 4-point margin.
But ultimately, the Lady Eagles had just too many weapons for Callisburg to defense. Amy Henard and Braylee Flaska assured a steady dose of knockdowns into the Lady Cats’ court, with Kyndall Magyar, Bailey Snow and Abbey Drillette providing additional pressure.
“I am real proud of our girls for how hard they have worked and the resilience they have shown, and I’m really happy for them,” Guyon said. “We have a couple of things we need to clean up heading into the regional tournament, but any win this time of year is a great win.”
Brock will meet Quitman in the Region II semifinal. Guyon coached the Lady Bulldogs several successful seasons, including three trips to the state tourney, before coming to Brock three years ago.
Springtown booked its reservation to the Class 3A, Region I Tournament on Tuesday, topping Liberty Hill in four hotly-contested games at Midway High School in Waco, 22-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-23.
“We played well, and stuck to doing what we do most of the night,” said Springtown head coach Leighann Strickland.
The Lady Porcupines (31-3) will meet Abilene Wylie on Friday, at The Coliseum in Snyder.
The Aledo Ladycats will again get a shot at a Panhandle team in Class 4A, Region I competition, hoping this time to climb the bracket to the state tourney.
Aledo earned the trip to Abilene Christian University’s Moody Coliseum by sweeping aside Byron Nelson in the quarterfinal on Tuesday. Meeting at Keller High School, Aledo head coach Kathy Goings made adjustments to the Ladycats defense to counter Nelson’s hitters, prevailing 25-12, 25-18, 25-23.
Aledo meets Amarillo on Friday, 7 p.m.
Regional Tournament Schedules
Class 2A, Region II
Rockwall-Heath High School
Semi-finals
Friday, 6 p.m. — Gunter vs. Commerce
Friday, 7:30 p.m. — Brock vs. Quitman
Class 2A, Region II Final
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Class 3A, Region I
The Coliseum - Snyder
Semi-finals
Friday, 1 p.m. — Springtown vs. Abilene Wylie
Friday, 3 p.m. — Stephenville vs. Lubbock Cooper
Class 3A, Region I Final
Saturday, 3 p.m.
Class 4A, Region I
ACU Moody Coliseum - Abilene
Semi-finals
Friday, 5 p.m. — Dumas vs. Burleson
Friday 7 p.m. — Aledo vs. Amarillo
Class 4A, Region I Final
Saturday, 2 p.m.
