Goessel, Hillsboro win in volleyball
Staff writers
In a tournament-filled Saturday for most county volleyball teams, Goessel and Hillsboro went undefeated.
Goessel
The Olpe Tournament usually tests Goessel with several ranked teams competing, but, after five games, the Bluebirds remained undefeated at 20-0.
Goessel breezed by the teams it faced. Bishop Seabury proved to be the best competition, but the Bluebirds still won via sweep.
They finished the tournament with 36 aces and only 17 errors, good for 93% serving efficiency. Goessel also got it done defensively, diving for 219 digs.
Coach Crysta Guhr called the defensive effort “relentless.”
The Bluebirds will be tested again Saturday at Canton-Galva’s tournament.
Hillsboro
Hillsboro dominated the Douglass Invitational on Saturday, winning five consecutive games. Coach Sandy Arnold said more hitters were involved in the Trojans’ offense, causing defenses to stay alert.
In pool play, Hillsboro beat Bluestem, El Dorado, and Douglass via sweeps. In bracket play, the Trojans beat Winfield and won the championship game against Garden Plain. Both games were decided after two sets.
Amyah Werth and Mylee Funk were named to the all-tournament team.
Hillsboro will be back in action Tuesday in a match at home with Smoky Valley and Haven.
Marion
Marion’s only games last week were Thursday, when the Warriors traveled to Berean Academy and playing Inman and Hutch-Trinity in a quad matchup. Marion won 2-1 against Hutch-Trinity but lost 2-0 to Inman.
Coach Kayley Davis said she knew Inman would be a test.
“We did some good things in a tough loss, and we were proud of how the girls bounced back,” she said.
Junior Kenzie Nickel ended the night with 17 kills for a .375 hitting percentage. Junior Brylee Smith pulled 20 digs.
Marion will play host during a mod quad Thursday with Peabody-Burns, Herington, and Council Grove visiting. The Warriors then will play host Tuesday to Sterling and Moundridge.
Centre
The Cougars traveled Saturday to Herington and finished fourth as a team.
After a three-set loss to Canto-Galva earlier this season, Centre returned the favored, beating the Eagles 2-0. The Cougars beat Herington afterward, but faced three-straight losses the rest of the way.
“Ryleigh Jones had some great placements for some kills,” coach Timothy Vinduska said. “She did a great job of finding empty places all over the floor.”
Centre will be back in action Tuesday when it plays host to Herington.
Peabody-Burns
Peabody-Burns traveled Saturday to Wakefield but couldn’t make it out of pool play. The Warriors were swept by Republic County, Blue Valley, and Bennington. Adyson Winter led the team in kills, Ashlee Salazar-Fritz in blocks, and Ava Hurst led assists.
“This week brought a little changeup for us with a lineup adjustment,” coach Clarissa Dutton said, “and I was proud of the way the girls fought through it.”
Sophomore Gracie Glenn played out of position and “embraced the challenge,” Dutton said.
The Warriors will play a mod quad Thursday with Herington and Council Grove and will play host Tuesday to Elyria Christian and Little River.