The Florence Lady Falcons went into the state tournaments with high hopes and with an undefeated season behind them. They remained undefeated after the first match against Joliet after dropping the first game of the match. Megan Kowalski remained a force at the net, making 14 kills and four blocks in the match.
Florence def. Joliet, 18-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-17.
Florence – Kills 47 (Megan Kowalski 14). Blocks 7 (Kowalski 4). Assists 42 (Shay Waldbillig 39). Digs – 39 (Hunter Doty-DiBrito 13). Aces – 16 (Hun. Doty-DiBrito 5.
Joliet – Kills 35 (Zorn 14). Blocks 7 (Zorn 2, Nowak 2). Assists 31 (Webber 27). Digs – 65 (Webber 21). Aces – 11 (Nowak 5).
Next up for the Lady Falcons were the Red Lodge Rams, the eventual Class B champion. Florence got off to a good start and took the first game, 23-25. However, after that, it was all Red Lodge. The Rams went on to win the next three games and take the match, sending the Lady Falcons to the loser’s bracket.
Red Lodge def. Florence, 23-25, 25-13, 25-13, 25-13.
Red Lodge – Kills 37 (Cortner 11, Kelly 9). Blocks: 12 (Hilderman 4.5, Cortner 3). Assists – 32 (Hilderman 29, Porcell 2). Digs – 75 (Cortner 23, Kelly 14). Aces: 13 (Hilderman 8, Cortner 3).
Florence – Kills – 36 (Kowalski 11 ). Blocks: 10 (Kourtney Kohlman 4). Assists – 34 (Waldbillig 33). Digs – 25 (Shannon Byrne 6, Hunter Doty-DiBrito 5). Aces – 2 (Hudsyn Doty-DiBritio 1, Destini Greer 1).
Florence then had to get past Fairfield, the No. 2 team from the Northern Divisional. Florence again dropped the first game but then rallied and came back to win the next three and the match. Kowalski had nine blocks and 21 kills in the win.
Florence def. Fairfield 20-25, 25-21, 25-18, 25-15
Florence – Kills 53 (Kowalski 21, Sarah Hopkroft 14). Blocks 15 (Kowalski 9). Assists 44 (Waldbillig 42). Digs 32 – (Waldbillig 7, Hunter Doty-DiBrito 7). Aces – 8 (Autumn Round 3)
Fairfield – Kills 38 (Klinker 20). Blocks – 12 (Klinker &). Assists 37 (Poor 31).
Digs 62 Konan 13. Aces 6 (Poor 2).
With the win, Florence knew they would do no worse than fourth place at state and had a chance to move up. However they had to get past the Bluehawks from Thompson Falls. The pesky Bluehawks had been growing tougher each time they have played Florence. The two played in early September with Florence winning in three games. Last week, Thompson Falls took Florence to five games with Florence coming out the winner. The old adage, it’s tough to beat a good team three times, proved to be true this time. Although it was close in the two games, Thompson Falls pulled away in the third game and took the match and left Florence in fourth place.
Thompson Falls def. Florence 25-23, 28-26, 25-18.
Thompson Falls – Kills 36 (Schwindt 16), Blocks 21 (Schwindt 7), Assists 33 (Wilson 31). Digs 67 (Wilson 15, Sorlie 15). Aces 3.
Florence – Kills 35 (Kowalski 8). Blocks 8 (Kowalski 5). Assists – 28 (Waldbillig 28). Digs – 48 (Hunter Doty-DiBrito 13). Aces 4 (Round 3).
The volleyball season finished this weekend in Bozeman with the All Class tournament. The top eight teams in each of the four classes competed for bragging rights and trophies. Corvallis represented the Western A with a No. 4 seed and Florence went into the tournament as the No. 1 seed from the Western B and an undefeated record. Both Corvallis and Florence came back with fourth place finishes.
Corvallis opened against the No. 1 seed from the Eastern A, Belgrade. The Panthers controlled the first two games, 25-17 and 25-16, before Corvallis took the third game. But even though the Blue Devils out blocked Belgrade, they couldn’t get past them in the fourth game and lost the match.
Belgrade def. Corvallis, 25-17, 25-16, 20-25, 25-23.
Belgrade – Kills 43 (Bailey Christensen 16). Blocks 6 (Brooke Gilbertson 2.5). Assists 34 (Shania Neubauer 32). Digs 57 (Taylor Christensen 16, B. Christensen 14.) Aces 9 (three with three).
Corvallis – Kills 37 (Genesis Keith 10). Blocks 5 (Maureen Jessop 24). Assists 33 (Kate Hurlbert 30). Digs 76 (Kenzie Jessop 24). Aces 9 (Keith 3).
After losing to Belgrade, Corvallis had to win to stay playing. They took on the Golden Eagles of Lewistown in their next game. After a slow beginning where the Blue Devils dropped the first game 12-25, they rebounded back to win games two and three. But Lewistown didn’t give up either. They won the fourth game, sending the match to five games. That game was very close but Corvallis prevailed and lived to play again.
Corvallis def. Lewistown 12-25, 26-24, 25-13, 17-25, 16-14
Corvallis – Kills 54 (Keith 16, Maureen Jessop 11). Blocks 7 (Maureen Jessop 3, Kaitlin Irwin 1.5). Assists – 46 (Hurlbert 43). Digs – 105 (Hurlbert 19, Jessop 18). Aces – 3 (Jessop 2, Emme Warnken 1).
Lewistown – Kills – 43 (Ross 11, Zimmer 11, Potter 9). Blocks – 14 (Zimmer 6, Hayes 3, Carpenter 3). Assists – 34 (Comes 33). Digs – 88 (Collins 23, Comes 14, Potter 14). Aces – 12 (Carpenter 4, Gapay 4).
Corvallis then had to play Billings Central who had lost to the eventual state champion, Columbia Falls. It was another hard-fought match with Corvallis winning the first game, 17-25 and running the second game to 31-29. The Blue Devils also won game three before dropping the final two games and the match.
Billings Central def. Corvallis 17-25, 31-29, 16-25, 25-21, 15-11.
Billings Central – Kills 39 (Moten-Schell 14, Hawbaker 9), Blocks – 10 (Hawbaker 5, Moten-Schell 4, Sterup 4). Assists – 36 (Nielsen 34). Digs 76 (Kufield 19, Nielsen 18, Hadley 18). Aces – 6 (Nielsen 2).
Corvallis – Kills 54 (Keith 16, Maureen Jessop 14). Blocks – 8 (Maureen Jessop 3, Keith 2). Assists – 49 (Hurlbert 46). Digs – 115 (Kenzie Jessop 16, Maureen Jessop 25). Aces – 10 (Kenzie Jessop 3, Ashley Hornady 3).
(On a side note, Victor alumni Christine (Smith) Gondeiro coached her Belt volleyball team to the Class C championship.)