The Florence Falcons have challenged themselves this season, playing in some bigger tournaments against Class A and Class AA teams. They have worked to concentrate on each game and not look past that game. That discipline has paid off for the team. They will be returning to the state tournament in Bozeman this weekend. They will play Jefferson County at 10am on Thursday morning.
The Falcons made short work of the Thompson Falls Bluehawks in their opening game of the tournament. Florence dominated at the net with 30 kills and three blocks. Rilee Mangun had seven kills, two blocks and three aces.
Florence def Thompson Falls, 25-14, 25-10, 25-9
Florence: Kills 30 (Rilee Mangun 7). Blocks 3 (Mangun 2). Digs 28 (Hudsyn Doty-DiBrito 11). Assists 26 (Shay Waldbillig 25). Aces 8 (Mangun 3).
Thompson Falls: Kills 12 (Lexy Van Elswyk 5). Blocks 5 (Van Elswyk 2). Digs 19 (Maya Stiles 5, Riley Wilson 5). Assists 6 (Wilson 5). Aces 1 (Stiles).
Next up for Florence was Bigfork. The momentum was building for the Falcons and they defeated the Vals in three games. Sarah Hopcroft and Shannon Byrne each had 15 kills. Doty-DiBrito and Byrne each had two aces.
Florence def. Bigfork, 25-20, 25-22, 25-10
Bigfork: Kills 18 (Abby Ellison 7). Digs 29 (Ellison 8, Lydia Shelley 6). Assists 20 (Aubrey Halverson 17). Aces 3 (Brooke Fraley 2).
Florence: Kills 43 (Sarah Hopcroft 15, Shannon Byrne 15). Blocks 4 (Jacklyn Balfourd 2). Digs 44 (Hudsyn Doty-DiBrito 18). Assists 36 (Shay Waldbillig 32). Aces 5 (Doty-DiBrito 2, Byrne 2).
In the semi final match, Florence topped Eureka in three games. It was Hopcroft and Mangun at the net, combining for 26 kills. They also had two aces each.
Florence def. Eureka 25-12, 25-21, 25-17
Eureka – Kills 26 (Kierstin Cooper 7, Alyssa Lamb 6)lnBlocks 9 (Sophia Barton 2, Jesse Gravely 2). Digs – 18 (Rylee Morgan 5, Peterson 5). Assists 29 (Liz Pacella 29). Aces – 1 (Sienna Utter).
Florence – Kills 40 (Sarah Hopcroft 13, Rilee Mangun 13). Blocks 5 (Emma Stensrud 3). Digs 31 (Hopcroft 9). Assists 34 (Shay Waldbillig 32). Aces – 7 (Mangun 2, Hopcroft 2).
The win put Florence into the championship match. Eureka had to come back through the loser’s bracket to meet the Falcons. It only took three games for Florence to win the championship. Shay Waldbillig had 35 assists and an ace in the win.
Championship
Florence def. Eureka 25-16, 25-19, 25-22.
Eureka – Kills 25 (Kassi Peterson 9, Sienna Utter 8). Blocks 6 (Ariel Clark 2). Digs n/a. Assists 22 Kamryn Scully 22. Aces 1 (Darcy Walker).
Florence – Kills 38 (Shannon Byrne 11, Sarah Hopcroft 10). Blocks 4 (Byrne 2). Digs 39 (Hudsyn Doty-DiBrito 10, Hopecroft 9). Assists 36 (Waldbillig 35). Aces 2 (Waldbillig , Mangun).