One week may not make or break a season, but it can be a good indicator of the direction a team is headed.
Fresh off its performance in a tournament at Lewis-Palmer, Montrose’s girls volleyball team has to be feeling good about its current path. The Red Hawks went 4-0 in Monument, handing a pair of top-10 teams its first loss of the year along the way.
Montrose (7-0, 1-0 in 5A/4A Southwestern League play), currently No. 1 in the most recent CHSAANow.com rankings, has dropped only two sets in seven matches after sweeping its SWL opener against Palisade on Tuesday night. The squad took down Class 5A’s No. 7 Pueblo West, 4A’s No. 6 Windsor and 2024 3A state runner-up Platte Valley in the LP tourney.
A year ago the Red Hawks finished 18-10 and earned the No. 5 seed in the 4A state tournament, only to go 1-2. The team graduated five seniors, including three of its big hitters.
The team’s leading attacker, Maggie Legg, was only a junior though. She currently leads the team in kills, digs and aces, and fellow senior Lilly Nelson is back at setter, averaging 9.1 assists a set. Juniors Marcella Mendoza (60 kills) and Amaya Potter (48 digs) have also been big for the Red Hawks.
With four weeks already behind us, here is a quick look at what lies ahead around the state this week:
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Class 5A
Loveland at Fossil Ridge, 6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 11
With the 5A/4A Northern League now underway, this will be a good early test for both squads. Top-ranked Fossil Ridge (4-0, 1-0) has already downed Rock Canyon and Chaparral this fall, with junior Emery Johnson’s 17 kills and 13 digs sparking a sweep of the Wolverines. … No. 6 Loveland (3-1) dropped a tournament matchup with Pueblo West, and has 4A’s No. 6 Windsor waiting next Tuesday.
Class 4A
Canon City at Pueblo County, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16
Pueblo County has found its footing after consecutive losses to open the season. The fourth-ranked Hornets (5-2) have won five in a row, including sweeping through a tournament last weekend that saw a victory over No. 9 Falcon. Junior Eden Johnson has 85 kills on the season, senior Sophia Howes has 13 total blocks and freshman Brynnn Clementi has been strong defensively. … Canon City (6-2 after a 3-1 loss to Pueblo East on Tuesday) lost in tournament play to Falcon, but has some quality victories as well. Junior Raegen John’s 6.2 digs pace the Tigers.
Class 3A
Prospect Ridge Academy at Stargate School, 6 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 16
It’s been a busy first few weeks for Stargate School. The No. 8 Eagles (8-0 going into Tuesday night’s matchup with KIPP Denver Collegiate), and the team has game Thursday and Friday before the matchup with No. 3 Prospect Ridge. Sophomore Chloe Pan is averaging nearly four kills a set and Morgan Stitzer has 93 digs in 21 sets. Reese White averages eight assists a set. … Prospect Ridge Academy (7-1) hadn’t dropped a set in its first seven matches before being swept by Elizabeth on Tuesday night. The Miners are relatively young as well, with only three seniors on the roster.
Class 2A
Swink at Rye, 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 11
Sixth-ranked Swink is being challenged early in the regular season. The Lions (5-2, 5-0 Santa Fe) fell to current 2A No. 1 Sanford and 1A defending champion McClave, with No. 3 Rye up next. Junior Daisy Heberlie and senior Taylor Mendenhall have been strong on the attack for Swink. … Rye (6-0, 2-0) has dropped just one set thus far. Senior Isabella Bond is averaging 3.2 kills a set and Seine Roy is averaging nearly six digs a set.
Class 1A
Stratton at Caliche, 4 p.m., Friday, Sept. 12
This non-league tilt between current top-10 teams should be a good one. Both No. 5 Stratton and eighth-ranked Caliche are getting their feet underneath them still, having combined to play only eight matches after the Buffs defeated Haxtun on Tuesday night. … Stratton (3-0) swept its first three matches, including a pair of 2A/1A Union Pacific League contests. Senior middle Sophie Isenbart has been strong early for the Eagles, who went 3-2 at state last November. … Caliche’s Ryann Svoboda is averaging 3.5 kills a set, and Hallie Lewis is at 3.8 digs.
