Dave Maxwell: Pahranagat Valley 2016 1A Southern Division Volleyball Champions.
Beatty outlasted Tonopah in a five-set match in one semifinal of the 1A Southern regional tournament in Alamo last Saturday, then had little-to-nothing left against Pahranagat Valley in the finals.
Panther coach Ginger Whipple said some of the Beatty players were sick to begin with. “He (Beatty coach Steven Sullivan) told me before our match he was going to sub, so I subbed also, putting some of our girls in different spots.”
Nevertheless, the Lady Panthers rolled over the Hornets to win the 1A Southern League title with in three sets 25-5, 25-10, 25-17. Both teams advance to the state tournament in Sparks and Reno this weekend.
In the first match of the day, Alyson Egbert’s nine kills and four assists carried the Panthers over the Beaver Dam Diamondbacks 25-9, 25-6, 25-12 in the Southern League semifinals.
Karley Whipple had eight kills, five assists and three digs for the Panthers, and Madison Harris had six assists, five digs and three kills. Allyse Frehner added 19 assists.
In the second match, Beatty defeated Tonopah 17-25, 25-20, 25-15, 17-25, 15-13.
By advancing to the state tournament again this year, it marks the 21st year in a row for the Lady Panthers to have made it to the state semi-finals. During that same period they have won the championship a record 17 times. This will be the third straight appearance for Beatty. Their last state championship was in 1993.
The big surprise of the weekend was defending state champion Smith Valley losing 3-2 to Eureka in the first round of the Northern Regionals. Eureka then in turn lost to Owyhee 3-0 in the semifinals.
At state on Friday in Sparks, Pahranagat Valley will face Wells in the first match and Beatty plays Owyhee in the second. The championship is Saturday afternoon at Damonte Ranch High School.
