BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
DODGE CITY -- Great Bend swept its first Western Athletic Conference volleyball championship under head coach Shelly Duvall for the first title in 20 years.Great Bend captured its sixth WAC championship. Coach Mike Minton led the Panthers to 1998 and 2000 titles. Coach Jackie Engle led the Panthers to titles in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
Contributing were Cassie Ellegood, Lauryn Davis, Macy Nachtigal, Denver Ringo, Paige Thexton, Sadie Spray, Kara Feist, Kya Behr, Emilee Hall and Makenzie Premer. Ava Kaiser and Alex Mayers moved up for postseason play.
"This is the best well-balanced team I've coached," Duvall said. "They've been a blessing to coach."
The Panthers defeated runner-up Hays High 27-25, 25-14; Garden City 26-24, 25-21; Liberal 25-12, 25-14 and Dodge City 25-19, 25-16. Hays and Garden City pushed the Panthers to 2-point wins.
"In the tight situations when we were pushed, we knew we couldn't back down. I told them to put the volleyball down because I'd rather go down swinging," Duvall said. "We've learned to find your "7" energy level because you can't play at "10," or you'll get waste energy. We want to stay at "7" to stay level headed. We practice getting on point runs because you get the other team on their heels."
Duvall said the Panthers did a solid job maintaining the lead in eight consecutive sets.
"The key to Saturday is we had a game plan for every team and an overall game plan for us," Duvall said. "Every match, we reviewed our team goals and went through our goals for the team we were playing. It was a blessing we our whole coaching staff, which was key for me. They see things that I don't see on the court."
The No. 3 seeded Panthers swept eight consecutive sets to clinch a 5A home volleyball substate Oct. 21. Great Bend plays Salina Central (12-16) and Andover High (26-8) meets Hays High (21-13).
WESTERN ATHELTIC
Great Bend def. Garden City, 26-24, 25-22; Liberal def. Dodge City, 27-25, 25-14; Garden City def. Dodge City, 25-23, 25-18; Hays High def. Liberal, 25-27, 25-20; Great Bend def. Hays High, 27-25, 25-14; Garden City def. Liberal, 25-15, 25-21; Great Bend def. Liberal, 25-12, 25-14; Hays High def. Dodge City, 25-15, 25-10; Great Bend def. Dodge City, 25-19, 25-16; Hays High def. Garden City, 25-20, 25-22
WESTERN ATHLETIC
Great Bend 30-4
Garden City 23-13
Hays High 21-13
Dodge City 9-24
Liberal 8-21
PROJECTED 5A WEST SUBSTAES
1 Andover Central 34-1 vs. 15 Salina South 14-22 vs. 18 Goddard 4-29 winner; 8 Emporia 24-10 vs, 9 Wichita Carroll 23-10
2 Maize South 33-3 vs. 16 Arkansas City 11-20 vs. 17 Hutchinson 9-22 winner; 7 Topeka West 21-8 vs. 10 Valley Center 22-10
3 Great Bend 30-4 vs. 14 Salina Central 12-16, 6 Andover High 26-8 vs. 11 Newton 19-12;
4 Topeka Seaman 31-6 vs. 13 Goddard Eisenhower 16-14; 5 Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 30-6 vs. 12 Hays High 21-13
3A HOISINGTON—Hoisington 27-10 vs. Larned 4-28; Goodland 18-16 vs. Colby 16-18; Holcomb 20-9 vs SW Heights 7-25; Lakin 22-10 vs. Cimarron 14-17
3A HALSTEAD—Halstead 29-5 vs. Council Grove 4-23; Hesston 20-14 vs. Ellsworth 15-14; Smoky Valley 21-10 VS. Lyons 11-22; SE Saline 19-11 vs. Nickerson 18-17
2A STERLING—Inman 30-4 vs. Hutchinson Trinity 4-27; Garden Plain 16-12 vs. Medicine Lodge 15-16; Ellinwood 25-7 vs. Sterling 8-23; Ell-Saline 20-15 vs. Salina Sacred Heart 12-14
1A DIV. 1 KINSLEY—St. John 28-7 vs. Macksville 17-15/Quinter 14-18 winner; Spearville 24-7 vs. Hodgeman County 8-22; Ness City 27-10 vs. Kinsley 9-20
1A DIV. 1 LITTLE RIVER—Little River 34-2 vs. Canton-Galva 14-19/La Crosse 14-16 winner; Sylvan-Lucas 25-6 vs. Central Plains 10-19; Goessel 27-9 vs. Fairfield 10-16
1A DIV. 2 ARGONIA—Attica 28-3 vs. Caldwell 9-20/South Haven 7-22 winner; Argonia 25-4 vs. Stafford 2-29; Cunningham 13-22 vs. Stafford 2-29
1A DIV. 2 TESCOTT—Beloit St. John’s 25-3 vs. Otis-Bison 16-18/Tescott 4-21 winner; Victoria 20-13 vs. Chase 0-15; Pawnee Heights 16-14 vs. Natoma 3-25
