Holcomb volleyball sweeps Scott City to punch ticket to state

Holcomb, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–Saturday’s Class 4A, Division II Sub-State in Holcomb felt like once again another GWAC tournament. All four teams have faced off at least two times this year going in to Saturday’s postseason tournament. Just like the previous matches between the teams, the results were the same, as Holcomb outlasted Goodland and Scott City to earn their trip to Salina on Friday.

Holcomb started out with Goodland to begin the day. The match started out back and forth. Goodland (5-30) led 13-9 in the first set, before the Lady Longhorns went on a 9-1 run, and pulling away eventually with a 25-21 win. In the second set, Holcomb ran the table, starting off with a 10-4 lead, before cruising to a 25-11 win.

In the second semi-final, Scott City was looking for their fifth win against Colby this year, fought off a test from the upset-minded Lady Eagles early on. The first set saw the lead change twice and a tied set four times. Scott City never trailed after taking a 13-12 lead midway through, even though Colby (7-27) tied it up at 16. The Lady Beavers closed out the set on a 9-3 run to win 25-19. Scott City never trailed in the second set, despite an early push from the Lady Eagles. After Colby pulled to within 8-7, Scott City closed out the set and the match on a 17-2 run to advance to their first sub-state finals match in over a decade with a 25-9 win. They scored 10 straight in that streak.

The finals match was one that saw both crowds bring the intensity. There were 14 ties and three lead changes in the first set. Scott City led early on 9-5, only to see Holcomb use a 7-2 run to take a 12-11 lead. It would be nip and tuck for a majority of the set, before the Lady Longhorns used a 7-3 run to close out the first set with a 25-21 win. The second set was just a tight early on, as the teams exchanged the lead four times. Scott City (27-10) led 10-9, and then trailed 13-12 midway through the set. That would be the closest they would get the rest of the way. Holcomb (32-5) poured it on, using a 12-3 run to end the match, and punch their ticket to state for the second time in three seasons with a 25-15 win. It was the fourth time the Lady Longhorns defeated the Lady Beavers this season, and the third straight time since 2011 they’ve knocked out Scott City in sub-state play.

For Scott City, a 27-10 record was a 20-win improvement from last season, and the most they’ve won in a season since 2011, when they went 26-12.

Holcomb continues one of their best runs in program history at 32-5, and will be the No. 1 seed at the Class 4A, Division II State Tournament Friday & Saturday in Salina. They will take on No. 8 seed Jefferson West (22-15) at 8:30 am, No. 5 seed Nickerson (31-9) at 10:30, and No. 4 seed Baxter Springs (31-8) at 1:30 pm. If they were to advance out of pool play, they would play on Saturday in the semi-finals and either the championship match or the third place match in the morning session.

Holcomb Coach Jennifer Barrett