Triton holds off O-D in sectional final
BOURBON — It’s becoming a habit — a good one — for Triton’s volleyball team as they took a sectional title again with a straight-set win over Oregon-davis.
The Bobcats got to the final earlier in the day with a straight-set win over a feisty Argos squad 25-17, 25-13, 25-20.
Triton won six straight sets with a 3-0 win over West Central in the first match of the day 25-14, 25-15, 25-16.
It was far from an easy day for the Blue Slam though, as the Lady Bobcats made Triton fight for every point in a very competitive final.
“Our girls played hard, they didn’t give up,” said O-D head coach Jessi Danford. “They treated every serve as if it were the last point. I’m really proud of them. They worked hard.”
“O-D is coached by a couple of my former players so I’m proud of that,” said Triton coach Derek Eveland. “I knew that they would have energy. They’ve come a long way from last year, and if you watched them in earlier games they do whatever it takes.”
A big difference in the contest was the strength and depth of the Triton front line which — at times — was overpowering in both matches of the day.
“They had some of those kills, those hard hits that you can’t get up but I love that our girls didn’t hang their heads, they kept getting after it,” said Danford.
On paper, the Trojans were the favorites in the tournament but O-D let them know that only means you have a target on your back.
“We play these teams again and again and again in tournaments and at home and away, everybody knows everybody and on paper everybody expects you to win it and that makes it even harder,” said Eveland. “Overall I was pretty pleased with our control of the match. That’s kind of our goal is to get control of each match. Even though we got down a couple of times early on I felt like we hadn’t hit our stride and I thought when we did we looked good.”
It’s always hardest for a coach to say goodbye to their seniors and for Danford, it was no different.
“Maddie (Hudspeth) was my awesome hitter and my big up front,” she said. “Breanna (Moore) is my other big in the front. I don’t know what I’m going to do next year without them.
“Jayden (Scott) is an amazing server. I think I’ve only seen her miss four serves all year. She’s a solid back-row player. There are going to be some big holes that need to be filled.”
Oregon-davis ends their season at 9-16. Triton (2311), ranked No. 20 in Class
1A, moves on to regional action at Culver HS on Saturday.
• TRITON def. OREGONDAVIS 25-20, 25-18, 25-14 Class 1A
Sectional 50 Championship
• TRITON def. WEST CENTRAL 25-13, 25-15, 25-16 Sectional 50 semifinal
• OREGON-DAVIS def. ARGOS 25-17, 25-13, 25-20 Sectional 50 semifinal
Triton stat leaders combined from both matches:
Kills - Addyson Viers 28, Taren Yates 22, Lena Doll 14, Madeline Doll 9
Assists - M Doll 60
Aces - M Doll 6, Kinsey Atkins 5, Jolie Groves 3, Viers 3
Digs - Atkins 30, Viers 16, Yates 15, Groves 9, M Doll 9 Blocks - Viers 3, L Doll 2, M Doll 2
Triton varsity record is 23-11.