Competitive Teams Thrill Fans

District Tournament Host Happy To See Event As Competitive As It Was

Volleyball fans watching Thursday’s district 1-4A championship match between Berryville and Pea Ridge held at Farmington were treated to a demonstration of top-notch athletic prowess and competitive spirit on the court.

The match was tied at a game apiece with Berryville and Pea Ridge splitting games one and two by identical, 25-22 scores. Now they were poised like a pair of prize-fighters contending for the championship trophy in a decisive game-three won 33-31 by the Bobcats after extended play. The loss drained some of the emotion out of Pea Ridge and the Blackhawks lost game four, 25-17, leaving Berryville with a 3-1 victory and first place.

“We’ve got a lot of heart on this team. Sometimes it comes together and sometimes it doesn’t,” said Pea Ridge coach Jessica Woods. “Tonight, it didn’t. We weren’t able to finish.”

This was volleyball at its best. The teams exchanged hits frequently landing shots that would have knocked out many an opponent but not these two teams on this night. Many a save was desperately executed with players from both teams personifying a willingness to bend low at the knees or dive onto the floor to keep the ball in the air and hope afloat. Oftentimes a dig was accomplished with a wild swing of a closed fist connecting with the volleyball at the last possible moment.

“I felt that third game was going to be a game- changer. We are spotty servers, we’re not consistent. That was the most consistent we’ve served all year. We worked on that yesterday,” said Berryville coach Kristin Whetham. “We put them in that situation and said what are you going to do?” PRAIRIE GROVE — On paper the matchup on Friday between the Prairie Grove Tigers (7-1, 5-0) and the Pea Ridge Blackhawks (0-8, 0-5) should have been no contest.

The Tigers, who have been crushing opponents since their only loss in week two were predicted to easily handle the Blackhawks who have lost all of their contests this season including two by forfeit. However, Prairie Grove needed a last minute Pea Ridge turnover, which they converted into a touchdown for the Tigers to earn the 35-28 victory.

“Obviously we were kind of flat and obviously we were not playing up to par like we should,” said Tigers’ coach Danny Abshier. “It looks to me like we took Pea Ridge a little light. So what, all we have to do is show up?”

For forty- seven minutes and thirty-six seconds the Blackhawks took it to the Tigers and nearly ruined senior night. Prairie Grove stumbled their way through the contest with three turnovers and two missed opportunities inside the Blackhawk five- yard line, producing enough offense to forge a 28-28 tie in the waning seconds of the game.

With less then thirty seconds

Aleskie Smith led the Bobcats with nine aces in the match but in game two, Taylor Garrison’s ace tied the game at 23-all for Pea Ridge. The Blackhawks reached game- point on a Bobcat hitting error but a service error gave Berryville new life. Ally Teague (dig), Hannah Needham ( set) and Hannah Noble ( kill) then worked the offense to find the empty spot on the floor pushing the Bobcats ahead, 25-24. Sara Kahle’s kill earned Pea Ridge a reprieve but then a block went out-ofbounds pushing Pea Ridge again to the brink.

The Blackhawks dodged a bullet when Berryville’s Morgan Pando missed a spike at point-blank range when a dig came right at her.

Mikhaela Cochran put the Blackhawks back in the driver’s seat by smashing a kill for a 27-26 advantage before Berryville successfully played the ball off the Blackhawk front line to even the contest again, at 27-27. Pea Ridge was whistled over a 4- hit violation sending Berryville fans into a frenzy as they pounded the bleachers with game-point again on the line.

Yet, the Blackhawks were not going to go quietly and their fans responded with a crescendo of cheers as Cochran and Garrison pounded kills for a 29-28 lead. Berryville took their turn to rally and escaped with a Pea Ridge hitting error knotting the score at 29-29.

Another Cochran kill gave Pea Ridge an opportunity dashed by a hitting error, then Teague knocked down a kill for a 31-30 Bobcat lead. Cochran once more rose to the occasion and recorded a kill to deadlock the contest. Kahle got a good look from a set but the Bobcats were able to fight off the power spike and won the next point when a Blackhawk hit went long. On the ninth game- point of the match, Berryville was able to work their offense again between Noble’s dig and Misty Rhymer setting the ball right back where Noble finished the game with a kill for a 33-31 Berryville triumph.

“We knew it was going to be close. We were evenly matched with them and I think it showed prevalently throughout the game,” Woods said.

“That was unbelievable. No doubt one of the best exhibitions of high school volleyball ever played. It was the most points I’ve ever seen scored in a game,” said Farmington coach Marshall Ward, whose team placed third in the tourney and advanced to state along with Berryville, Pea Ridge and Gravette. “I’m proud that both crowds never went at the other team, they just cheered for their own.”

Ward, who was serving for the first time as district tournament host, was beyond busy last week, saying the three-day span of tournament play was like a blur.

“Since we [Farmington] were out of it [the champi- onship], I’m happy to see my hometown, Berryville, win. It’s a big sigh of relief right now but I am really happy to see it be as competitive

as it was.”