MEEKER I A big weekend for Cowboy volleyball, especially for the C and JV teams as they had a flurry of games Friday and Saturday. A newly added tournament just last week in Grand Valley meant that most of the girls got a lot of court time and over six to eight matches for the weekend.
“It was a good weekend for the volleyball teams, three wins for the varsity and a lot of matches for the JV and C Teams,” commented head coach Greg Cravens.
Starting in Debeque on Thursday, the varsity only games went the Cowboy way, and they won in three sets 25-12, 26-24, and 25-10 led by assistant coaches Kaylene Turner and Clea Steerman when Coach Cravens came down with a virus.
“First off I need to thank my assistant coaches because they stepped up when I was sick and did an incredible job for our program,” began Cravens about the Thursday and Friday matches. “I came down with a virus on Thursday and couldn’t coach and Coach Turner and Coach Steerman took the reins and led the teams to success.”
“DeBeque is getting better every year and gave us some fits in the second set but we were able to win in three sets,” commented Cravens.
Senior Nora Gianinetti, who had three blocks at Debeque, has faith in her teammates, which lends itself to winning even during the adversity of your head coach being ill.
“Playing with a ‘new’ group of girls all four years of high school volleyball, the teams have all been very different and incredible in various ways,” said Gianinetti. “This year’s team, although young, is eager to grow and just play volleyball. Every girl on the team is committed to being a better player every day as well as giving it everything they’ve got when they step out on the court.”
Friday games in North Fork were also played without the Cowboy head coach, but they traveled in force with a full bus of 36 players, and the girls were able to come away with three victories, winning in three sets for the JV and varsity. The varsity scores were 25-11, 25-16, 25-18.
“North Fork dropped down to 2A this year and I was worried about how we matched up with them,” said Cravens. “The varsity team took care of business in three sets.”
After returning late Friday night, the JV and C teams went to Grand Valley on Saturday morning to play in a tournament. The C Team came away with two victories and one loss and JV had three wins and one loss.
It was a big and tiring weekend for the younger girls on the team, and Ginainetti commented that “the piece of advice I would give to freshmen is to never stop smiling. Whether it’s on the outside or the inside, the way you are towards other people leaves a mark and influences your interactions as well as who you are.”
Six to eight volleyball games in a two day period is not easy and Ginainetti said “no sport is easy and frankly life isn’t either, but your perspective on how to get through difficult situations, plays, rotations, or games shapes what kind of athlete and person you are.”
With a quick trip home, all three teams took on Hayden Saturday night and all three teams came away with victories.
“The Hayden team is the best it has been in the last few years and gave us some fits,” commented Cravens. “We made a lot of unforced errors and kept them in the match. We have a few younger players stepping up and our serve game was the best of the year with 15 aces.”
Regardless of how the game is going Gianinetti has a positive outlook on how to bring the team together, “As a senior, and a teammate, my number one job is to make sure every girl on the court walks off knowing they are part of a team that cares about them and wants them there,” said Gianinetti. “Part of being a good team is having faith in one another and being ready to commit to the kids around you.” At the end of the weekend, against North Fork and Hayden, Gianinetti had two kills and a block.
• Emma Luce – 45 kills, six aces, 31 digs, and 40 serve receives
• Ainsley Selle – nine kills, 20 digs
• Ellie Hossack – seven aces, 33 assists
• Grace Roberts – 23 digs, 30 serve receives. 4 aces
• Graycee Cravens – 32 assist
• Taylor Garcia – four aces and 14 digs
On the season, the Cowboys are scoring 15 points a set and only depending on the other team to make 10 errors to win a set which is an improvement over previous years for the beginning of the season.
The Cowboys host Delta on Thursday with C team beginning at 4:30 and Cravens calls it a “great test; Delta is a very good 3A team and then a trip to Limon for another Top Ten 2A team. We will see how good of a team we are after this week.”
The Limon games are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. with C Team.
By TIFFANY JEHOREK – Special to the Herald Times
