Thatccher and Sedona Red Rock traded wins the the first four sets with the winner in each looking alert and the loser somewhat lost.

But with the fifth set for all the marbles in Division IV both teams were tuned in and it showed.

Thatcher was just a smidge better in tie-breaking set and ended up winning the match 25-22, 18-25, 25-17, 18-25, 17-15 at Prescott Valley Event Center in Prescott Valley.

"It was a back and forth match," Thatcher coach Ellen Robertson said. "That last game, that's how a state championship should be decided."

Thatcher, a perennial contender in volleyball for decades, won its first state title since 2006. Sedona Red Rock was trying for its second title in three years having won in 2012.

As for the finale, Thatcher entered it on a down note as Sedona Red Rock won going away in the fourth.

Neither team led by more than three in the final set and most of the points were scored in positive fashion. Thatcher led 11-8 and at that point Sedona Red Rock coach John Parks called his final timeout. His team responded with three successive points on a kill by Morgan Andrews and two aces from Shamina Thode..

Back came Thatcher as one one of its many seniors, Natalya Barney notched back-to-back kills to put the Eagles up 13-11.

Sedona Red Rock kills leader Devonne Ryter answered with her specialty and it was matched by a kill from Thatcher's Kelly Motes. Sedona Red Rock then fought off two match points via a pair of Thatcher errors.

Sedona Red Rock's last chance at a lead failed on a service error with the set tied at 14. Ryter's last kill of the match tied it again at 15.

The state title fell two points later thanks to a kill by Thatcher's Alex Palmer and a hitting error by Sedona Red Rock to account for the final tally.

The key for Thatcher, as it has been most of the time for the senior dominated squad, was balance on the attack. Barney led the Eagles with 14 kills, Palmer was next with 11, Motes had 10 and Danica Rowan had nine.

 

 

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