By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — If ever pre-game warmups foreshadowed an offensive edge held by one team over another, it was Oct. 27, in the Round 3 match hosted by Watauga vs. Charlotte-area rival, Marvin Ridge. The Pioneers won in five sets, 3-2 (25-15, 25-23, 24-26, 21-25, 15-9).
Both sides had obviously powerful outside and middle hitters, but at first glance the Mavericks were less consistent in setting up the ball for the kill shots. Maybe it was just pre-match jitters, but in the set-to-kill warmups before the match, the Marvin Ridge setters were neither as crisp nor accurate in their assist opportunities, setting the ball too close to the net, too far back, too short, or too long. By contrast, Pioneer setters Cam Norris and Brooke Scheffler rarely missed.
At least in sets 1 and 2, both won by Watauga, the accuracy of the kill shot sets may well have proven the edge the Pioneers needed. And yet, Marvin Ridge came storming back to take the third and fourth sets, forcing the fifth set tiebreaker.
For the Pioneers, it was a game of monster digs against the Mavericks, who seemed to have a slight height advantage. No fewer than five Watauga athletes were in double digits in digs, led by Caroline Farthing (30), Kenzie Baldwin (27) and Brooke Scheffler (25), with strong contributions defensively by Evie Robbins and Cam Norris with 18 digs each.
Offensively, senior hitters Farthing (33 kills), Scheffler (25 kills, 25 assists), and Norris (24 assists) were the featured attack mainstays.
With the win, No. 2 seeded Watauga advances to the 4A West Bracket semifinals (quarterfinals of the whole state tournament) against the No. 3 seed, Sun Valley, which survived its own 5-set challenge from Ardrey Kell. The semifinal match will be hosted by Watauga at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, in Lentz Eggers Gym.
In the upper half of the 4A West bracket, No. 1 Reagan was upset by No. 8 South Iredell, 3-2, which will now face No. 4 Hough on Oct. 29.
Over in the 4A East upper bracket, another No. 8 seed defeated a No. 1 seed when Cardinal Gibbons dispatched Chapel Hill, 3-0. Cardinal Gibbons will now face No. 4 Middle Creek on Oct. 29 (2 p.m.). The Middle Creek Mustangs advanced by sweeping No. 12 Hoggard, 3-0.
In the lower half of the 4A East bracket, No. 11 Green Level leveled No. 8 Pinecrest, 3-0, and will now face No. 2 Millbrook, a 3-2 winner over Ashley in Round 3, with the East bracket semifinal set for 1 p.m. on Oct. 29.
SELECTED WATAUGA STATS
- Kenzie Baldwin 1 kill, 10 assists, 3 service aces, 27 digs
- Evie Robbins 1 assist, 18 digs
- Cam Norris 1 kill, 24 assists, 18 digs
- Faith Watson 3 kills, 2 stuff blocks, 5 digs
- Brooke Scheffler 25 kills, 25 assists, 2 stuff blocks, 25 digs
- Caroline Farthing 33 kills, 30 digs
- Brooklyn Stanbery 1 kill, 4 service aces, 1 dig
- Sara Marlowe 1 kill, 4 stuff blocks, 1 dig
- Emma Pastusic 3 kills, 1 stuff block, 1 dig
