Durango wins with major assists

If anything, Shannon Alia thought it might be bad defense that doomed her Centennial volleyball team in the Sunset Region finals at Silverado High School. Or maybe a poor serve receive or too many mental mistakes.

Not a backboard.

But in a game of karma and lucky breaks, the volleyball gods smiled on Durango and dashed Alia's hopes.

The Trailblazers won 25-19, 25-17, 23-25, 21-25, 15-13 after the Bulldogs worked their way back from a 2-0 game deficit.

In the fifth game, Centennial built a 7-4 lead, almost halfway to victory, when disaster struck.

Like they'd done all day, the Bulldogs dug one of Durango outside hitter Hayley Spelman's monster attacks. Spelman finished with 28 kills, but on any other day, it might've been 40.

Centennial's back line consistently got under her spikes, propelling the ball into the air with tremendous velocity. But on this crucial play, the ball bounced off the suspended basketball hoop, crashing to the floor.

Lightning struck again for the fortunate Trailblazers with a 13-11 lead, as again a ball caromed off the backboard and onto the Bulldogs' side.

"It sucks to work so hard and to come back and to have something like the backboard kill us," said Centennial setter Lauren Sagers, who had 10 kills, 16 assists, 10 digs and five blocks. "But we'll swallow this loss, knowing how we tried."

And try they did.

The Trailblazers (21-2) built their two-game advantage on the strength of sound passing and a reliance on Spelman.

But in Games 3 and 4, the 6-foot-6-inch star was relegated to bystander, as setter Markie Malone mixed the attack around, often to outside hitter Jordan Nitz. When Spelman got a swing, Centennial (17-4) adjusted to it.

"I wondered why Markie was setting Jordan at the beginning of Game 5," Durango coach Bob Kelly said. "I mean, a half of Hayley's swings are kills, and a third of Jordan's are. She should've just fed Hayley, but she went the other way. Jordan did put them away, had some really nice kills.

"But when you get up in the 20s or Game 5, you need to find where No. 4 is on the court."

Spelman started to appear frustrated as the match continued, at her play and the Bulldogs' comeback. That all changed during a huddle before the deciding fifth game.

With her teammates and coaches looking nervous and angry, Spelman looked determined. Perhaps her five fifth-game kills and match-clinching block on the final play were the result of the focus.

"During the fourth game, (assistant coach Kelly O'Quinn) brought it to my attention," Spelman said of her boiling point. "I was looking mopey, and I didn't want that to happen. Heading into the fifth game, I needed to be back up and upbeat."

In the Sunrise Region final, Silverado topped Southeast division-rival Coronado 25-16, 25-21, 23-25, 25-18.

The matchup pitted bitter rivals but mirror images, as each team featured sound passing games that led the way. With libero Kelly Garis manning the back line -- and finishing with 37 digs -- Skyhawks ran their offense often. Likewise, Garis' counterpart Shelby Scott was on her game, notching 20 digs and firing up the team with emotional outbursts.

But sophomore Taylor Richard tipped the scales in Silverado's favor. She was an offensive force with 25 kills, demanding attention from setter Becca Agae (33 assists).

Centennial and Coronado will meet in the play-in game for the state tournament 6 p.m. Monday at Silverado, while Silverado and Durango await the results to determine their first-round matchup.

Contact reporter Jon Gold at jgold@ reviewjournal.com or (702) 380-4587.