N. Crowley denies Martin in bi-district volleyball playoffs

By PAUL WESSELS

Special to the Star-Telegram

MANSFIELD — The North Crowley Lady Panthers narrowly escaped the bi-district round of this year’s playoffs.

The Lady Panthers barely held off the Arlington Martin Lady Warriors on Tuesday, 15-25, 25-18, 22-25, 25-22, 15-12 at Mansfield Legacy High School.

"Coming into the game we knew we were going to have some ups and downs," North Crowley coach Stephanie Cunningham said. "We just knew when we had our downs we had to come back and stay focused on our goal, which was to stay in the game."

Game 1 was a definite down for the Lady Panthers (35-6). While it was back-and-forth in the beginning, the Lady Warriors (14-25) went on a nine-point run to open up a lead they never let go.

There were 10 ties in Game 2, but after Martin scored to make it 14-14, North Crowley earned 11 of the last 15 points to take the game.

After Martin took a 2-1 lead in games, the Lady Panthers players admitted they were nervous.

"I was just praying to God that we would win," sophomore outside hitter Paige Panfil said. "It was stressful."

Divine intervention may have helped the squad win Game 4 and even the match, but Cunningham gave a lot of the credit to her players.

"They realized we had to do this," Cunningham said. "They dug themselves a bit of a hole, but they are fighters. We have come back from bigger deficits and we never gave up."

Game 5 was Panfil’s. She had five of her 13 kills in the decisive frame.

"I was ready to give it all I’ve got," Panfil said. "That could have been our last game for all I knew."

Martin coach Tracy Perez-Peterson said this was a difficult year for her team and this was not the first time this season they have lost a lead.

"That’s been our trademark all year," Perez-Peterson said. "We play well, then we relax, then they go on a run and we can’t handle it."

Seniors Brooke Brawley, libero, and Candice Thomas, middle blocker, and Cherry Mendozaall played major roles for the Lady Panthers. Brawley recorded 26 digs, Thomas had 17 kills and Mendoza recorded 15 digs.

Next up for North Crowley is Amarillo Tascosa later this week. The site is still to be determined, but Cunningham thinks it might be in Vernon.

"They are a great team, they finished second in district behind Amarillo High, which is a state finalist every year," Cunningham said. "It will be tough competition and we will see what we are made of."

Looking for comments?