Keller sweeps Eaton to pull off upset and more from Fort Worth-area | Sept. 14, 2021
Sept. 14 games
Arlington Oakridge 3, Pantego Christian 2
The Oakridge Owls erased a 2-0 deficit to shock the Panthers, 22-25, 14-25, 25-18, 25-17, 15-13 at home on Tuesday, pushing their season record to 19-7.
Oakridge led for the entire fifth and decisive set, growing its lead to 4-0, 7-2 and 9-5. But the Panthers, who reached the TAPPS state semifinals last season, scored four straight points, including from a kill by Abby McDonald and Oakridge had to call time with its lead trimmed to 9-8.
The Owls responded with four straight to extend the lead to 12-8.
Pantego clawed its way and an ace from Carlie Harder had the Panthers within 14-13.
Oakridge called its final timeout and came out with the game winner, a kill off the dig by junior Megan Weldon. Weldon, who celebrated her 17th birthday on Tuesday, also picked up the kill on set point in the fourth, when the Owls pulled away after the game was tied at 7-7 and 11-11.
Pantego had a chance to complete the sweep in the third when it trimmed a 15-8 deficit to 15-14, but Oakridge used a 6-0 run and Weldon’s ace at set point extended the night. Pantego could do little wrong in the second set and built up a 17-9 advantage off a Harder ace, Ashlyn Turner kill and Aniya Wipperfurth block.
After a back-and-forth first set, Pantego started to pull away when a Turner solo block made it 17-13 Panthers. The Owls scored six of the next nine points to make it 20-19, but Pantego was able to finish it off for a 1-0 lead.
Keller 3, Haslet Eaton 0
Two of the top five teams in the Fort Worth-area Class 6A rankings met on Tuesday night and it was No. 5 Keller that upset No. 1 Eaton, 25-20, 25-17, 25-17.
Keller improved its mark to 2-0 in District 4-6A and 16-12 overall.
Eaton dropped its second game all season (22-2, 0-1).
Keller was led by West Virginia commit Melanie McGann’s 14 kills and Taylor Polivka’s 36 assists. Leah Ford chipped in 11 kills and seven blocks, Reagan Sharp added 10 kills and Landry McEachern finished with 16 digs.
Keller, which beat Byron Nelson in its district opener, has a bye on Friday and plays Keller Timber Creek next Tuesday Sept. 21. Eaton will play Timber Creek on Friday.
Justin Northwest 3, Grapevine 0
Northwest, No. 3 in the Fort Worth-area Class 5A rankings, bested Grapevine in straight sets, 25-16, 25-20, 25-18 at home on Tuesday to improve its record to 2-0 in District 6-5A and 16-8 overall.
Grapevine, which made the 5A state semifinals last season, was coming off perhaps its best week of the season with wins over area-ranked teams Argyle and Colleyville Heritage (No. 1 in 5A).
Texas commit MaKenna Miller had a team-high 11 kills, hit .500 and added five digs. Juliana Green and Sophie Chambers added seven kills apiece and Hannah Clear chipped in six kills.
Madison Scrivner and Chambers were leading setters with 21 and 15 assists, respectively.
Alyssa Rojo had a game-high 15 digs and Chambers added 14.
Mansfield 3, Waco Midway 1
Ava Roberts (16 kills) and Texas Tech commit Brynn Williams (15 kills) led the Tigers past the Panthers, 25-17, 15-25, 25-9, 25-20 at home on Tuesday night.
Mansfield, No. 3 in the area 6A rankings, improves to 20-15 overall and 2-0 in District 11-6A.
Midway drops to 15-15 and 1-1.
Roberts and Williams both hit over .300 on the night while Roberts served up three aces and had 12 digs. Williams had a game-high 21 digs and Rachel Resta and Nicole Ngo added 13 and 12, respectively.
Resta and Meadow Smith combined for 39 assists.
Boswell 3, Chisholm Trail 0
Madi Parrish, who also celebrated her birthday on Tuesday, had a game-high 15 kills and Boswell, No. 8 in the 6A area rankings, swept sister school Chisholm Trail, 25-17, 25-20, 25-21.
The Pioneers improved to 2-0 in District 3-6A and 16-12 overall.
The Rangers fell to 17-11 and 1-1.
Chisholm Trail held the early advantage until a Parrish ace tied the opening set, 10-10. It was also tied at 14-14, but Boswell finished with 11 of the next 14 points. Parrish’s kill on set point gave the Pioneers a 1-0 lead.
Parrish and Chisholm’s Madisynne McQueen traded a pair of kills early in the second set, but Boswell was able to lead throughout to grab a 2-0 lead. Boswell opened up an 11-3 and 14-5 lead in the third before Chisholm closed to within three at 24-21.
Caitlyn Boyd had eight kills and 18 assists for the Pioneers while Peighton Serda chipped in seven kills. Brianna Russell registered 14 assists and Emmerson Chadwell finished with a team-high 11 digs.
Euless Trinity 3, North Crowley 1
After dropping the first set, Euless Trinity, No. 9 in the 6A area rankings, went on to defeat the North Crowley Panthers, 16-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-12 on Tuesday.
The Trojans improved their record to 2-0 in District 3-6A and 21-11 overall.
Laurene Robinson led the Trojans with 10 kills and six digs while Fabiola Betancourt registered nine kills and six digs. Natalie White chipped in eight kills and Trinity Jimenez finished with 16 assists.
This story was originally published September 14, 2021 at 10:30 PM.
