Cowboy volleyball eliminated at state

The red hot GHS volleyball team fizzled out at the state tournament on Nov. 14 and 15 after its incredible postseason gallup this month.

A buccaneering Centauri side, straight off a regional tournament upset, surprised the Cowboys with a resilient performance in the opening matchup on Nov. 14. Then, Lamar swept GHS in the second round, eliminating the Cowboys from the big dance.

“We had already reached our season goal, but there was still so much pressure at state,” said Head Coach Lindsay Hart. “We had such a consistent season, and it was tough to fall apart right at the end.”

After sweeping North Fork and the Vanguard School at the home regional tournament earlier this month, the Cowboys faced off at the hostile Denver Coliseum last weekend. With a towering ceiling, over five games going on at once and whistles blaring, the Coliseum was a harsh transition from the love and support of the Cowboy bullpen.

Still, the Cowboys started with an impressive opening set. The girls had defeated the Centauri Falcons at a mid-season tournament in September earlier in the season. The prior win sparked confidence on the Cowboy bench, and the girls opened with a first set victory. The Falcons quickly proved they had improved significantly since September, however, and won three consecutive sets to advance 3-1.

The loss was a major blow to the Cowboys’ state championship dreams. A narrow double-elimination pathway still existed in the playoffs, but the mighty Lamar Thunder stood in the way. The Thunder boasted a 12-0 league record, and suffocated the GHS team’s hopes of state glory. The game ended 3-0, and the Cowboys were eliminated.

After the heartbreaking finale, emotions on the GHS bench ran high. Star seniors Sienna Gomez, Amara Lock, Kathryn Frey and Maria Sabas had officially played their final game in red and black

“There were a lot of happy tears at the end,” Frey said. “It was an amazing way to end the season with winning regionals. I’m going to miss playing with this group, but I’m so excited to see these junior leaders step up, and go even further than we did.”

Despite the early exit at state, the girls made gigantic strides this season, winning the regional championship for the first time since 2013. It showcased a zero to 60 improvement from the program, and will hopefully spark a new dynasty for the GHS volleyball program.

“For our seniors, it was overwhelmingly emotional to step off the court,” Hart said. “But even though it was sad, these seniors put blood, sweat and tears into getting the team to this point. What a way to end a career, and what a way to leave a legacy. I could not be more proud of these girls for where they took us.”

(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@gunnisontimes.com.)