Four Mustangs earn all-tourney honors as team prepares for state

By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

Even though the Crane Mustang volleyball team finished the High Desert League season with a perfect record, at the top of the league, they had to prove they belonged there at the District Tournament on Oct. 31. At the end of the day the Mustangs had claimed their rightful place, taking the championship, and beginning state 1A playoffs as the  No. 1 seed out of the High Desert League.

Crane had a bye in the first round of the district tournament, and then took on the Jordan Valley Mustangs in the semi-finals. Crane took the match against Jordan Valley in three games, 25-12, 25-15, 25-15.

In the first game, Crane had worked their way to a 15-8 lead when Cassidy Corrigan stepped to server’s position. Using Brooke Nyman sets to the middle and left side, September O’Crowley and Hannah Buermann downed repeated kills onto Jordan Valley’s court, upping the score to 24-8. A Jordan Valley error gave Crane the game one win.

Game two started out with the two teams trading points until 5. O’Crowley blocked two Jordan Valley hits, and Hannah Steeves scored an ace, to start Crane on a run to the win. At a score of 24-15, Jordan Valley sent a pass high and over the net, setting up a perfect ball for O’Crowley to smash to the floor for point 25.

The third and final game had Crane leading from the top. Ace serves from Corrigan, Buermann and Natalie Bentz gave Crane the edge. at 21-14, Nyman took the serve to a score of 24. A Jordan Valley hit into the net gave Crane the match and the chance to play the Adrian Antelopes for the district championship.

Though the Mustangs took the championship match in three games, they were not easy games.
Crane was down 6-9 in game one before tying the score with a Nyman ace serve and Emilee O’Toole and Buermann kills. Steeves put the Mustangs into the lead with a kill, and Crane was on their way to a game one win. At a score of 24-18, an Adrian serving error gave the Mustangs the win.

Crane trailed by as many as six points in the second game of the match, dropping the intensity they played with in game one and allowing the Antelopes the advantage. At a score of 14-20, the Mustangs started to pull back, getting points off kills from O’Toole, Bentz, Buermann and O’Crowley. Adrian was at game-point, 24-20, but a Nyman set to the left side gave Buermann a shot to the floor, and Crane regained serve.

Bentz took the serve and pushed the Mustangs to a 25-24 lead. After tying again at 25, three Adrian errors gave Crane the win.

During the third and final game, the lead changed hands five times before Crane got a two-point advantage, 23-21, on an O’Crowley block and O’Toole and Bentz kills. Nyman tip-killed point 24, and again, an Adrian serving error sealed the game and match for the Mustangs.

With the Mustangs taking first place in the district, they will have a bye in the first round of state playoff action on Wednesday, Nov. 4, and host the winner of the Cove versus Prospect game on Saturday, Nov. 7. As the No. 2 seed out of the High Desert League, Adrian will host the Sherman Huskies on Wednesday, and Jordan Valley will play at Butte Falls against the Loggers.

The Mustangs had four players named to the all-tournament team on Saturday. Nyman was selected for second team, and Buermann, Bentz and O’Crowley were chosen for first team honors.

High Desert Tournament individual stats
Kills — Bentz 14, O’Crowley 13, Buermann 11, O’Toole 7, Steeves 3, Nyman 1.
Tip kills — O’Crowley 6, O’Toole 2, Buermann 1, Corrigan 1, Nyman 1.
Blocks — O’Crowley 3, Bentz 3, Buermann 2, Nyman 1.
Ace serves — Corrigan 4, Buermann 3, Nyman 3, Bentz 2, O’Toole 1.