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Volleyball

Feisty Wolfe City tops Italy netters

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Italy volleyball enjoyed a starryeyed 15-4 start only to end their season prematurely with a 3-0 upset defeat at the hands of a feisty Wolfe City team at Kaufman on Tuesday. The Lady Gladiators’ (16-9) magic lost its pixie dust in the last two weeks and came up short in five-of-their-last-six matches.

Wolfe City (15-16) played remarkably well, taking an emotional Game One, 27-25, even with Italy committing few mistakes. The Wolves rode that momentum into a 25-18 win in Game Two, surging past a Glads team that appeared out-of-sync. They completed a sweep in a 25-17 Game Three.

Avalon VB soars late, takes second to Blum

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After starting 1-4, Avalon regrouped and became a feisty bunch that are better as a unit than they are individually. HC Tony Marshall’s Lady Eagles finished by winning 7-of-their-last-8, falling only to No. 14 Blum (28-11) down the stretch.

They enter the post-season in second place (District 15-1A), the highest of the Big 5 teams. Tentative at press time on Friday (Oct. 29), they have a tune-up game on Monday, Nov. 1, versus Wortham (15-15), before meeting Hubbard (19-8) in the Bi-District round on Thursday, Nov. 4.

Italy, Ferris warming up for playoffs

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Is the competition within the district that determines the best teams. Like separating wheat from the chaff, the better skilled teams that produce will remain after the process of threshing.

Big 5 volleyball teams that won out of the chute have been cut down during league action with only two looking to punch their ticket for the playoffs. Here is an update on all five teams.

Ennis VB faces tough home stretch

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After opening District 14-5A play with three straight sweep-defeats, Ennis bounced back with one of their own in a 3-0 home triumph over Corsicana on Sept. 24. The Lady Lions, bent on improving from last year’s last place finish, want to rise high enough to reach fourth place. That would also bring a berth in the state playoffs.

Avalon looks to elevate play on court

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University Interscholastic League district alignments have Class 1A Avalon placed in District 15-2A, where competition can be challenging. The Lady Eagles, however, have proven themselves tough against both classes.

HC Tony Hernandez is prepping the Orange Flyers for a possible post-season berth. They have three home tilts in a row, Oct. 5 against Rio Vista, Oct. 12 versus Blum and Oct. 15 when Italy comes to the Dome. Never count out the Eagles.

Avalon (6-5 / 1-1)

HC – Tony Hernandez

Sept. 17 at Blum, 4 p.m.

L 1-3 at Italy

Palmer netters barking for playoffs

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Clawing their way into contention, Palmer is currently on the outside-looking-in as one of three fifth place teams vying for a Top 4 finish and a spot in the post-season. HC Melanie Barnes leads the K9’s into the second round of seven league matches this coming week when they host fourth place Rice at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 5.

Palmer had a two-match winning streak snapped last week when third place Mildred won, 3-1. The Eagles grabbed the first set, 25-21, before Palmer assembled a complete 25-13 effort to even the match. They could not sustain it in 25-20 and 25-21 setbacks.

Lady Glads positioned for title run

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No. 32 ranked Italy and No. 14 Blum entered October tied in District 15-2A without suffering a league loss so far. That surely changed on Friday night, Oct. 1, when the Lady Gladiators traveled 40 miles southwest to Blum.

The two will clash again on Oct. 26, in Italy, in a match that could determine the district champion.

Palmer, Ennis bested in five-set defeats

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Palmer falls in five at Kerens

A see-saw affair that was highly-contested between Palmer and Kerens, went the distance before the host Bobcats won the last two games, Palmer won games one and three, 30-28 and 25-16, while Kerens earned the second game, 25-13. The Bobcats regrouped to defeat the Lady Bulldogs, 25-13 and 15-7 in the deciding set.

Ferris, No. 19 Italy, Ennis near district season

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With no signs of cooling off, Ferris has swarmed to nine-wins-in-ten matches to lift their record to 12-4. Following a 3-3 start, veteran HC Kyla Menafee has seen her team win 23-of-29 sets behind the senior tandem of setter Zyara Harrison and outside hitter Callie Ralston. The duo is averaging 20 assists per match and 10 kills, respectively. Rylee Yarborough delivers five kills per match.

Ennis (6-3), Italy (3-0) keep up good starts

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Ennis bounced back from a lackluster home debut against Lancaster by winning their first two matches at a tournament in Lancaster on Thursday. Improving their record to 6-3 through Aug. 19, the Lady Lions will continue to play on the road for the next two weeks.