One Nation, Under God

Mavs second in conference

North Country to play tournament short handed this weekend

The North Country Mavericks overcame a few cases of jetlag to punch their ticket to the Eastern C Divisional Tournament last weekend in Scobey.

The Mavs lost the 3C championship on Saturday, October 28, to the Scobey Spartans, who also entered the tournament as the top ranked team in the conference.

Scobey won 3-0; the scores were 25-18, 25-16 and 25-12.

"They are feeling pretty good," Coach Barry Malone said after the tournament. "It was one of our goals (to make divisionals). We didn't reach our goal of beating Scobey but we are in it."

Jada Sudbrack led North Country with eight kills and five blocks. Sydney Zeller had three aces. Mickayla Johnson and Bailey Funk had four digs each and Casity Boucher had 11 assists.

In their first match of the tournament at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 27, the Mavericks were put up against the Lustre Christian Lions, who placed third in the conference. North Country won in four sets; the scores were 25-19, 25-20, 18-25 and 26-24. The team started the game without three of their starters who were wore out from FFA Nationals in Indianapolis, Ind. They returned to Hinsdale the day before the 3C Tourney.

"They were able to make it back Friday morning but they were under a little jetlag," Coach Malone said. "We were cruising in those first two sets without them and the young kids stepped up."

Danika Soper started in place of Boucher, Kaitlyn McColly filled in for Johnson and Kia Wasson filled the sixth spot.

"They did a very good job and held their own," Coach Malone said.

Sudbrack led North Country with eight kills. Zeller had five aces and one dig. Funk had two blocks and Danika Soper had 12 assists.

The win put the Mavs in the semi-finals with Scobey later that day at 3:30 p.m. They lost in four sets; the scores were 22-25, 25-23, 14-25 and 21-25.

Mickayla Johnson led North Country with eight kills and six blocks. Zeller and Funk had two aces each. Boucher had 20 assists and Funk had five digs.

The Mavs went on to defeat Lustre Christian for a second time the following morning, but it would take North Country five sets to end the Lion's season and punch their ticket to the Eastern C. The scores were 25-20, 25-14, 18-25, 18-25 and 15-4.

"It was quite the battle," Coach Malone said. "We were cruising and won the first two sets. We kind of let up and Lustre stormed back in and took two from us but we handled them in the fifth."

Johnson led the Mavs with 15 kills and three blocks. Sudbrack had 11 kills and three blocks. Boucher had 30 assists, Funk had eight digs and Soper had six aces.

Coach Malone admitted that it is pretty tough to beat an opponent twice as the Mavs defeated Lustre in their fourth match against each other.

"It is, especially in a sport where you play a team so many times," Coach Malone said. "It's tough to beat them again and again, when they keep getting closer."

The Mavericks will face Fairview in the opening round. Fairview was the runner up from 2C last weekend.

"They were pretty tough in the east," Coach Malone said.

 

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