Silverado rolls in rematch of 2007 title match

To Silverado girls volleyball coach Jennifer Boeddeker, Tuesday’s rematch of the Class 4A state title match was a “fun, former state championship rivalry back at it again.”

To Durango coach Kelly O’Quinn, that history was “irrelevant.”

What can be agreed upon is that Tuesday’s result looked awfully familiar.

Like it did in last year’s state title match, Silverado defeated Durango with a convincing 3-0 sweep. The Skyhawks won 25-15, 25-22, 25-13 at Silverado — similar to winning state 25-23, 25-21, 25-19 last year at Silverado.

“I think that we came in excited to play them to kind of see where we’re at compared to last year,” Boeddeker said.

Where the Skyhawks are at is, an 8-1 record and every reason to believe they can contend for a second straight state crown.

Silverado never trailed in the first or third games Tuesday, leading by as many as 11 in the first and 12 in the third.

Durango (6-4) was resilient in a second game that saw the two teams battle through 12 ties and five lead changes. The Trailblazers led 17-16 before allowing four unanswered points.

O’Quinn was blunt in assessing her team’s performance, pointing out that Durango returns only three starters from last year’s 22-3 squad.

“We’re not good,” O’Quinn said. “We’re a brand new team, and most of the kids we have don’t play club like most volleyball players.”

The Trailblazers, though, did have the best player on the floor in 6-foot-6-inch senior Hayley Spelman. The Stanford-bound opposite led all players with 19 kills and 11 digs.

“What’s been difficult for her is that she’s passing a lot of balls, digging a lot of balls and hitting almost every one,” O’Quinn said of Spelman, who is ranked the No. 3 senior in the country by PrepVolleyball.com. “So it’s got to wear on her a little bit, but we still expect her to lead the team.”

Sophomore setter Morgan Malone had 17 assists for Durango, which is still “learning the game,” O’Quinn said.

“All we can do is work on the other kids and tell them which way to pass the ball, which is forward,” O’Quinn said.

Outside hitters Taylor Richard (13 kills) and Patti Flagg (12 kills, seven assists) led Silverado. The Skyhawks also got six kills from junior middle Kaitlin Keathley and nine digs from junior libero Amy Wyatt.

The Skyhawks are 8-1 with only three seniors on their roster. So, is it fair to look ahead at a potential dynasty?

“It’s nice to look and know that I only have three leaving me at the end of this season,” Boeddeker said. “I’m looking for some solid building and creating a long-term program as opposed to, 'this is what we did last year.’”