Durango, Silverado ousted in 4A semis

RENO — There will be no fairy-tale ending after all for Durango coaches Kelly O’Quinn and Bob Kelly. Nor will there be a state volleyball title for Southern Nevada.

South teams went 0-for-2 with losses by Durango and Silverado on Friday in the Class 4A state semifinals at Damonte Ranch High School.

Reno will face Bishop Manogue in an all-Northern final at 4 p.m. today.

Reno defeated Durango 3-1, pinning a loss on O’Quinn and Kelly in their final season of coaching girls volleyball, and ending the Trailblazers’ postseason run.

Durango was unable to continue its magic from last week’s regional championship, but O’Quinn was pleased her team went as far as it did.

“I didn’t even think we’d go to the regional, and then we won it,” she said. “I’m just happy these girls got to experience this, because they’re a great, great group of girls.”

Aside from a flurry by Durango in the second set, Reno controlled the match, winning 25-17, 17-25, 25-17, 25-12.

O’Quinn said Reno’s fast tempo was hard to handle.

“We’re not used to that,” she said. “Besides Bishop Gorman, it’s slower volleyball in Las Vegas.”

In the other semifinal, Bishop Manogue used superior blocking to outlast Silverado, 25-22, 25-27, 25-23, 26-24.

“They set up a really solid block, and we struggled to get around it,” Skyhawks coach Jennifer Boeddeker said. “We knew they had two very strong hitters, and they ran a very diverse offense. Unfortunately, our block wasn’t there.”

Boeddeker also felt the late start hurt her team.

“I think it’s difficult to come up here and play so late,” she said. “We’re looking at a match that ended at 11:30.”