Prep Volleyball: Silverado's knocks off top-seeded Durango

If spectators at Wednesday afternoon's Class 4A Southern Zone boys volleyball tournament noticed an intensity usually reserved for the state tournament there's good reason for it.

Since schoold in northern Nevada do not compete in boys volleyball, the zone tournament serves a dual role as both zone and state championship.

This added incentive brought the best out of Silverado, as the Skyhawks knocked off the top seed from the Sunset Division, Durango, 15-11, 15-12 in the last of four first-round games held at Chaparral.

The victory, the Skyhawks' fourth in a row, improved Silverado's overall record to 13-4 and earned the No. 4 seed from the Sunrise a shot at defending state champion Green Valley, who came from behind to defeat Cimarron. Durango fell to 12-5 and will face the Spartans today at 3:30 p.m. in the loser's bracket of the four-day tournament.

"We're playing with a cohesiveness that we didn't have earlier in the year," said Silverado coach Pam Sloan. "We've been a totally different team the second half of the season. These kids simply refuse to lose."

A controversial call helped swing the momentum in Silverado's favor.

With the Skyhawks up a game and trailing 11-6 in the second, Durango's Vance Jolley was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct for spitting on the court. Silverado was rewarded a sideout and went on to win nine of the next 10 points to take the game 15-12 and the match two games to none.

"It was a cheap call at a critical time in the game," complained Durango coach Bob Kelly, whose team was whistled for several violations throughout the match. "It was totally insignificant if you ask me."

But it was sloppy play, not the referees, that eventually doomed Durango. The Trailblazers set and served poorly throughout the match and were outhustled by the hungrier Skyhawks.

"I think we have a lot to prove," said senior middle blocker Andy Saggiomo, who contributed nine kills and five blocks to the victory. "We're out to show people we can win this tournament. A lot of guys on this team have waited four years for this opportunity. Hopefully we can make the most of it."

Walter McCraney also played well for Silverado. The athletic, 6-foot, 3-inch senior totaled 11 kills and three blocks for the Skyhawks. Senior setter Sergio Placios added 25 assists.

Durango was led by Jason Brown and Jolley, who had 10 and eight kills respectively.

Cheyenne and Basic advanced in the top half of the bracket and meet today at 5 p.m. The Green Valley-Silverado match up is scheduled for 6:30.

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