ANNIE FOWLER, The CUJ
HEPPNER — In another classic Heppner/Weston-McEwen match, the TigerScots came out on top 25-15, 14-25, 30-28, 25-18 to win the Blue Mountain Conference district title for the first time since 2013 on Saturday, Oct. 25.
“We were really focused today and took care of our side of the net,” W-M coach Marie Cain said. “We embodied confidence and playing together. There was nothing to lose.
Fifth-ranked Heppner (22-7), which won the BMC regular-season title outright for the first time since 2008, was looking for its first district title since 2012.
“Unforced errors and serving are what hurt us a lot today,” Heppner coach Mindy Wilson said. “They played well and kicked it in when we took the lead. When we get down, they lose their confidence and don’t believe in themselves.”
The No. 8 TigerScots (14-10) led the first set from start to finish, holding leads of 11-5, 16-10 and 24-14 before Charlotte Hansell tipped the ball over the net for the game winner.
The Mustangs pulled within 12-10 at one point, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the game.
Heppner repaid the favor in the second set, though the teams forged four ties, with the last being 9-9. Healy Hisler reeled off three points for a 12-9 lead, and Isa Payne added three more for a 16-10 advantage.
Avree Lathrop served the final six points of the set for the win, which came when Weston-McEwen’s Bre Ward put the ball in the net.
The third set had the fans on the edge of their seats as neither team had more than a four-point lead.
Heppner had a 21-17 lead before the TigerScots rallied back to tie the score 22-22. The score would be tied six more times down the stretch before Hansell served the final two points of the match. Hansell had a back row kill for a 29-28 lead, and Addy Hall laid down the game-winning kill.
Weston-McEwen took control of the fourth set from the start, holding a 16-10 lead before Lathrop reeled off three pints to pull the Mustangs within 16-13. A net serve gave the ball back to the TigerScots, who quickly extended their lead to 21-15.
Heppner held serve trailing 24-18, but a kill by Hansell ended the match.
“Charlotte is phenomenal,” Cain said. “She is very aggressive and fun to watch. We knew Heppner was going to be sitting on Charlotte so we moved the ball around and made smart moves at the right time.”
Hansell finished the match with 28 kills, 15 digs and two blocks, while Ward had 10 kills and 14 blocks, Hall six kills and 28 digs, Bree Perkins 24 digs and three aces, Mya Bryan 20 assists and 13 dig, Kayli Choin seven blocks, and Reagan Pickard 18 assists and 12 digs.
For the Mustangs, Isa Payne had 15 kills, 125 digs and three blocks, while Catherine Lindsay had 10 kills and three blocks, Maya Payne29 assists, 13 digs and three kills, Lathrop 24 digs and two aces, Olivia Ogden 17 digs, and Cici Stefani 16 digs.
“Our bench is really deep,” Wilson said. “When we practice, it’s a battle on both sides. They have confidence that when I put them in, I have confidence in them.”
Weston-McEwen and Heppner now wait to see where they will be placed in the 2A state bracket.
WESTON-MCEWEN 3, STANFIELD 1 — Charlotte Hansell had 22 kills and 30 digs to lead the TigerScots to a 25-15, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23 victory over the Tigers in the semifinals of the Blue Mountain Conference District Tournament at Heppner High School.
Addy Hall added 16 kills and 20 digs, while Bre Ward had eight kills and six blocks, Bree Perkins 16 digs, Mya Bryan 28 assists, nine digs and five aces, and Reagan Pickard 18 assists and nine digs.
In the first game of the district tournament, Stanfield (14-15) escaped with a 23-25, 25-22, 25-22, 21-25, 15-13 victory over Grant Union.
