Rams ready for another state tourney run

TALKEETNA — The Susitna Valley Rams are ready to take another run at a state title.

Su Valley, which won it all in 2013, opens 2015 tourney play against Petersburg during the first round of the ASAA/First National Bank 2A State Volleyball Championships Thursday at 2 p.m. at Dimond High School in Anchorage.

“I think we’re set up pretty well for the state tournament,” longtime Su Valley head coach Chad Valentine said recently. “We’re focused on what our goals are. Our goal is to get to the championship match at state.”

The Rams finished second in the Borealis Conference Championships in Anchorage late last month, and earned a state tournament berth for a fourth straight season. The 2015 edition of the Rams will be among the most experienced groups in the 2A bracket, after graduating only one senior from the 2014 team.

“It’s the same girls,” Valentine said. “They’ve made huge strides. (We) have a more well-rounded attack, a little bit more intensity on the floor.”

Some programs may rely on a primary hitter, but Su Valley has a variety of options. The Rams have four hitters with at least 130 kills. Junior Ruby Matthews leads the Rams with 209 kills. Senior Sarena Drover has 183, junior Deborah Johnston has 159 and senior Robin Spaulding has 138.

“It’s pretty even both on service aces and kills,” Valentine said.

Matthews leads Su Valley with 105 aces.

Valentine said Matthews and Drover have paced the Su Valley attack throughout the season, but Johnston has emerged as a threat late in the season.

“She’s really coming on strong. As a junior, she’s really figuring it out,” Valentine said.

Overall, Valentine said Drover has been a leader, and key piece to the Su Valley puzzle.

“She’s our workhorse,” Valentine said. “She passes from the back, hits off the outside, touches the ball more than anybody.”

Valentine said Matthews has been Su Valley’s top hitter in the middle, but Johnston has become a nice compliment.

The Rams have been focused on specific things, Valentine said, while preparing for the state tournament.

“What we’ve really been working on is our blocking,” Valentine said. “We’ve been lacking on our blocking.”

Cordova edged Su Valley to win the Borealis title. The Wolverines needed a 2-0 (25-15, 25-19) victory in the if-necessary match to win the double-elimination tournament.

Earlier in the tournament, Su Valley fell to Cordova in the tournament semifinals. The Rams rebounded, working their way through the loser’s bracket for another crack at the Wolverines. Su Valley forced the if-necessary game with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 28-26) victory in the championship match.

Valentine said if the Rams play like they did against Cordova in the championship match, Su Valley could do very well in the tournament.

Su Valley opened the conference tournament with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-10) victory over Unalaska, and the second-seeded Rams followed with a 3-2 (15-25, 24-26, 25-20, 25-22, 15-9) win over third-seeded Holy Rosary.

The Rams finished 10-2 in conference play during the regular season. Both losses came to Cordova, which dropped from the 3A Southcentral Conference to 2A prior to the season.

Su Valley’s opponent Thursday, Petersburg, is the top seed from the Southeast Conference. Southwest Conference champion Dillingham and Aurora Conference champ Tok share the top side of the bracket with Su Valley and Petersburg. With a win Thursday, Su Valley would play either Tok or Dillingham Friday at 4:15 p.m. in the semifinals. With a loss, the Rams would play wither Tok or Dillingham Friday at 12:30 p.m. in the consolation semifinals.

Dillingham and Tok play Thursday at 3:45 p.m.

On the bottom side of the bracket, Cordova meets Southeast runner-up Craig at 5:30 p.m. The nightcap pits Western Conference champ Hooper Bay against Southwest runner-up Bristol Bay at 7:15 p.m.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.