ONONDAGA COUNTY – Things are quite different for the area’s three high school fall girls volleyball teams, depending on which Section III playoff bracket they are in.
Jamesville-DeWitt does not have a lot of opposition left in Class A, only having to win a championship match next Friday at 4 p.m. against Cortland, the same team it topped in straight sets on Oct. 16
By contrast, Fayetteville-Manlius, in trying to win Class AA, must get through the likes of West Genesee and Fulton, who got moved up after losing last year’s sectional final to J-D.
At least the Hornets’ quarterfinal match was a stress-free affair, F-M hosting no. 7 seed Corcoran last Thursday night and tearing through a 25-3 opening set before taking the next two sets 25-11 and 25-17.
Jessica Beasley had five of the Hornets’ 22 aces. Kara Evans got four aces, with Kalyna Dannenberg and Larah Schepp earning three aces apiece.
All of the free points from the back meant that Dannenberg and Rebekah Beasley could lead with just four kills apiece. Jessica Beasley, Gretchen Stoppacher, Emma Stoppacher and Malana Noble had three kills apiece, with Evans earning 11 assists to help out Ava Zerillo, who got 10 assists.
F-M meets no. 3 seed Central Square in next Wednesday’s semifinal, with the winner to get to Saturday night’s championship match at 7:30 at J-D.
As the no. 4 seed in a five-team sectional Class D bracket, Bishop Grimes had to get through an opening-round match Monday against the same Syracuse OnTech side it swept less than a week earlier.
This also was lopsided, the Cobras prevailing 25-17, 25-12, 25-10 behind seven aces from Caroline Bukuro and six aces from Chloe Dailey, with Saba Fasama and Kayla Duenkel each picking up three aces.
Duenkel also had a team-best seven kills, Riley Abernethy adding four kills and Gabby St. James three kills. Bukuru earned 12 assists and Elizabeth Corl had 10 digs, Grimes to meet top seed Hamilton in next Wednesday’s semifinal round.
