Falcons rule the Northwestern District

By Fred Hodge, Special to the Times

Fauquier sent its seven volleyball seniors out with a bang last Thursday.

The host Falcons (17-4) captured the Class 4 Northwestern District regular season championship with a 25-19, 25-20, 25-17 sweep of James Wood in Fauquier’s Senior Night, giving Fauquier the No. 1 seed for this week’s league tournament.

More importantly, the Falcons are guaranteed a berth in next week’s Region 4C tournament, which starts Nov. 5. Fauquier finished 11-1 in the district, Millbrook 10-2 and James Wood 9-3.

The match avenged a 3-0 loss at James Wood that was the Falcons’ lone league defeat.

“We didn’t want to have the threeway tie. We knew we had to be confident coming in,” said libero Rachel Crowe.

“I would say we went in with redemption in mind because when we went up there, we didn’t play well at all,” said coach Diana Story. “It was about coming out and showing what we really could do.”

The Falcons were much improved defensively, showed a more explosive hitting game and established early rhythm in the rematch. “It was important that we came out ready to play and show what we could do,” Story stressed. “If you give them any room, they are going to take it and run with it.”

After dropping the first set 25-19, James Wood was not ready to die, establishing a 14-12 second set margin. Falcon senior Kiki Scott served two points, and following a rally point, Crowe delivered a four-point service run, aided by a pair of thunderous Molly Ayres spikes for a 19- 16 Fauquier lead. Set point resulted from a Scott kill.

Fauquier’s seven championship seniors (not all pictured) include Jennifer Adgate, Molly Ayers, Megan Constantino, Rachel Crowe, Jules Oravec, Kayla Pavlock, Kiki Scott and Alexis Propheter.

PHOTO BY RANDY LITZINGER

Fauquier slowly began to establish breathing room in the third set. A pair of rally points and a Scott kill opened an 8-6 edge. Jennifer Adgate served three points behind the net play of Kayla Pavlock and Scott for an 11-7 advantage. James Wood never drew closer than three points.

Crowe served march point, evoking a mental and physical reaction.

“My whole body was just in shock,” she recalled. “I was so very excited because I knew how hard we had been working toward [the title].

“And that work paid off.”

As they have for their entire careers, the Falcon Senior Class of 2019 was the mainstay of another important win.

The veteran crew of seven has combined for 21 varsity campaigns in their long Falcon tenures. Crowe, Scott and Megan Constantino all are four-year lettermen.

Ayres and Scott both recorded 14 kills, with Jules Oravec adding nine and Pavlock five. Crowe collected 15 digs, with Ayres (10), Scott (nine) and Constantino (eight) also active on defense.

Cougars, Eagles ousted

No. 4 seed Sherando rallied from a 2-1 deficit to down No. 5 Kettle Run, 3-2, and end the Cougars’ season Monday in the Northwestern District quarterfinals. Liberty’s season also ended with a 3-0 loss at James Wood.

Final district standings

FAUQUIER 11-1

Millbrook 10-2

James Wood 9-3

Sherando 5-7

KETTLE RUN 5-7

Handley 2-10

LIBERTY 0-12

DISTRICT PAIRINGS

Monday’s quarterfinals: No. 1 Fauquier, bye; No. 2 Millbrook d. No. 7 Liberty 3-0; No. 3 James Wood d. No. 6 Handley 3-0; No. 4 Sherando d. No. 5 Kettle Run 3-2.

Tuesday’s semifinals: No. 4 Sherando at No. 1 Fauquier; No. 3 James Wood at No. 2 Millbrook.

Nov. 1 Championship: At highest seed.