LAKEWOOD | Regis Jesuit finished second and Cherokee Trail third as the volleyball season got started in a major way at the Regis Jesuit Jam.
The Raiders came away as the Gold Bracket runners-up after coming up on the short end in the final against Arapahoe, which escaped with a 25-11, 24-26, 25-18, 22-25, 15-9 victory at the Gold Crown Fieldhouse.
Sophomore Taylor Smith had 15 kills to lead Regis Jesuit in the championship match, while junior Santaisha Sturges had 10 and senior Claire Strohm eight, but the Warriors’ balance was just a little bit too much for coach Laura Dunston’s group, which went 3-1 and improved on last season’s 2-2 showing.
Sturges had a huge tournament for the Raiders, as she recorded double-digit kills in all four matches, including a high of 19 in a four-set victory over Fruita Monument, while senior setter Mikaela Myers contributed an average of 8.9 assists per set.
Regis Jesuit knocked off Cherokee Trail in three sets in the semifinals, but the Cougars (4-1) rebounded to win a five-setter against Chaparral in the third-place match.
Sophomore Shannon Webb piled up 16 kills, junior Sidney Wicks had 43 assists and senior Nikki Berta racked up 18 digs in Cherokee Trail’s 17-25, 25-17, 24-26, 25-17, 15-7 victory.
Webb finished the tournament with 54 total kills in four matches, while Wicks averaged 8.2 assists per set in the same span for coach Terry Miller’s team, which won its non-league season opener against Rock Canyon on Aug. 29.
Overland, Hinkley and Vista PEAK also represented Aurora in the Silver Bracket.
The Trailblazers won their first two matches before a loss to Grand Junction dropped them to the third-place match.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or [email protected] Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2013 REGIS JESUIT JAM VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
GOLD BRACKET
Championship: Arapahoe def. Regis Jesuit 25-11, 24-26, 25-18, 22-25, 15-9
Third-place match: Cherokee Trail def. Chaparral 17-25, 25-17, 24-26, 25-17, 15-7
Semifinals: Regis Jesuit def. Cherokee Trail 25-16, 25-20, 25-17; Arapahoe def. Chaparral 25-12, 15-25, 25-18, 25-18
Quarterfinals
Cherokee Trail def. Holy Family 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23
Regis Jesuit def. Fruita Monument 25-20, 25-14, 21-25, 25-23
First round
Cherokee Trail def. Castle View 25-20, 25-17, 18-25, 25-20
Regis Jesuit def. Green Mountain 25-12, 25-18, 25-20
