Lady Hawks cruise to District 7B title

By SCOTT SHINDLEDECKER

Valley Press

The Thompson Falls Lady Hawks volleyball team is more than just three players, but the power hitting trio of senior Jody Detlaff and juniors Abbi Lane and Elli Pardee have made it difficult for many opponents to withstand their barrage of powerful slams and strong net play in 2020.

More strong play at the net helped the Lady Hawks win back-to-back District 7B titles last Friday at Thompson Falls High School.

The Lady Hawks beat No. 2 seed Eureka in four sets, 25-16, 11-25, 25-21 and 25-17. The Lady Hawks didn’t lose in 7B this season and set up the title match by routing Mission in three, 25-14, 25-10, and 25-13, last Thursday.

Friday, the three aforementioned players led the Blue Hawks to a first set demolition of the Lady Lions, 25-16.

Detlaff delivered five kills and one block while Pardee added four kills and a block in the first set. Pardee was serving when junior Danni Van Huss delivered a smash to end it.

The second set was a direct contrast as the Lady Lions did everything well and the Lady Hawks never got untracked in a 25-11 defeat.

Head coach Sandra Kazmierzcak called two timeouts in the disastrous match, but nothing seemed to work.

But the Lady Hawks showed championship mettle in the key third set, claiming a hard-fought 25-21 win.

The Lady Hawks led 13-8 before a Eureka run gave it a 14-13 lead.

But Detlaff, just one of two seniors on the team, stepped up in a big way with a mammoth smash to knot the score at 14-14.

Then, leading 15-14, Detlaff delivered another wicked slam to make it 16-14.

Lane had a smash and a tip-in down the stretch as the Lady Hawks won 25-21.

Buoyed by the triumph, Thompson Falls bolted to a 11-4 lead before Eureka head coach Todd Brouilette called timeout.

But Van Huss answered the timeout with a big smash to make it 12-4.

Eureka did manage to fight to within four points four times, but the Lady Hawks had too much for the Lions.

Van Huss had two kills, as did Lane, and Detlaff added a block to propel the hosts to a 25-17 win.

Scarlette Schwindt had a strong overall game with 13 kills, 14 assists and eight digs. Riley Wilson had a team-high 17 assists setting up her power hitters. She added three blocks.

Thompson Falls didn’t lose in divisional play. The Lady Hawks advanced to the Western B divisional in Anaconda this weekend, Nov. 5-7. They are joined by Eureka and the other two semifinalists, Bigfork and Mission.