After a nearly unbeatable 2013 season, the Encampment Middle School Lady Tigers pulled in a respectable second place win at the season-closing Hanna Volleyball Tournament Saturday.
The girls wrapped up their season at 11-1, with their 25-21, 25-22, 25-14 tourney loss against Little Snake River standing as their only loss of the season. Out of the six teams that competed in the tournament (Saratoga, Encampment, HEM A, HEM B, Little Snake River, Desert School from Wamsutter), Encampment came in second and Hanna’s A team came in fourth. Little Snake River took home the first-place championship win.
Encampment coach Sammy Baysinger said she was proud of how her girls ended the 2013 volleyball season.
“I told them before the championship game that I didn’t care if they won or lost, just as long as they never gave up and kept fighting,” she said. “They did that for me, and they put up a good fight. It was a very fun game to be a part of. They didn’t hand the game to LSRV, they made them fight for it.”
Baysinger said their final championship match against the Lady Rattlers was the best-matched middle school volleyball game she had ever seen.
“Both teams wanted it and both teams played great, but I have to give Snake River a big congrats because they do have a great program over there,” she said. “I should know because I was a part of it when I attended school there in junior high and high school. I played with the current coaches Jessica and Celia Weber. We all came from the same program, so it is fun to coach against each other now in different communities and see our girls compete.”
Baysinger said also that her girls learned to compete hard this year.
“It was a tough way to end the season, but I couldn’t be prouder of them,” she said. “I think we fell short because we just don’t have the experience of being on top yet. Snake River has been in the Championship for the last 11 years, so they know how to handle the pressure, and this was a new experience for my girls. It was tough on us this season because Snake River was really the only team to really compete with us this year.”
In addition to being the only team to lose against this year, Baysinger said Little Snake River was also the only team they went to three games with for the 2013 season. She said she hopes next year will bring more matches like that.
“They have never had to come from behind for the win, so I hope to get a tougher schedule in the future to help them learn to compete more,” Baysinger said. “My girls may not have ended up on top, but they ended playing their best game of the season. That’s all a coach can ask for. We really focused hard this year on our passing fundamentals and serving, and I told them that they can’t win a volleyball game without work on that.”
With the season over and done with, Baysinger said Hailey Barkhurst was a key player, serving as the team’s “rock” this year.
“Hailey Barkhurst has been our rock this year, and she became a whole new player this year and became a great hitter on the outside,” she said. “I hate to see her leave me and go on to high school but it will be fun to watch her compete in high school. She’s one athlete who never gives up and is always looking to improve.”
Baysinger also called out Paige Powell and Noelle Peterson as other star athletes for the team.
“Paige Powell was great on the net for us in the championship game,” she said. “We had been working on her blocking and she really came on in that game. Noelle Peterson played great defense for us, and she had some amazing digs. I am excited to get to keep these two girls for another year and see what I can do with them next year.”
Also credited by Baysinger were all of the team’s eighth-graders who wrapped up their last season with her.
“I had a great group of eighth-graders this year and have had them since they were sixth-graders, so it is great to see the players they have become,” Baysinger said. “They have all improved so much from where they started, and I wish them all the best in high school. I think coach Robin O’Leary and I have a great volleyball program started in Encampment, and I am proud and thankful she asked me to be a part of it. It is great to see our program competing and being successful.”
Hanna Tournament Scores
Saturday, Oct. 19
HEM Jr./Sr. High School
Saratoga vs. HEM “B”
25-8, 25-10
Desert School vs. HEM “A”
25-5, 25-11
Little Snake River vs. Saratoga
25-16, 25-8
Encampment vs. Desert School
25-16, 25-9
HEM A team vs. HEM “B”
25-15, 25-16
Saratoga vs. Desert School
23-25, 25-18, 19-25
Encampment vs. Little Snake River
25-21, 22-25, 14-25
RESULTS:
Little Snake River
Championship winners
Encampment
Second place
Desert School
Third place
HEM A team
Consolation winners
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