For all the climbing that the Bluejays have done over the past few seasons, it seemed only fitting that eventually they’d get a view from the top.
Continuing to amass achievements as part of a magical 23-2 season, which included the program’s first league title in 14 years, the Bluejays can add regional champs and state qualifiers to their 2023 resume.
Mancos controlled the vast majority of a pair of matches Saturday in the 2A Region 5 tournament, hosted at Bluejay Fieldhouse, as Mancos knocked off Olathe and Sargent 3-1.
“All the girls stepped up and did what we needed to do,” said head coach Brianna Yeomans-Allison, “and it started with our seniors demanding that the rest of the team step up.”
The Bluejays might have needed a brief pep talk from their Class of 2024 leaders Teya Yeomans and Haylie Higgins, after Olathe (11-12) stole some early momentum and an opening set victory in the day’s first match. However, the setback was brief, and the response was emblematic of the Bluejays this year – an energetic salvo fueled by some heavy hitting from the Mancos attackers.
Mancos collected three straight sets by 25-15 scores to head into their matchup with Sargent (17-8) in a winner-take-all regional match – after the Farmers had also defeated Olathe.
Riding the upswell from their first match rally, Mancos landed the first punches against Sargent, capturing sets one and two by 25-17 and 25-11 scorelines. Sargent wouldn’t go quietly, picking up the third set 25-21, but Mancos answered again, taking the drama out of the fourth set with a dominant 25-17 clinching win.
Yeomans led the way with a combined 47 kills over the two matches, while sophomore Claire Goodwin’s strong service game helped Mancos reach the program’s first state tournament in over a decade.
The Jays will join a field of 12 teams as they head to the Denver Coliseum for action this upcoming weekend, beginning on Thursday, Nov. 9 and continuing until a champion is crowned on Saturday, Nov. 11. Mancos will seek the program’s first victory in a state tournament since 2007, as the Bluejays head into the tournament brimming with confidence.
