Hondo Anvil Herald

Owls runners-up in Hondo tourney

 

     Hondo volleyball made strides during the weekend, reaching the finals of the 6th Annual Owl Classic, but in the end, the championship plaque went home with Marion.

     The Owls had placed third in Pool B with a 2-2 record on Friday, Aug. 14, but came back on Saturday, Aug. 15, to defeat Karnes City, then won a rematch with Uvalde, which had gone unbeaten through Pool B, to make it to the finals. In the championship match, Marion – which also finished third in Pool A – played a strong defensive game to win the finals, 25-19, 25-14.

     The Owls came out of the weekend with a 4-4 overall record. Outside hitter Shanell Rivera and libero Elena Rivera, both seniors, were all- tourney selections for Hondo.

     In the six years the Hondo tournament has been held, the Owls have finished as runner-up four times.

     The Owls opened play on Friday with a 25-19, 25-16 win over San Antonio Cole, but then fell a couple of hours later to Bandera in three sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-22. Uvalde won a pair of close sets with Hondo, 27-25, 25-22, then the Owls closed out the final match of the day with a 25-18, 27-25 win over San Antonio Stacey.

     Hondo faced Karnes City in a Saturday morning match, and came out with the hot hand, dominating the first set and then closing out the match 25-6, 25-23. The Owls exacted a measure of revenge on Uvalde in the tournament semifinals, owning both sets in a convincing 25-14, 25-16 win.

     That win sent Hondo to the finals. Earlier, Marion had won in three sets over Bandera, then dealt some payback to Thursday’s Pool A champion Carrizo Springs to earn the other spot in the finals.

 

Owls fall in 5h

     In non-district action Tuesday evening, Aug. 18, in Somerset, the Owls took a two-set lead on the Lady Bulldogs, only to have Somerset rally back for a five-set win, 18-25, 15-25, 25-15, 25-11, 16-14. It was the second straight year that scenario has played out in the Owls’ match with Somerset.

     The Owls are now 4-5 on the year, and will head to the Devine Tournament this Friday and Saturday, Aug. 21-22. Hondo will visit Comfort on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. match.

     Next Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 27-29, the Owls will be one of 20 teams in the Southwest ISD Tournament. Hondo will be in Pool C, playing Thursday at Southwest HS, along with Southwest, LEE, Harlandale and Bandera.

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Devine tourney next for Hondo, D’Hanis

 

     Both the Hondo and D’Hanis volleyball teams will be among the field of 12 competing Friday and Saturday, Aug. 21-22, in the 25th Annual Devine Arabian Volleyball Round-Up.

     D’Hanis will play in Pool B, with all Friday games in the Devine Student Activity Center. The Cowgirls will face Uvalde, San Antonio Fox Tech and Devine in matches at 10 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. 

     Hondo, in Pool C, will play its preliminary matches in the Devine High School gym, taking on SA John Jay, SA YWLA and Natalia at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

     Pool A consists of Crystal City, Lytle, Ingram and the Antonian JV.

     All teams will be seeded into Saturday’s final rounds based on won-lost records from pool play. The top eight teams will compete in the championship bracket, with the four remaining teams in the consolation bracket.