Chatfield players celebrate during the Chargers 3-2 victory over Chaparral on Friday at the 5A state volleyball tournament. (Dennis Pleuss)
DENVER — Not surprisingly, Chatfield took the dramatic road to the Class 5A volleyball state semifinals Friday at the Denver Coliseum.
The No. 4 seed Chargers dropped the first two sets to No. 5 Chaparral in pool play action Friday afternoon. However, Chatfield rallied for three straight set victories of 25-23, 25-13 and 15-13 to earn a spot in the 5A semifinals Saturday back at the Coliseum.
“In regionals a lot of times we were down like that,” Chatfield senior Sierra Bartley said. “We learned how to fight through things like that. It’s so important to our team because we don’t freak out anymore. We just play through it. We keep swinging and trust each other.”
Chatfield junior Lacey Cowan (5) puts down a kill. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The remarkable comeback looked to be in doubt in the deciding fifth set. The Wolverines held a 13-10 lead, but a sideout and four straight service wins by Chatfield senior Haley Jacobson completed the come-from-behind victory.
“It’s so nice to know we are playing tomorrow,” Bartley said. “Just two more matches and we win state.”
The experience Chatfield has gain in its third straight trip to the state tournament and postseason battles at regionals helped Jacobson serve out the match.
“I had a little nerves, but in the Castle View (regional match last week) I had to come in and serve,” Jacobson said. “I think that kind of set me up. I wanted it so much for my team.”
Chatfield coach Stephanie Schick has orchestrated a very deep and talented squad to a 21-game winning streak heading into Saturday’s state semifinal against top-seeded Fossil Ridge. Schick pushed the right button again inserting Jacobson off the bench to serve to close out the match against Chaparral.
Chatfield senior Haley Fuller, left, hammers down a kill against Chaparral. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“I can’t say enough about Haley (Jacobson). She is a girl who hasn’t got a ton of playing time and she stayed in for her team all season, even when it wasn’t easy,” Schick said. “I wanted her to be rewarded for that. I couldn’t be prouder of her.”
The Chargers have been a model for the dramatics during the last three state tournaments. Chatfield had its improbable run as the No. 12 seed to the 5A title game in 2014. Last year as the No. 1 seed the Chargers went 1-1 in pool play and ended up losing a tiebreaker set to prevent them from advance to the semifinals.
“This is the first time we’ve ever made it to the semis like this. Let’s go home,” Schick said through tears of joy and a huge smile. “You want to go out to eat? I don’t know how I’m going to feel tonight. I’m going to go pick up my daughters and have a normal night. Sleep-in tomorrow because we don’t have to watch other people determine our fate.”
With Chatfield’s fate in its own hands, one thing for sure is the Chargers will keep their trademark smiles and positive support of teammates through the final day on the volleyball court.
Even trailing 2-0 against Chaparral, the Chargers remarkably never got down with their season on the line.
“We talk about the circle of a volleyball life,” Schick said. “You play better volleyball when you are having fun and you have fun when you are playing better volleyball.”
Schick will coach this team one final day and try to bring Chatfield’s its first state volleyball in the school’s history.
“I’ve never coached a team like this before, lucky me,” Schick said. “They care so much and that is all I can ask for. I care a lot. It’s hard to coach kids when they don’t care as much as you do. Man, they want it so bad.”
Chatfield students turned out to cheer the Chargers to a pair of victories Friday at the 5A state volleyball tournament. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)