ARLINGTON – Last season Grapevine, Birdville, Colleyville Heritage and Argyle showed us how good District 7-5A was by winning the first two rounds and going 8-0. The four teams met up in the regional quarterfinals and Heritage went on to win the Class 5A state title.
Fast forward to this fall and those four teams are back in the playoffs and showing us why 7-5A is one of the toughest in the state.
Centennial was having its best season in program history and won the District 8-5A championship. But Grapevine came out on fire and the #4 Mustangs eliminated #1 Centennial in straight sets, 25-16, 25-23, 25-21 at Mansfield Summit HS.
Grapevine (18-20) will play Justin Northwest (31-9) on Friday at 630 pm from the Arlington ISD Athletics Center. Northwest beat Trimble Tech 3-0 on Monday.
The Spartans won 30 games – most in program history.
Their district title was a second all-time, but first outright. 15 wins in district was also a record after winning 12 overall and going 6-10 in district last season.
Ohio State commit Ava Shankle served up back to back aces to help turn a 5-4 deficit to an 8-5 lead in the first set for Grapevine. Jordan Valentine had a kill as the run went to 7-0. Ella Manning’s kill made the run 9-1 and Grapevine led 13-6.
Centennial got points by Ne’Khaela Rogers and Kennedy Smith-Johnson before Grapevine closed out the game for a 1-0 lead.
Shankle went off the block and Grapevine led 5-3 in the second set.
Paityn Winters assisted on a kill by Smith-Johnson and a kill by Lauren Schneidmiller tied the second set 7-7. Brylee Stephens capped off a long rally to get the Spartans within 10-8.
Centennial made a push to tie it at 21, 22 and 23.
But the Mustangs scored the final two points sparked by a block by Cheyenne Gunner.
Grapevine scored the first three points in the third set.
Centennial got two back on two kills by Schneidmiller, but Grapevine continued to lead at 5-3 and 8-4. Smith Johnson scored on a birthday ball off a Grapevine overpass, but the Mustangs lead grew to 13-5.
Shankle found Valentine on the outside to make it 17-10.
The Mustangs were set to roll past the Spartans in the third, but Centennial fought back late. Trailing 19-12, 21-14 and 24-17, Winters registered back to back aces to cut the lead to 24-19. Rogers and Schneidmiller got kills to force a Grapevine timeout at 24-21 as Centennial broke off four straight match points.
But coming back to the court, Grapevine finished off the match to secure a spot in the 5A Region 1 area round.
Centennial will be strong again next season with no seniors on this year’s roster.
