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AZLE 3, BREWER 1
Tarleton State committed senior outside Jacqui McClain posted a game-high 23 kills as the Hornets took down the Bears at Brewer HS, 28-26, 20-25, 25-22, 25-22.
Azle’s win locked up the 1-seed in the D2 playoffs. The Hornets will face Grapevine in the bi-district round for the second year in a row. They improved their record to 28-12 overall and 9-2 in District 5-5A.
Azle has posted 28 wins in back-to-back years – the program didn’t reach the mark prior, since MaxPreps began tracking scores during the 2007 season.
Brewer led 12-10 following a soft touch kill by Madilyn Frier, but Azle came back with five of the next six points for a 15-13 edge. McClain and Brewer’s Saira Terrazas traded kills and it was tied at 23. The Bears got set points at 24-23 and 25-24, but Azle held strong to extend the set. Addison Dorris’ kill gave Azle a 27-26 lead and Kami Swain won it with an ace.
The Bears were forced to call a timeout trailing 10-6 in the second set, but Brewer came back to the court on fire with an 11-2 run. Brooklyn Bundy scored off the slide that sparked the team to a 17-12 lead. They continued to lead at 20-15 when Terrazas scored off the block and Avery Rangel set up Frier to make it set point before Brewer closed it out for a 1-1 tie.
Azle came out strong in the third and led by as much as 18-10 before Brewer came back to pull within 24-22. Miley Massey set up Swain for the kill and a 2-1 lead for the Hornets.
The Hornets led throughout the fourth set and again – held off a late rally for the Bears to pick up the win and 1-seed in D2. Brewer dropped to 20-15 overall and 5-6 in district, tied for fourth with Granbury (with the season series split).
Brewer plays Fossil Ridge on Friday while Granbury takes on Azle.
If the two teams remain tied after Friday, it will go to a third game, a play-in for the final playoff spot. If Brewer gets into the postseason, it will be the first time in over 20 years.
JOSHUA 3, EVERMAN 0
The Owls dispatched the Bulldogs in straight sets during District 8-5A on Tuesday night, 25-9, 25-13, 25-7.
Joshua won its 30th game of the season (30-9) – the program’s first 30-win season since 2012. The Owls also moved to 13-0 in 8-5A, winning their first district championship since 1981.
With Burleson’s loss Tuesday against Burleson Centennial, the win also gave the team an outright title and locked up the 1-seed in D2 for Joshua.
Joshua closes the regular season at Burleson on Friday. The Owls defeated the Elks 3-1 earlier this season.
