Saturday’s ACAC tournament at Heritage High School looked to be anti-climactic as many believed the match in Pool B between the top two teams in the conference standings, South Adams and Woodlan, was the de facto championship match.
After all, the Jets had already lost nine matches this year, including one to Woodlan earlier this year and after the Warriors fell rather easily to the Starfires in the early afternoon, the 22-2 South Adams team looked like clear favorites to knock off the Jets and continue their long winning streak.
The Jets had another outcome in mind.
Adams Central’s straight-set win (25-16, 25-22) over rival South Adams puts the rest of the volleyball season in Z-Land in a much different light, adding a little zest to what seemed to be an obvious pecking order of everyone in the local 2A scene chasing the Starfires, who had only lost to Bellmont and an Ohio team heading into Saturday.
The Jets took care of winless Southern Wells 25-11, 25-11, but then dropped a set to Bluffton and had to go the distance in the shortened format to beat the Tigers, 23-25, 25-12, 15-9.
South Adams reached the final with a straight-set victory over Woodlan, 25-14, 25-19.
The Starfires had a wild first set against Heritage, taking it all the way to 28-26 in the opener and then winning the second set 25-18. Macy Pries led the Stars with 16 digs and seven kills in the win over the host Patriots.
In the loss to Adams Central, Avery Brown and Macy Pries led the team with five kills apiece.
Ironically, South Adams and Adams Central will play each other again on Thursday in regular season play in Monroe. That match will be broadcast on WZBD, 92.7 FM.
Final results:
- POOL A
- Jay County def Bluffton 25-9, 25-23
- Adams Central def Southern Wells 25-11, 25-11
- Adams Central def Bluffton 23-25, 25-11, 15-9
- Jay County def Southern Wells 25-16, 25-13
- Adams Central def Jay County 25-20, 23-25, 15-5
- Bluffton def Southern Wells 25-14, 25-16
- POOL B
- Woodlan def Heritage 25-17, 25-27, 15-7
- South Adams def Woodlan 25-14, 25-19
- South Adams def Heritage 28-26, 25-19
- 5th Place Match: Heritage def Bluffton 25-23, 19-25, 15-13
- 3rd Place Match: Woodlan def Jay County 23-25, 25-23, 15-9
- CHAMPIONSHIP: Adams Central def South Adams 25-16, 25-22
