Lady Wildcats take 2nd runner-up title in less than 2 months

A shortened season C came to a close last Thursday for the Lady Wildcats of Fleming who made their second State championship appearance in less than two months. The Lady Wildcats earned a basketball runner-up trophy in late March at Colorado Springs and brought home the runner-up volleyball trophy to add to the year’s achievements.

Season C — the volleyball season— started for the Lady Wildcats immediately after their basketball season ended. They opened their year on the volleyball court with just three practices under their belts. True to Fleming Lady Wildcat form, the squad went on to be a top contender on the court finishing their regular season at 12-2 overall with a set record of 36-9.

A number one ranking at start of the post season allowed them to host the Region One Tournament, from which they emerged victorious. A forced forfeit of the Cotopaxi Lady Pirates due to COVID-19 and a sweep over the La Veta Lady Redskins gave Fleming their 15th consecutive State Tournament berth.

With just the top teams from each of the eight regions advancing to State, the Lady Wildcats traveled back to Colorado Springs to the venue where they faced off with Flatirons Academy on the basketball court less than two months prior — the Broadmoor World Arena.

The quarterfinal round took place on the opening day of the Tournament, Wednesday, May 12. Entering as the top seed, the Lady Wildcats were paired with the eighth-ranked Otis Lady Bulldogs.

The local ladies started the tournament off strong, earning a sweep over Otis, 25-19, 25-23 and 25-9.

The Lady Wildcat hitters averaged nearly 13 kills per set in their opening contest at State. Sophomore Kally Kirkwood led the group with 18; junior Whitney Chintala also hit double digits with 13. Senior Kendyl Kirkwood, the team’s setter, tallied four kills. Freshman Madi Serrato and sophomore Maddy Harms rounded out the kill category with two and one respectively.

Junior Sam Pope led the serve game with five aces on the day. Harms and Serrato followed with two aces apiece.

From her place at the net, Kendyl Kirkwood put up five solo blocks in addition to her 31 assists on offense. Kally Kirkwood and Maddy Harms each blocked two kill attempts.

Thursday’s Final Four match started at 8 a.m. The Lady Wildcats took on the fourth-ranked Simla Lady Cubs. Simla advanced to the Final Four with a Wednesday win over Stratton/Liberty.

Simla took Fleming to four sets before falling 3-1. The Lady Wildcats took wins in sets one, two and four, 25-20, 25-18 and 25-13. Simla owned the third set, 25-20.

Once again, the Lady Wildcat hitters averaged right at 13 kills per set. Kally Kirkwood put an astounding 27 kills on the floor for the match. Chintala also made an impressive performance with 17 kills.

Serrato led from behind the service line with three aces and zero serving errors. Chintala served over two aces with no errors.

The Kirkwood sisters took team-high honors at the net with three solo blocks apiece.

Seven Lady Wildcats hit double digits in the dig category. Chintala led that group with 22. Serrato followed adding 18 digs. Kendyl Kirkwood put up another 17 from the back row. Sophomore Laney Schliesser and junior Zoey Vandenbark added 16 and 13 respectively while sophomore Lexi Schaefer and Pope added 10 apiece.

Thursday’s semifinal victory over Simla allowed the Lady Wildcats to advance into the Championship match later the same day. That match would bring the Merino Lady Rams to the opposite side of the net.

Merino entered in the number three slot and battled their way into the Championship with sweeps over Briggsdale and Sangre de Cristo.

Merino and Fleming faced off in the regular season on Fleming’s home court in mid-April. The Lady Rams handed Fleming their first loss of the season in that match, 3-0.

It was all Fleming in the opening sets of the Championship. The Lady Wildcats took sets one and two, 25-15 and 25-16.

Merino answered back with a huge third set win, 25-11. They would go on to take the match with wins in sets four and five, 25-18 and 15-9.

In her final performance in a Lady Wildcat jersey, the team’s lone senior Kendyl Kirkwood made zero errors on 114 ball handling attempts as the squad’s setter. She assisted with 32 sets for the match while putting seven kills on the floor and blocking three Lady Ram kill attempts. From the back row, she up the team-high 29 defensive digs and went 100 percent from behind the serving line.

Chintala and Kally Kirkwood made first-rate showings at the net. Chintala led with 21 kills; Kirkwood followed with 15.

Harms came up big at the net for the Lady Wildcat defense, tying Kendyl Kirkwood in solo blocks with three. Kally Kirkwood added two solo blocks.

In addition to Kendyl Kirkwood’s back row showing, three Lady Wildcats added double digits in digs. Chintala put up a total of 21, while Schliesser and Serrato added another 16 apiece.

The loss of Kendyl Kirkwood from this year’s group leaves the leadership reins to the four junior members of the team — Jessie Bornhoft, Chintala, Vandenbark and Pope.