Pinconning celebrates its first district volleyball championship since 2004.
SSC's Lynsday Potts returns a Pinconning hit as Anna Stanley (15) looks on.
Pinny's Lori LaFave gets her hands on a hit by Standish-Sterling's Ellen Walderzak during Saturday's district championship match.
Ogemaw Heights' Jamie Lucas gets under a Standish-Sterling hit during the Falcons' district tournament loss to Standish-Sterling.
Linda Eyer
Tawas Area's Christina Ranger tries to get the ball over a Pinconning block during a district semifinal match on Saturday.

PINCONNING - Mar. 3, 2007 - Pinconning's volleyball team earned its first district volleyball title since 2004 on Saturday; just not quite in the fashion it expected.

With just about everyone geared up for a Pinny - Ogemaw Heights district championship game, Standish-Sterling pulled the surprise of the tournament in the semifinals, coming back from a two-game deficit to end the Falcons' season 20-25, 14-25, 26-24, 25-22, 15-9.

The Spartans went on to top the underdog Panthers in the final, 25-11, 25-11, 25-16.

The match that had everyone buzzing, though, was the semifinal, in which the Panthers, who seemed to improve as the season went on, even after a mid-season coaching change, and saved their best for last.

It was not the finish to the season the Falcons anticipated.

"'Disappointed' is a good word to sum up our day," said Ogemaw coach Diane Gillette. "We had hopes of meeting Pinny in the finals and trying to beat them. Instead, Standish got the opportunity.

"Anything can happen when it comes to playoff time, and I have to hand it to Standish, who fought back after losing the first two games. They did a nice job."

After dominating the first two games, the Falcons led 23-17 in the third game, but saw the Panthers come back to stay alive at 26-24. As it turned out, SSC seized the momentum for good with that win.

The Falcons still finished the season with a school record in victories and a final mark of 36-15-8.

Pinny, which opened with a 25-22, 25-22, 25-17 victory over Oscoda, swept Tawas Area 25-15, 25-21, 25-21 in its semifinal as the Braves did their best to rise to the occasion.

Pinny sustained its momentum in sweeping its three games against SSC, which couldn't keep its magic carpet ride alive against the Spartans.

The Spartans, led by its two seniors Alyssa Gruszynski and Alisha Ouillette, trailed briefly at the start of the first game but took care of business in efficient fashion to advance to its first regional in three years.

Oscoda coach Linda Hennigar, despite her team's one-and-out exit, was pleased with the way the Owls played the eventual district champs.

"We played this team twice in league play and each time we struggled to score double digits against them," she said. "Saturday we even had a 21-18 lead in the second game, so this was a moral victory for us.

"For the most part I was pleased with our play, especially after our poor showing at Roscmmon on Wednesday when we lost to both Roscommon and Whittemore-Prescott. Our serving and serve receive were once again the strongest part of our game, but our attacks and digging were much better."

The Spartans will take on Cadillac in the opener at Cheboygan on Saturday, with the winner facing either Roscommon or Gladstone in the final later in the day.

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Stats:

Ogemaw - Brown 28 digs, 3 aces; Rosebrugh 28 digs, 4 aces; Lucas 12 kills, 1 block; H. Wangler 24 asst; R. Wangler 9 kills; Foster 8 kills.

Pinny - Gruszynski 47 kills, 24 digs; Ouillette 34 digs.

Oscoda - Negro 4 kills, 13 points, 4 blocks; Patterson 4 kills, 9 digs; Inman 12 points, 6 assists; 3 aces; Thurston 10 points; Carl 5 tips; Young 2 blocks; Yamamoto 13 digs; Schwedler 10 assists.