Demon volleyball ends 2008 season fifth in state

    The Dodge City High School Red Demon volleyball team went 1-2 in pool play Friday at the 2008 6A state tournament, winning their third match of the day against the Lawrence Lions.
    The Demons finished fifth at the state tournament and did not make it into today's semifinals. They lost their first match of the day against Blue Valley West, 12-25 and 15-25.
    "We played hard, but they just outplayed us," said Dodge City coach Kate Szymczak. "It was a big shocker."
    After losing the one-sided match early on, the Demons had to get right back up to play Goddard, the state No. 1 seed that came into the state tournament with a 38-1 record.
    "We played them tough," Szymczak said.
    But the Demons fell to the Lions again in two sets, 22-25 and 17-25.
    Knowing that they would not make the semifinals after dropping their first two matches of the day, the Demons came back in their third match and got a win against Lawrence, a team that had beaten Dodge at a tournament in Lawrence earlier this season.
    The Demons won the rematch at the state tournament 25-21 and 26-24.
    For the day, Demons junior Emily Scheck had nine kills. Sophomore A'zlynn Thompson recorded 14 kills and three aces.
    "The girls always played above my expectations in terms of ability," Szymczak said. "We were a young group this year, and we'll gain a large group next season. We've just got to keep building and keep repeating these state appearances."
    Of the departing group of seniors, Szymczak said: "They are a very hard-working group — sort of a quiet crew that carries a big stick. They may not say a whole lot, but they got it done every time."