By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

JEFFERSON, Ore.–  Sheridan has stayed afloat in the PacWest Conference this season, being a young team with one senior on their roster the Spartans find themselves sitting second in the conference coming down the stretch despite a tough stretch over the last four games.  Going 2-2 over that span that included a big 25-9, 25-7, 26-24 sweep of Jefferson to rebound from a tough four-set defeat to Amity back on Thursday.

Haley Ayala and Madison Brewster led the Sheridan charge as the Sparts improved to 13-4 on the year and 5-2 in league play as they set the tone early in their first two sets on the road.

“It’s really nice, especially since our last loss against Amity…we just fought back (today) and it’s nice to have that win after. (It taught us) not to let down and not to give up.  If we get down, just get right back up and shake it off and focus on the next play,” Brewster said.

 The Lions, being a young team anyway this season after graduating seven seniors, have faced adversity with injuries and illnesses.  Jefferson Head Coach Sydney Poorman has had to adjust her lineup, bring up Junior Varsity players and see what they can do.

And they came around in the third set as they jumped out to an 11-4 lead and had kept the set close as they came close to extending the match beyond three sets in the second match-up between the two teams.

“I’m super proud of the freshmen because they came in and acted like they weren’t freshmen.  Like number nine, Nakiya Trefethen, she’s never set foot on a Varsity floor before until tonight and she came in and started.  She got a block by herself and I was like, ‘Girl, you are going places’,” Poorman starts.  “I’m really proud with how many people have stepped up and gone into roles they never would have stepped into.  We’re mostly a team of Outsides and Setters.  My setters are stepping in as Middles and it’s pretty awesome to see.”

A drill that Sheridan had worked on in practice had helped them prepare for the situation that they were in as they clawed their way back into contention and eventually took the set and match.  Now turning their focus to Taft on Thursday.

“We’ve been practicing that for a while.  Yesterday we did a drill where we’re down 15-0 and we have to fight back and get back up there.  That really helped to fight back,” Brewster said. 

Jefferson heads to Scio on Thursday  for a 6:30pm game.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald