By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

CENTRAL POINT, Ore.–  Dallas had come on late in this season, second half their season really, as they built some momentum going into the 5A Playoffs this year.  The junior-heavy squad turned to their two seniors in Olivia Hale and Hannah Callaway and followed their lead as they qualified for the postseason.

It was a good learning experience of a playoff atmosphere, some like Callaway, Hale, Grace Hannan and Kaelyn Golden were on the Playoff squad last year, as they went to play Crater at Scenic Middle School Saturday afternoon.  The Comets gym on campus is going through renovations, so the second-seed in the playoffs has called the Middle School gym down the road home for the entirety of the season in their 25-17, 25-19, 25-10 sweep of the traveling Dragons squad.

But Dallas did show signs of fight as they hope to build off from going into the 2023 season in keeping the first two sets close before the Comets turned on a different gear in the third set, remembering what their two seniors left behind as they look for another strong season next Fall.

“They were a huge part of our team.  They were our leading scorers, we were so close to them and we’re really sad that they’re graduating, but we’re proud of them,” Hannan said of her two seniors.  “The second half of our season was a really good learning experience of we can power through and put all of our effort out there.  We only have two people graduating this year, so next year I feel like we’re going to have a strong core as a team because we’re going to have a lot of returners.”

Dallas finished the season 9-11 and went 7-6 in Mid-Willamette Conference play.  Crater heads to Forest Grove where they’re going to play La Salle Prep. 

Photos By Jeremy McDonald