No home gym? No problem. Skyview volleyball still dominating as permanent visitors.
The Skyview High volleyball team planned to spend the season admiring their 5A state championship banner, the first for a Treasure Valley team in a decade.
But this year had other plans for the Hawks.
An August storm flooded the Skyview gym during repairs to its roof, ruining the floor and leaving Skyview without a home court. Instead, they’ve spent the season as wandering nomads, taking gym space and time whenever and wherever they can find it around Nampa.
The Hawks found it Tuesday at Northwest Nazarene University’s Johnson Sports Center. And they used it to emphasize why they are the heavy favorite to win an 11th straight district title, routing Eagle 25-9, 25-16, 25-17 in a rematch of last year’s district championship and a battle of the top two teams in a 5A SIC preseason coaches’ poll’.
Skyview coach Kevin Murphy said he initially worried a season without a home gym would wear on his team. But the Hawks quickly showed him otherwise.
“In the beginning, you’re trying to get some consistency and just get a rhythm,” Murphy said. “But if this was going to happen to a group of girls, our kids are the ones. We just have mentally tough kids that really have wisdom beyond their years.”
The Hawks (8-1, 2-0 5A SIC) have spent the fall playing a game of musical chairs with practices and games. The school’s auxiliary gym can host the freshman and junior varsity teams. But the defending state champs rotate between Nampa and Columbia high schools, taking open gym space as it comes, whether it’s a main gym or auxiliary space.
The logistical challenges of juggling all those gyms, times and dates creates some last-minute changes. But senior outside Eden Bower said the Hawks have taken it all in stride.
“It’s just us realizing how to be grateful for any opportunity we have to be able to be on the floor and play with each other,” Bower said. “I think it definitely shows in these games and every practice. We bring all the energy we have, and we’re super grateful.”
Tuesday marked the first time Skyview played at Northwest Nazarene. Murphy said it’s doubtful Skyview can repair its home gym before the volleyball season ends. But opponents shouldn’t expect that to make it any easier to knock Skyview off its perch atop the Treasure Valley.
“Hats off to Skyview,” Eagle coach Collin Hartman said. “They’re a great team. They’re a well-coached team.
“Eden Bower, Alex Bower, Alex Acevedo, Mel Eyer — they’re all phenomenal volleyball players. You can put those kids in any gym. They’ve played in gyms across the country their whole life.”
SKYVIEW ASSERTS ITSELF AS FAVORITE
The Hawks opened their 5A SIC schedule with their two toughest challenges, taking on Mountain View, the No. 3 pick in the SIC, on Thursday before battling Eagle (6-3, 1-1 5A SIC) on Tuesday.
Skyview swept both in straight sets.
The Hawks jumped all over the Mustangs early and dominated throughout. They only trailed once Tuesday, 1-0 to open the second set.
BYU commit Eden Bower overpowered Eagle over and over again, racking up 19 kills while adding nine digs. Sister Alex Bower tallied six kills, nine digs and 28 assists. And Acevedo, an Oregon commit, added eight kills and 12 digs.
Tara Murphy led Eagle with seven kills, while Madison Ogawa added 11 digs.
Skyview’s conference schedule may ease up. But Murphy knows plenty of challenges still lie between Skyview and another district or state trophy. That includes a trip to Las Vegas this weekend for the Durango Fall Classic, as well as a probable rematch with Eagle down the road.
“We understand that the best teams don’t win. The team that plays better wins,” Murphy said. “You might have a better team one night. But that other team plays better, they’re going to win.
“... So we know that there is a lot of good volleyball out there, and there’s a lot of good volleyball left to be played.”
TUESDAY’S STANDOUTS
- London Ipsen, Centennial (volleyball): Racked up 12 kills, 13 digs and two aces to lead the Patriots to a five-set win against Timberline.
- Brooke Garman, Vallivue (volleyball): Finished with 18 kills and 15 digs in a four-set win against Emmett.
- Katie Compas, Parma (volleyball): Tallied 12 kills, 20 assists and two blocks in the Panthers’ three-set victory at Homedale.
- Natasja Davis, Kuna (girls soccer): Scored all four goals in the first half as the Kavemen topped Borah 4-0.
- Ellie Robertson, Columbia (girls soccer): Recorded a hat trick in the Wildcats’ 4-2 victory against Caldwell.
- Nadia Kincaid, Rocky Mountain (girls soccer): Scored three times to lead the defending state champs to a 6-0 win at Skyview.
Sammy Smith, Boise (girls soccer): Recorded a hat trick and added an assist in a 9-0 win against Meridian.
This story was originally published September 14, 2021 at 9:31 PM.
