Mount Vernon escapes, captures Westside title

CEDAR RAPIDS - That final, elusive gem - the only missing nugget of gold in Mount Vernon's four-year run of volleyball glory - has been collected.It wasn't harvested without some serious tension.Three points from elimination in the semifinal match, the Class 3A top-ranked Mustangs picked themselves off the canvas and went on to win the 24-team Westside Invitational tournament Saturday at Jefferson High School.“We wanted this so much,” said Courtney Kintzel. “We got down, and we knew we had to step up.”The Mustangs rallied past 4A No. 3 West, 26-28, 25-22, 15-10 in the semis, then handled 3A No. 3 West Delaware, 25-19, 25-10, in the finals. They improved to 32-0 this season and extended their winning streak to 47 matches.Their last defeat? At the 2009 Westside Invite. To West. In the semifinals.It very nearly happened again. But the Mustangs' big hitters came through in condition critical, scoring the final five points in Game 2 and erasing a 22-20 deficit against West (24-7).“They're a great team,” said West's Lexi Potter. “They hit some shots in the middle, and we weren't ready for that.”Mount Vernon, ranked 11th nationally by prepvolleyball.com, scored six straight points for a 7-2 lead in Game 3 and didn't let the Women of Troy closer than two points again.In the championship match, West Delaware (32-2) stayed close for most of the opening set, trailing just 21-19 before the Mustangs scored the final four points.

The Mustangs then cruised in Game 2, took a few quick snapshots with the tournament trophy - Mount Vernon's first at the Westside - and hustled to grab their warmups and water bottles before bolting homeward for the school's homecoming dance.Both of West Delaware's losses this season have come at the hands of the Mustangs. Another meeting is entirely possible Thursday at the Wamac Conference tournament.“I think we definitely played them better than we did last time,” said West Delaware's Allison Pasker. “We kept battling them until the end.”Ali Stark led the Mustangs in the final with eight kills, Kintzel added seven, Amanda Platte five. Taylor Dicus registered six blocks and three kills while Sarah Ryan distributed 21 assists.Pasker led the Hawks with five kills. Jenna Hermsen delivered 17 assists.Like Mount Vernon, West Delaware advanced with a grueling semifinal win - 27-25, 19-25, 15-12 over 4A No. 5 Cedar Rapids Kennedy (26-5). The Hawks scored the final three points in the decisive game.

WESTSIDE INVITATIONAL

At Cedar Rapids Jefferson

Pool A - 1. Mount Vernon 3-0, 2. Dubuque Hempstead 2-1, 3. Waterloo Columbus 1-2, 4. South Tama 0-3.Dubuque Hempstead def. Waterloo Columbus, 21-7, 21-11Mount Vernon def. South Tama, 21-5, 21-4Waterloo Columbus def. South Tama, 21-15, 23-21Mount Vernon def. Dubuque Hempstead, 21-12, 21-6Dubuque Hempstead def. South Tama, 21-10, 21-16Mount Vernon def. Waterloo Columbus, 21-9, 21-4

Pool B - 1. West Delaware 3-0, 2. West Des Moines Dowling 2-1, 3. Williamsburg 1-2, 4. C.R. Jefferson 0-3.Dowling def. Williamsburg, 21-16, 21-17West Delaware def. C.R. Jefferson, 21-9, 21-7Dowling def. C.R. Jefferson, 22-20, 21-14West Delaware def. Williamsburg, 21-11, 21-14Williamsburg def. C.R. Jefferson, 21-13, 21-7West Delaware def. Dowling, 13-21, 21-16, 16-14

Pool C - 1. C.R. Kennedy 3-0, 2. Des Moines Roosevelt 2-1, 3. Linn-Mar 1-2, 4. Indianola 0-3.D.M. Roosevelt def. Linn-Mar, 21-10, 15-21, 15-8C.R. Kennedy def. Indianola, 21-12, 21-3Linn-Mar def. Indiuanola, 21-16, 21-13C.R. Kennedy def. D.M. Roosevelt, 21-14, 21-7D.M. Roosevelt def. Indianola, 19-21, 21-7, 16-14C.R. Kennedy def. Linn-Mar, 21-8, 21-7

Pool D - 1. Iowa City West 3-0, 2. Dike-New Hartford 2-1, 3. Marion 1-2, 4. C.R. Washington 0-3.Dike-New Hartford def. Marion, 21-15, 21-16Iowa City West def. C.R. Washington, 21-9, 21-13Dike-New Hartford def. C.R. Washington, 21-13, 22-20Iowa City West def. Marion, 21-5, 21-15Marion def. C.R. Washington, 11-21, 21-13, 15-11Iowa City West def. Dike-New Hartford, 21-17, 21-15

Pool E - 1. Tripoli 3-0, 2. C.R. Xavier 2-1, 3. Waterloo West 1-2, 4. West Liberty 0-3.C.R. Xavier def. West Liberty, 21-17, 21-7Tripoli def. Waterloo West, 21-5, 21-6C.R. Xavier def. Waterloo West, 21-16, 21-13Tripoli def. West Liberty, 21-11, 21-7Waterloo West def. West Liberty, 21-14, 21-15Tripoli def. C.R. Xavier, 21-19, 25-23

Pool F - 1. Dubuque Wahlert 3-0, 2. Urbandale 2-1, 3. Aplington-Parkersburg 1-2, 4. North Cedar 0-3.Urbandale def. North Cedar, 21-14, 21-15Dubuque Wahlert def. Aplington-Parkersburg, 21-15, 14-21, 15-9Urbandale def. Aplington-Parkersburg, 21-13, 15-21, 15-3Dubuque Wahlert def. North Cedar, 21-15, 21-9Aplington-Parkersburg def. North Cedar, 21-12, 21-12Dubuque Wahlert def. Urbandale, 14-21, 21-14, 15-13

Bronze Bracket

QuarterfinalsWaterloo Columbus def. South Tama, 25-21, 25-9West Liberty def. Indianola, 25-17, 25-22Marion def. C.R. Jefferson, 25-17, 25-15C.R. Washington def. North Cedar, 25-15, 25-14

Bronze Bracket SemifinalsWest Liberty def. Waterloo Columbus, 25-20, 11-25, 16-14Marion def. C.R. Washington, 25-16, 21-25, 15-13

Bronze Bracket FinalMarion def. West Liberty, 25-22, 25-20

Silver Bracket

QuarterfinalsDubuque Hempstead def. Waterloo West, 25-11, 25-16Aplington-Parkersburg def. Des Moines Roosevelt, 25-20, 25-17Dike-New Hartford def. Williamsburg, 25-22, 25-21Urbandale def. Linn-Mar, 25-23, 25-14

Silver Bracket SemifinalsDubuque Hempstead def. Aplington-Parkersburg, 25-16, 20-25, 15-9Dike-New Hartford def. Urbandale, 25-20, 25-19

Silver Bracket FinalDike-New Hartford def. Dubuque Hempstead, 25-14, 25-21

Gold Bracket

QuarterfinalsMount Vernon def. C.R. Xavier, 25-9, 25-11Iowa City West def. Tripoli, 25-16, 25-14West Delaware def. West Des Moines Dowling, 25-10, 25-18C.R. Kennedy def. Dubuque Wahlert, 25-27, 25-11, 15-13

Gold Bracket SemifinalsMount Vernon def. Iowa City West, 26-28, 25-22, 15-10West Delaware def. C.R. Kennedy, 27-25, 19-25, 15-12

Gold Bracket ChampionshipMount Vernon def. West Delaware, 25-19, 25-10