The Northland Preparatory Academy Spartans marched to Sedona Red Rock High looking for a fight for victory, and they brought one.

The Scorpions, now 18-1-0 overall and 4-0 in the Division IV Section I conference, bumped up to the No. 2 two spot in the conference standings after beating the Spartans, who are 28-15-5 overall and 1-2 in the conference, at home Thursday, Oct. 11. The match was taken to the fifth set with the Scorpions winning the final set and winning the game 3-2.

The Scorpions scored the first point of the game after a rally that proved it was going to be a tough fight. Then the Spartans scored. The teams were matching each other point for point until Scorpions Morgan Hawes and McKenna Woodford hit kills and Brenna Barker aced.

The Scorpions looked good using teamwork to their advantage, taking the lead midset, 15-12. However, the Spartans excel at digs — their libero, Shandiin Ramsey has 389 digs this season alone — which allowed them to catch-up 16-16 and once more 21-21.

After a kill by Woodford, Scorpion Tiana Hatler’s dig started an exciting rally with Hatler getting the point for the Scorpions, giving Sedona the lead once more at 23-21. A couple of hard hits by Woodford forced the Spartans to hit out, giving the Scorpions a 25-22 first set victory.

For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Oct. 17, issue of the Red Rock News.