Local Teams Participate in Virginia Volleyball Tournament

Oct 4

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

Several local teams participated in the Virginia Invitational Volleyball tournament on Saturday. There were four teams from our local area that played extremely well and showed their volleyball talents. It was a second place finish for the Esko Eskomos who lost their first match of the season to Heritage Christian. Cloquet ended up placing fourth, Hermantown finished in sixth place and AlBrook came away with 7th.

The Esko Eskomos fell to the state ranked Eagles of Heritage Christian Saturday in the championship match of the Virginia Tournament. The Eskomos opened the tournament with 2-0 win over Chisholm. The Eskomos then defeated Babbitt-Embarrass by the same 2 games to none. Esko then advanced to the semi-finals and defeated Virginia to move into the championship match against the Eagles. The Eagles then defeated the Eskomos 2-0 to capture the championship. Esko is now 16-1 on the season and they will play at Duluth East on Tuesday night.

The Cloquet Lumberjacks won their first two matches of the tournament Saturday with wins over Bigfork and Cook; both matches were two games to none. Cloquet moving into the semi-finals lost to eventual tournament champion Heritage Christian 2-1, and then the Lumberjacks lost to Virginia in the third place game. Cloquet moves to 10-7 on the season and will play at Crosby-Ironton on Tuesday night.

Hermantown opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over Cherry, the Hawks then lost to Heritage Christian 2-1. The loss moved the Hawks into middle bracket where the Hawks defeated Cook to advance to the 5th place game, but it was Babbitt-Embarrass coming through with a 2-1 win to place 5th overall. Hermantown moves to 11-7 on the season, they play at Proctor Thursday night.

AlBrook opened up the Virginia Tournament 2-0 win over Mesabi East before falling in their second match against Virginia. The loss to Virginia then moved the Falcons into the middle bracket and a match against Babbitt-Embarrass where the Knights defeating the Falcons 2-1. AlBrook then took on Cook in the seventh place game and the Falcons prevailed 2-0.

The rest of the finishers in the Virginia Tournament were Chisholm in 9th, Cherry 10th, Nashwauk Keewatin 11th, Bigfork was 12th, International Falls 13th, Eveleth Gilbert was 14th, Hill City ended in 15th, followed by Mesabi East.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com