Butte County faces nemesis Grace in postseason push with senior Hayley Jardine setting the tone
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ARCO – It’s early afternoon on a Saturday and the host Butte County volleyball team lines up for the postgame handshake with Mackay.
Another day, another win against a quality opponent for the Pirates.
Actually, make that two quality wins as Butte County also beat Rockland, both matches ending 3-0.
It’s a good day for the home team, which improved to 34-8-1. Both Mackay and Rockland are ranked in the latest 1A state coaches poll.
But, once the handshakes and photos are done, the net is taken down, and the small gym in Arco is cleared out, it’s time to focus on the next opponent.
That would be Grace.
“It’s more of a mental game with Grace,” Butte County senior setter Hayley Jardine said. “We have to play our best.”
Rivalries aren’t typically built over one or two years, but Butte County players remember who stood in their way last season with a chance to play in the state tournament.
Yep, it was Grace, who after losing the first match to Butte County in the best 2 of 3 district tournament, came back to win the next two matches to advance. All three matches went to five sets.
Butte County’s season ended, while Grace advanced to the state title match.
The postseason buildup begins this week as Butte County and Grace conclude the regular season on Thursday.
Then the real fun begins.
The 2A High Desert Conference has just two teams, so Butte County and Grace are familiar foes. The best 2 of 3 district tournament begins next Monday with two matches. An if-necessary match would be played on Wednesday, but the Pirates hope it doesn’t get to that point. The eventual district winner would also have to win a state play-in game next Saturday to advance.
“We’re playing pretty well,” Butte County coach Gretchen Simpson said after Saturday’s matches. “We’re controlling what we can control on our side of the court.”
Simpson noted last year’s team was very young. This year’s squad, with just two seniors, is still relatively young, but has played like experienced upperclassmen.
“Even last year I knew we can get it,” Jardine said of thinking about a rematch with Grace and chasing the district title. “(Last) year might not have been our year, but we got it next year.”
Next year is here.
After last year’s run, Grace is 8-16 this season and Butte County already has a 3-0 win over the Grizzlies.
Perhaps the most interesting storyline on the Butte County team is Jardine.
While she’s technically a senior, and the team’s only starting senior, she’s a year and a half ahead in her classwork.
At 16, she’s set to graduate in December after taking online classes since last year.
She’ll attend Idaho State University next fall.
She said she’s excited to eventually move onto a new challenge, but first up is the postseason.
Butte County is ranked No. 2 in the state coaches 2A poll, behind only defending state champion Troy.
Despite still being young, the Pirate lineup does have experience and definitely has motivation after the way last year ended.
“Those younger players played together a long time,” Simpson said. “They’re pretty solid and they are competitors … We gave Grace a good run for their money at the district championship last year. That gave them the confidence and mental toughness to stick with it and persevere.”
Is that enough?
The Pirates will find out next week.