(UPDATED) DISTRICT 4 VOLLEYBALL: SAYRE SWEEPS SUGAR VALLEY; ADVANCES TO FIRST CLASS A FINAL SINCE 2016 (24 PHOTOS) (2025-10-27)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
ATHENS — Sayre started fast, and finished strong in all three sets on its way to a sweep of Sugar Valley Rural Charter here Monday evening to secure its first trip to a District 4 title game since 2016.

Sayre lost to Galeton in the 2016 District 4 finals, and was also eliminated by the Tigers in the 2015 semifinals. Prior to that, the Redskins had not reached the postseason since 2004.

The Redskins topped the Phoenix in the Class A semifinals Monday by scores of 25-13, 25-12, and 25-14.

"Being back at full strength tonight was definitely a plus," said Sayre coach Colby Sangrey in reference to the return to the lineup of junior Alex Schack and freshman Lilliana Schack, who each missed matches at the end of the regular season due to injuries.

"All the girls came out and were excited to play," noted Sangrey. "They played their hearts out.

"I'm really happy with the way we played tonight," he added.

Sangrey said his team never let off the gas pedal despite leading the vast majority of the evening.

"I think the key was working together, playing hard the whole time, and not getting complacent with where we were at.

"In each one of those sets, we could have relaxed with leads, and I don't think we did that, so that was huge," said Sangrey.

Sophomore Reghan McGaughey served up four points in a row, including the first three via aces, to give the Redskins a 7-1 lead in the first game.

Sugar Valley rallied to tie the game at 10-10, but Sayre led 14-12 the second time McGaughey stepped to the service line in the first game.

McGaughey served up seven straight points, one of which ended with a nifty tip kill by senior Rylee Lantz, and punctuated the run with an ace to put the Redskins up 21-12.

Junior Yhale Doon served up the last three points in the set to give the Redskins a 25-13 win. Her run included a kill by Alex Schack, an ace, and a kill by Lantz.

McGaughey finished the night with 19 service points, including six aces, 11 digs, and four kills, while Lantz registered 15 kills, two points and two digs, and Doon had 16 points, 11 digs, and 20 setter assists. 

"Reghan (McGaughey) had a great night serving ... actually I think we all did," said Sangrey.

"When you go on those serving runs it allows you to get that separation," he noted. "When you're getting five or six points in a row, you can afford to give up little runs of two or three.

"And, the girls in the front row were on fire tonight," added Sangrey. "Yhale (Doon) was spreading it around, keeping the defense on their toes, and our hitters were just finding holes and ways to get points."

In the second game, McGaughey started off the scoring with a kill, and sophomore Grace Russo served up three straight points, including two aces, to give the Redskins an early 4-0 lead.

Sayre stretched its lead to 11-4, and led led 14-7 before the Phoenix closed the gap to 15-11.

Leading 19-12, McGaughey closed out the second set with six straight service points, including a pair of aces, to seal the 25-12 win.

Russo started off the third set with five straight service points, including one ace and a kill by Lantz, but after a side-out Sugar Valley served up four straight points to tie the set at 5-5.

A Lantz kill ended the Sugar Valley run, and McGaughey served up a pair of points, including an ace, to give the Redskins an 8-5 lead.

A side-out and three straight service points by Sugar Valley gave the Phoenix their first — and only — lead of the night, at 9-8.

A sideout, and five straight service points by Doon put the Redskins up for good at 14-9.

The final two points before a Sugar Valley timeout were both kills by Lantz. The second took a moment longer than it originally appeared when a Sugar Valley dig ricocheted off the forehead of a teammate and over the net, where Lantz was waiting to finish off the point.

Following the timeout, Doon served up three more points, with Lantz starting it out with a kill, to make it 17-9.

The teams traded sideouts until Alex Schack served up a pair of points to make it 24-13.

After a Sayre sideout, Lantz finished the match with a kill.

Russo had 12 service points, including three aces, and four digs for the Redskins, while Alex Schack had three points, and eight digs, Lilliana Schack had three kills and six digs, and junior Azalea McClenny chipped in with two kills.

The Redskins, now 10-9, will face Canton Thursday at 5 p.m. at Athens Area High School for the District 4, Class A title.

The NTL Small School foes faced each other twice this season with each winning a five-setter at home.

"I think we need to fight the whole time," said Sangrey in reference to his team's third go-round with the Warriors.

"We've seen them five sets twice this season. We know they're going to give us a fight.

"I think if we continue to do what we did today, build off it and working from there, I think we're looking pretty good for Thursday," added Sangrey.

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IN PHOTO 1: Sayre's Reghan McGaughey. IN TOP PHOTO: Sayre's Rylee Lantz. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.



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