Royal Valley Volleyball Returns to 3A State

For the first time since 2014, the Royal Valley volleyball team is headed to the 3A State Tournament.  The Panthers have been ranked #1 in the Class the majority of this season, but had to finagle their way around an injury to a key player and regroup after three consecutive losses to Smokey Valley and Abilene in tourney play before falling to Sabetha, which led to a three-way tie for the Big 7 League championship. 

Yet, at the Perry Lecompton Sub-State on Saturday, Royal Valley was back to their dominating ways as they cruised to three straight sets victories improving their season record to 34-6.  

Royal Valley opened the day as the top seed with a 25-10 and 25-19 victory against league foe Jeff West.  The Panthers then beat another Big 7 foe, Perry Lecompton on their home floor by scores of 25-18 and 25-16.  The championship match was against the #2 seed West Franklin, but even they couldn't threaten or hang with RV in a 25-16 and 25-17 title match final.

Royal Valley started the season 23-0 before a loss to Silver Lake and only had one match that went to a third set during that run. It's the second straight season with at least 30 wins under Coach Gary Armstrong, who had be denied a state berth the past couple seasons by Silver Lake. The Panthers will now compete in Hutchinson starting on Friday, November 1st.