LA JARA – The top-ranked Alamosa High School secured the Intermountain League championship on Tuesday as it defeated fourth-ranked Centauri at the CHS gym.

The Mean Moose won in four sets. They took the first set 25-14, but the Falcons won the second 25-23. Alamosa won the final two sets by scores of 25-23 and 25-17.

“It was a tough match,” said Alamosa coach Annie Mortensen. “Great volleyball, great play and great rallies. I think that match prepared our team for the future and the state tournament.”

“I’m super proud of the girls,” said Centauri coach Eddie Chacon. “We worked all week on blocking and we knew if we worked all week and get up there and get some blocks on them and make them a little bit less aggressive at the net, we could put ourselves in a good position to win. We’ve always said that the second set is the most important and we don’t lose the second set. For us to come out after a slow start in the first set and really lock in for the second set and play great, it was awesome. It was a total team effort and we had everyone contributing. It was a lot of fun. It was definitely something to build upon and some confidence. Alamosa is a great team and we were right there with them. If we can just keep up that momentum, we can put ourselves in a great position come postseason.”

The Mean Moose opened the first set by scoring the first two points. The Falcons tied the score at 2-2, but Alamosa regained the lead at 4-2.

After a brief Centauri side out, Alamosa went on a 9-1 run to take a 13-4 lead. The Mean Moose then had a 5-3 rally to increase their lead to 18-7.

The Falcons went on a 4-1 run to reduce their deficit to 19-11, but Alamosa scored three in a row for a 22-11 lead. Centauri closed to within 22-13, but the Mean Moose scored three of the final four points to take a 25-14 win.

Alamosa scored the first two points of the second set, but Centauri had a 4-1 rally to take its first lead of the match at 4-3. The. Mean Moose regained the lead at 7-4, but the Falcons went on a 7-2 run to take the lead back at 11-9.

The Mean Moose regained the lead at 13-12, but the Falcons scored three in a row for a 15-13 advantage. Alamosa tied the score at 15-15 and later at 17-17, but Centauri had a 7-2 run for a 24-19 lead.

The Mean Moose attempted a comeback and closed to within 24-23. But Mikasa Gilleland slammed a kill for at 25-23 Falcons win.

It was only the fourth set the Mean Moose lost this season and their first in league play.

Alamosa took a 6-3 lead to begin the third set, but Centauri went on an 8-2 run to go in front at 11-8. The Mean Moose answered with five straight points for a 13-11 lead.

After a brief Centauri side out, Alamosa pushed the lead to 17-12. But the Falcons scored five consecutive points to tie the score at 17-17.

The Mean Moose regained the lead at 20-17, but the Falcons tied the score again, this time at 20-20. Alamosa took a 22-20 edge, before Centauri again tied the score at 23-23.

The Mean Moose scored the final two points for a 25-23 win.

Alamosa started strong in the fourth set by taking a 12-4 lead. Centauri rallied to cut the lead to 15-12, but the Mean Moose increased the lead to 17-12.

The Falcons came back to reduce their deficit to 18-16. But the Mean Moose scored seven of the final eight points for a 25-17 win.

Ashlyn Rice led the Alamosa offense with 38 assists. Laci Christensen led the hitting game with 17 kills, followed by Aubrey Rothermich with 16, Kyla Hawkins with 12, Arreli Felix with six, and Ashlyn Rice and Kadie Hawkins both with five.

The Mean Moose had nine service aces and were led by Ashlyn Rice and Egypt Holman with three apiece. Addison Rice had two and Rothermich one.

Kenadie Wilfong was Centauri’s offensive leader with 23 assists. Joselyn McCarroll was the top hitter with nine kills, followed by Analyn Dwyer and Rylie McCarroll both with eight.

The Falcons had four aces with Joselyn McCarroll, Gileland, Lauren Gallegos, and Kenadie Wilfong each with one.

Alamosa (15-1, 7-0) will wrap up league play today as it will host Montezuma-Cortez.

“One last league game and then we’ll head to Sterling,” Mortensen said. “We’ll have lots and lots of practice, so that’s good.”

Centauri (11-5, 2-3) hosted Montezuma-Cortez on Friday and it will host Bayfield on Thursday.

“We have to come in and just execute and play,” Chacon said. “If we play like we did tonight, I don’t see any other league team definitely beating us. We’re in every single contest from here on out. We just have to focus on one game at a time and executing our game plan and staying aggressive.”