For the first time in at least a decade, the Durango and Bayfield high school volleyball programs will be watching the state playoffs from the sidelines.
Neither school made the 36-team fields for the Class 4A and Class 3A brackets. According to MaxPreps’ year-by-year archive, it is the first time that Durango has not made it since 2008 and at least the 2007 season for Bayfield.
Both teams finished No. 40 in the final Ratings Percentage Index, which determines the top 36 teams based on wins, losses and strength of schedule.
Heading into the final weekend of the season, the Demons and Wolverines each had a chance of sneaking in. Durango was ranked No. 34 in RPI in the Class 4A standings and had two games Saturday at the Ponderosa Tournament in Parker.
However, the Demons dropped both games, falling to Rock Canyon in straight sets and Chatfield in four. Rock Canyon and Chatfield qualified for the playoffs in the Class 5A bracket, while Durango dropped six RPI spots and fell out of contention. The Demons had the 13th best strength of schedule in Class 4A and were competitive in the 5A/4A Southwestern League, where they finished 3-5, but finished 9-14 overall. The final two losses ultimately cost them a playoff berth.
This is the first time in the Colleen Vogt era that Durango failed to qualify for the playoffs. Vogt has been in charge of the Demons since the 2013 season.
The Bayfield volleyball team also failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since at least the 2007 season, according to MaxPreps. The Wolverines finished below .500 at 7-16 and 5-5 in the Class 3A Intermountain League.
The Wolverines were ranked No. 39 in RPI heading into Saturday’s Palmer Ridge Invitational in Monument and had the sixth toughest strength of schedule in Class 3A. The Wolverines would have had to win a few matches to be right on the cusp, but they only defeated Broomfield in three sets during the four-game tournament.
This is also the first time that Bayfield has not qualified for the playoffs under head coach Terene Foutz, who is in her fifth season as head coach. Foutz has guided the Wolverines to three state tournament appearances during her tenure.
The Ignacio High School team also did not qualify for the postseason, missing the Class 2A playoffs.
The Bobcats (8-15, 6-7 Class 2A/1A San Juan Basin League) finished sixth in the conference and had a final RPI of 43. They have not qualified for the playoffs since the 2015 season.
bploen@durangoherald.com
