Steamboat Pilot & Today

The volleyball season will be on the line this weekend for several Western Slope teams visiting Oak Creek.

"This is the first time we've had the facilities to host this tournament," Rams volleyball coach Valerie Remick said Tuesday. " Our girls are pretty excited about having this one on their home court."

The 2003 2A District Volleyball Tournament will take place at Soroco High School on Friday and Saturday, taking advantage of the school's gym facilities.

Eight teams will arrive Friday with hopes of advancing to the regional tournament, but only two teams will earn the right to keep playing after Saturday's finals.

The favorite to win is top-seeded North Park (17-1 overall, 7-0 league).

Other top seeds include No. 2 Meeker (11-5, 6-0) and No. 3 Rangely (8-4, 5-2).

"It's safe to say that North Park is the team to beat this weekend," Remick said. "There are some very good teams, and there will be some very good volleyball this weekend."

Other teams in the mix include West Grand, Grand Valley, Plateau Valley and Soroco. Paonia defeated Hayden on Tuesday night to earn the No. 8 seed in the district.

The tournament will get under way at 3:45 p.m. Friday with North Park taking on Paonia in Soroco's new gym.

The tournament's second seed, Meeker, will play No. 7 Plateau Valley in the old gym at same time.

Soroco's first match is tentatively set for 5:15 p.m. against No. 3 Rangely in the old gym. Soroco also is scheduled to face Meeker in the 6:45 p.m. match, which also will be held in the old gym. Soroco High School Principal James Chamberlin said he was thrilled that the district tournament would take place at the high school, and everyone is excited to showcase Soroco's new facility.