ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam — It wasn’t the finish they’d hoped for, but Nile C. Kinnick’s girls volleyball team appeared content to take home seventh place in the Far East Class AA Tournament, coach Al Garrido said. The Red Devils beat Seoul American 23-25, 25-19, 15-5.

"We could have easily taken ourselves out of it" after failing in their bid to reach the Final Four for only the second time in school history, then missing out on fifth place. "That could have easily taken us out of our game," he said.

"But the girls said they didn’t want to end this on a bad note. Let’s go out and do it. And they did." It was Kinnick’s best Class AA finish since taking fifth in 1996.

The championship for the second time in three years went to seniors Anna Lorentz and Gwen Thornton and American School In Japan, which swept George Washington of Guam 25-23, 27-25, 25-13.

Thornton was selected tournament MVP, joining her sister, Catherine, who earned the same honor in ASIJ’s 2006 tournament title run.

It was the third title overall for the Mustangs, while Geckos coach Bobbi Quinata finished second for the 13th time.

Far East volleyball tournamentsClass AA

At Coral Reef Fitness & Sports Center, Andersen Air Force Base, GuamChampions1976-Wagner, Clark Air Base, Philippines1977-International School of Manila1978-International School of Manila1979-Zama American, Japan1980-International School of Manila1981-Zama American, Japan1982-International School of Manila1983-Seisen International, Tokyo1984-George Washington, Guam1985-St. Maur International, Japan1986-American School In Japan1987-American School In Japan1988-Zama American, Japan1989-Academy of Our Lady, Guam1990-Seisen International, Tokyo1991-American School In Japan1992-Academy of Our Lady, Guam1993-Seisen International, Tokyo1994-Academy of Our Lady, Guam1995-Academy of Our Lady, Guam1996-Academy of Our Lady, Guam1997-Zama American, Japan1998-Academy of Our Lady, Guam1999-Academy of Our Lady, Guam2000-St. John’s, Guam2001-Christian Academy In Japan2002-Southern, Guam2003-Academy of Our Lady, Guam2004-Academy of Our Lady, Guam2005-Christian Academy In Japan2006-American School In Japan2007-Christian Academy In Japan2008-American School In Japan

Awards

Most Valuable Player-Gwen Thornton, American School In JapanTeam Sportsmanship Award-Christian Academy In JapanAll-Tournament team-Evelyn Padayo (two-time selection), Mariana Quinata (two-time selection), George Washington; Shylah Salas, Simon Sanchez; Tashia Hardeman (two-time selection; 2007 at Class A), Faith Academy; Mary Niemeyer (two-time selection), Nile C. Kinnick; Mary Gillian (two-time selection), Notre Dame; Liz Gleaves, Seoul American; Elyse Blas, Academy of Our Lady of Guam; Catherine Aguinde (two-time selection), John F. Kennedy; Gabby Falco, Kubasaki; Lotoya Mojica, Southern; Estelle Diaz, Guam High.

Single-elimination playoffs

Thursday’s matchesMatch 1-Guam High def. Yokota, Japan, 25-21, 25-16Match 2-Kubasaki, Okinawa, def. Kadena, Okinawa, 25-15, 21-25, 15-6Match 3-Nile C. Kinnick, Japan, def. John F. Kennedy, Guam, 25-16, 25-15Match 4-Seisen International, Japan, def. Christian Academy In Japan 25-17, 14-25, 15-9Match 5-Simon Sanchez, Guam, def. Southern, Guam, 25-17, 25-19Match 6-Notre Dame, Guam, def. Zama American, Japan, 25-12, 25-14Match 7-Faith Academy, Philippines, def. Academy of Our Lady of Guam 25-22, 25-21Match 8-Seoul American def. St. John’s, Guam, 25-21, 23-25, 15-9Match 9-George Washington, Guam, def. Guam High 26-24, 25-13Match 10-American School In Japan def. Kubasaki 25-15, 21-25, 15-7Match 11-Simon Sanchez def. Seisen International 25-18, 22-25, 15-13Match 12-Faith Academy def. Notre Dame 25-19, 19-25, 15-13Match 13-George Washington def. Nile C. Kinnick 25-17, 25-15Match 14-American School In Japan def. Seoul American 25-14, 25-15

Friday’s matchesMatch 15-Kubasaki def. Yokota 25-12, 25-8Match 16-Guam High def. Kadena 25-16, 25-15Match 17-Christian Academy In Japan def. Zama American 25-17, 25-9Match 18-Academy of Our Lady of Guam def. John F. Kennedy 25-20, 25-20Match 19-St. John’s def. Kubasaki 20-25, 25-19, 15-9Match 20-Southern def. Guam High 25-16, 25-16Match 21-Notre Dame def. Christian Academy In Japan 14-25, 25-18, 15-8Match 22-Academy of Our Lady of Guam def. Seisen International 25-22, 25-17Match 23-Seoul American def. St. John’s 25-19, 25-18Match 24-Nile C. Kinnick def. Southern 20-25, 25-21, 15-9Match 25-Notre Dame def. Seoul American 15-25, 25-17, 15-4Match 26-Academy of Our Lady of Guam def. Nile C. Kinnick 25-23, 27-25Match 27-George Washington def. Simon Sanchez 25-19, 25-22Match 28-American School In Japan def. Faith Academy 19-25, 25-22, 15-9

Saturday’s matchesMatch 29-John F. Kennedy def. Kadena 25-27, 25-11, 15-9Match 30-Zama American def. Yokota 26-24, 25-15Match 31-Kubasaki def. Seisen 25-20, 21-25, 17-15Match 32-Christian Academy In Japan def. Guam High 25-17, 25-23Match 33-John F. Kennedy def. Southern 25-17, 25-22Match 34-St. John’s def. Zama American 25-23, 25-23Match 35-John F. Kennedy def. Kubasaki 25-21, 25-20Match 36-Christian Academy In Japan def. St. John’s 25-22, 25-13Match 37-Christian Academy In Japan def. John F. Kennedy 25-12, 25-19, ninth placeMatch 38-Nile C. Kinnick def. Seoul American 23-25, 25-19, 15-5, seventh placeMatch 39-Academy of Our Lady of Guam def. Notre Dame 25-18, 18-25, 15-9, fifth placeMatch 40-Faith Academy def. Simon Sanchez 25-14, 19-25, 15-9, third placeMatch 41-American School In Japan def. George Washington 25-23, 27-25, 25-13, championship.

Migrated