SUTTER, CA (MPG) – An annual preseason volleyball tradition played out last Saturday at Sutter High School when the Huskies hosted 15 other teams at the Battle in the Buttes Tournament.

In addition to Sutter, other local teams from East Nicolaus, Marysville, and River Valley squared off against competition from the Sac-Joaquin and Northern Sections.

Going the farthest were the Spartans, who after sweeping Colfax, Pioneer (Woodland) and Las Plumas (Oroville) in pool play then defeated Sutter 2-0 before falling to eventual champion Bear River 1-2 in the semifinal of the gold bracket.

River Valley looked strong in pool play knocking off Chico, Woodland and Willows all by 2-0 scores, but bowed out after an 0-2 loss to Pierce (Arbuckle) in the first round of gold bracket play.

It was a mixed bag for the Huskies who went 2-2 having beat both Red Bluff and Marysville 2-0, but lost 1-2 to tournament runner-up Durham to round out pool play, then dropped their final match 0-2 to East Nicolaus in the first round of the gold backet.

As for Marysville, which didn’t win a match in contests against Durham, Sutter, Red Bluff and Colfax, the young team should be commended for playing hard throughout.

Colfax defeated Red Bluff to capture the silver bracket championship.