Six titles were awarded from 6A to 1A at the KSHSAA State Volleyball Tournament, Oct. 27-28. The matches are played best two out of three. Five teams repeated as state champions: Olathe Northwest (6A), Rose Hill (4A, D1), Topeka Hayden (4A-D2), Heritage Christian (2A) and Centralia (1A-D1).
Class 6A – Olathe Northwest
Olathe Northwest secured its second straight state title with five straight wins over the weekend. The Lady Ravens topped Hutchinson (24-12, 25-9), Manhattan (25-17, 25-14) and Overland Park-Blue Valley North (25-16, 23-25, 25-16) to make the semifinals. There, the team downed Topeka-WRHS (25-17, 25-19). Olathe Northwest notched back-to-back titles with another straight set win, downing Overland Park-Blue Valley West (25-18, 25-18)
Class 5A – Lenexa – St. James Academy
St. James Academy improved on its 2016 runnerup finish, winning its eighth state title in the last 11 years on Saturday, cruising through five straight set matches. The Thunder downed Bishop Carroll (25-10, 25-12), St. Thomas Aquinas (25-19, 25-15) and Newton (25-18, 25-17) in pool play on Friday. SJA then topped Goddard (25-20, 25-18) in the semifinals, before posting another win over Aquinas (25-18, 25-17) for the title. Senior Allison Coens, who is committed to play beach for LSU, led SJA to a 39-6 mark on the season, and downed 21 kills in the championship match.
St. James Academy – Kansas 5A state champs
Class 4A, Division I – Rose Hill
Rose Hill (40-4) defended its 2016 state title, rally after dropping the opening stanza to defeat Louisburg 23-25, 25-10, 29-27. The Lady Rockets went 2-1 in pool play, defeating last year’s runner-up Bishop Biege (25-11, 25-23) and Bashor-Linwood (25-14, 25-14) and falling to Louisburg (25-15, 25-22). In bracket play, Rose Hill topped Ulysses (25-14, 25-21) to set up a rematch with Louisburg in the final. Louisburg had the first chance at the match at 24-23 and again at 27-26 when Rose Hill called timeout. The Lady Rockets scored three straight to close out the win.
State Championship Awards Ceremony – Part 5 pic.twitter.com/MUexcuk7wq
— rocketathletics.com (@rhathleticscom) October 29, 2017
Class 4A, Division II – Topeka Hayden
Hayden High School (32-14) secured its third straight title on Saturday, defeating Nickerson 25-16, 25-23 in the championship match. A block by Sydney Hillmer clinched the title after Nickerson pulled within one at 23-22 and 25-23 in the final stanza. Hayden, the No. 5 seed, downed Holcomb (25-12, 25-11), Wichita-Trinity (25-15, 25-16) and Baldwin (25-12, 25-10) en route to the semifinals. A 25-9, 25-17 win over Burlington set up the championship appearance.
Topeka Hayden – Kansas 4A Division II champs
Class 3A – Thomas More Prep
Thomas More Prep of Marion went 2-1 in pool play and battled through a tough three-setter in the championship match en route to the 3A title. The Monarchs topped Wellsville (25-21, 25-21) and Beloit (25-16, 25-16), but fell to Cheney (25-20, 25-21) to wrap up pool play. TMP rebounded with a 25-21, 26-24 win over Hesston before securing the title with a 25-22, 18-25, 25-19 win over Cheney.
Class 2A – Heritage Christian
Olathe’s Heritage Christian Academy won five straight matches to claim its second straight Kansas Class 2A state title on Saturday. The Chargers downed Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan (25-13, 25-11), Greensburg-Klowa County (25-16, 23-25, 25-20) and Blue Rapids-Valley Heights (25-11, 25-14) in pool play. Heritage then bested Smith Center (25-16, 25-18) and Goessel (25-23, 25-15) to claim the championship.
Heritage Christian Academy – Kansas Class 2A state champs
Class 1A, Division I – Centralia
Top seeded Centralia (43-1) cruised through the Class 1A, Division I state tournament, winning five straight set affairs to clinch its second straight title. The Lady Panthers topped South Central (25-17, 26-24) for the championship, the school’s 14th in its 18 state tournament appearance in the last 19 years. Centralia trailed 17-8 in the final stanza, but rallied to within two a 21-19 before tying it at 24 and winning on an ace by junior Kate Elliott. The Lady Panthers defeated Lebo (25-15, 25-18), Hanover (25-18, 25-10) and Pretty Prairie (25-14, 25-21) en route to the semifinals. A 25-11, 25-14 win over Sylvan Grove-Sylvan Lucas Unified set up the championship match.
Class 1A, Division II – Northern Valley
Almena’s Northern Valley claimed the Class A, Division II championship with a 25-15, 25-17 win over fourth seeded Otis-Bison on Saturday. The second seeded Huskies fought through a three-set battle with defending champs Axtell (25-15, 20-25, 25-21) in pool play and then added straight set wins over Waverly (25-12, 25-20) and Beloit-St. John’s/Tipton (25-19, 25-22) to advance to the semifinals. In the semis, the Huskies rallied for the three-set win (22-25, 27-25, 25-23) over Grainfield – Wheatland/Grinnell, to earn the championship berth.
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