WSS Second in 1A State Tourney, Newton Third in 2A

NORMAL -- Both area teams came up with outstanding finishes at the Class 1A and Class 2A State Volleyball tournaments at Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State University Saturday.

Although Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg lost to Payson Seymour in the championship match, the Hatchets put up a good fight after a rocky start.

Payson Seymour won the opening set 25-12. Payson Seymour took off to a 3-0 lead and ripped out to 6-1. The Hatchets never got utnracked. They fought back to 21-10 then held off match point several times before Seymour went out at 25-12.

It was a different story in the second set. The score was tied at 3-3 before WSS ripped off six straight points to lead 9-3. The Hatchets had a 10-4 lead before Payson Seymour gained momentum and clawed back within 10-9. The score was tied at 12-12 and Seymour moved ahead for the first time.

The score was tied at 18-18 and WSS took a 21-18 lead on kills by Megan Schlechte. Seymour tied at 21-21 and took a 22-21 lead. The Hatchets tied at 22-22 and 24-24. Windsor/Stew-Stras moved to game point at 25-24 on an attack error by Seymour.

Seymour tied at 25-25 and went to game point at 26-25 on a kill by Josie Stanford. Unfortunately for the Hatchets, Seymour went out at 27-25 to win the state title.

M. Schlechte had six kills for the Hatchets and eight points. Mackenzi Tabbert had 12 sets. Taylor Rentfro led in digs with six.

The Hatchets finished the season with a 34-7 record.

Durand captured third place with a 25-19, 25-19 win over Newark.

Class 1A State Tournament

Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg -- Reynolds, 2 kills, 1 blocked shot, 3.5 points; Gentry, 1 kill, 1 blocked shot, 3.5 points; A. Schlechte, 1 dig; Tabbert, 2 kills, 12 sets, 2 digs, 4 points; M. Schlechte, 6 kills, 2 sets, 5 digs, 1 blocked shot, 8 points; Rentfro, 6 digs; Haddock, 1 set, 3 digs; Bean, 2 kills, 1 dig, 3 points; Roney, 4 kills, 1 set, 3 digs, 4 points

Class 2A State Tournament

Newton High School captured third place in the Class 2A State Tournament with a hard-fought victory over Elgin Harvest  Christian Academy.

The Eagles lost the opening set 25-20. Elgin Harvest took the lead right off. Newton tied at 4-4 and 5-5 but Elgin went ahead at 6-5 and never relinquished the lead again. Newton tied at 11-11 but Elgin remained in the lead.

Newton trailed Elgin Harvest throughout most of the second set. Newton fell behind 10-4 but mounted a comeback and tied the score at 12-12 on a kill by Allyson Kuhl. The Eagles pushed into the lead on another kill, this one by Renee Probst.

Elgin Harvest tied at 18-18, 19-19, 20-20, 22-22, 23-23 and went to game point at 24-23. But the Eagles clawed back to tie the score then went to game point at 25-24. The lead went back and forth. Elgin Harvest had game point twice before Newton tied at 27-27 on a kill by Abby Frohning, then moved to game point on an attack error. The Eagles went out at 29-27 on another attack error.

Then came the exciting third set. The score was tied seven times before Newton moved ahead 23-22 on an error by Elgin. Another error pushed the Eagles to game point. A kill by Renee Probst ended the game 25-22 for the Eagles.

Frohning finished with 12 kills, 11 sets, 11 digs and 12 points for the Eagles. Maddi Hemrich had 17 sets. Kelsi Geltz led in digs with 13 and aces with three.

Newton finished out the season 32-8.

Champaign St. Thomas More was the champion after downing Quincy Notre Dame 18-25, 25-19, 25-21.

Class 2A State Tournament

Newton -- Meinhart, 2 aces, 9 digs, 2 points; Probst, 6 kills, 4 digs, 7 points; Smith, 3 kills, 2 sets, 1 ace, 2 digs, 5 points; Earnest, 3 kills, 7 digs, 3.5 points; Hemrich, 1 kill, 17 sets, 2 aces, 7 digs, 3 points; Frohning, 12 kills, 11 sets, 11 digs, 12 points; Geltz, 3 aces, 13 digs, 3 points; Kuhl, 2 kills, 2 points; Bierman, 5 kills, 6.5 points