Three Seventh-Grade Volleyball Teams Advance To State
Published on March 7 2023 8:57 am
Last Updated on March 7 2023 9:04 am
Written by Millie Lange
Class 1A Sigel St. Michael Sectional
Sigel St. Michael captured its own sectional championship Monday.
The Sharpshooters defeated Martinsville. St. Michael won the opener 25-14 but Martinsville came back to take the second set, 25-13. St. Michael then won the match, 25-19.
St. Michael improved to 22-1 on the season and advances to the 1A State Tournament at Clinton Junior High School Friday in the second match at 5:45 p.m. against Lincoln West Lincoln-Broadwell (16-6).
Other teams entered include Grant Park (12-9) vs. Williamsfield (20-3) at 4:30 p.m. Greenville (18-8) vs. Lasalle Trinity Catholic (18-0) at 7 and Royal Prairieview Ogden (17-8) against Pontiac St. Mary's (24-0) at 8:15 p.m.
The winners advance to competition Saturday, March 11. If St. Michael wins, it will play at 11 a.m.
The third place match is scheduled for 2 p.m. with the championship at 3:15 p.m.
Members of the Stewardson-Strasburg team include, front row, left to right, Bella Noffke, Rosalyn Reel, Jaelyn Howe, Edie Wittenberg and Jackie Vonderheide. Back row, left to right, Coach Courtney Wittenberg, Abby Brown, Ainslee Antrim, Zoey Conder, Ava Harris, Karly Wetherell, Coach Beka Hoene and Coach Brianna Hewing.
Class 7-2A Effingham St. Anthony Sectional
Stewardson-Strasburg came out the winner over Oblong in two sets Monday at the St. Anthony Sectional.
Stew-Stras won 25-15, 25-18 and improved to 21-3 on the season.
"We started out slow, almost playing a little scared and then something clicked," said Coach Courtney Wittenberg. "We have struggled a little this season with coming back from behind and have really been trying to come up with pressure situations in practice to work on these types of situations. Tonight it paid off.
"After being down 8-1 in the first set, these girls played with the fire we knew they had. We set some goals before the match and they checked them off one by one. I'm very proud of how their mental toughness has increased, their confidence and skill level since the beginning of the season. They have so much potential and each match we continue to see it grow."
Stew-Stras advances to face Springfield Blessed Sacrament (27-0) at 8:15 p.m. Friday. Other teams entered include Potomac (25-0) vs. Peoria Christian (20-2) at 4:30 p.m., Bloomington Corpus Christi (13-6) vs. Table Grove VIT (19-5) at 75:45 p.m. and Carthage (25-0) vs. Kankakee Bishop McNamara (16-7) at 7 p.m.
Statistics for the sectional: Edie Wittenberg, 6 aces, 4 digs, 3 assists, 7 kills; Jackie Vonderheide, 4 aces, 2 digs, 1 kill; Karly Wetherell, 1 ace, 5 digs, 1 assist, 2 kills; Ava Harris, 2 digs; Ainslee Antrim, 1 dig, 1 block; Jaelyn Howe, 1 ace; Rosalyn Reel, 2 aces; Zoey Conder, 3 digs, 1 assist.
Class 7-3A Casey-Westfield Sectional
Teutopolis won the championship of the Casey-Westfield Sectional by defeating Pana Monday.
The Wooden Shoes won 25-19, 25-18 and improved to 17-6 on the season.
Statistics for the sectional: Cecilia Donsbach, 1 block, 2 kills, 6 aces, 7 digs, 13 assists; Addi Meyer, 1 block, 2 kills. 6 digs, 1 assist; Lynae Einhorn, 1 kill, 3 aces, 1 dig; Emma Vahling, 1 dig, 9 assists; Ella Willenborg, 7 kills, 13 digs, 1 assist; Alicen Niemerg, 2 blocks, 8 kills, 1 ace, 6 digs; Grace Koester, 4 digs; Summer Vahling, 2 kills, 2 digs; Reagan Slater, 1 ace, 4 digs; CC Maddox, 1 kill, 1 ace, 1 dig.
Teutopolis advances to face the winner of sectional one, yet to be determined, at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
Other teams entered include Orio (17-1) vs. Eureka (23-1) at 5:45 p.m., Staunton (25-1) vs. Peru Parkside (20-5) at 7 p.m. and Pleasant Plains (22-5) vs. St. Joseph (18-4) at 8:15 p.m.
