St. Anthony, Stew-Stras Advance to Super-Sectionals

Members of the St. Anthony volleyball team are, front row, left to right, head coach Kristie Bailey, Isabel Moore, Makayla Koenig, Taylor Dammerman, Aly Esker, Rachel Schultz, Jena Woltman, Raven Rinker, Asst. coach Theresa Vogt and mascot Mrs. B. Back row, left to right, Megan Nuxoll, Andrea Doedtman, Logan Braunecker, Lauren Schmidt, Maggie Mumm, Lauren Wendt and Haylee Mathis.

Effingham St. Anthony and Stewardson-Strasburg claimed volleyball sectional championships Thursday evening and are headed to super-sectional play Saturday.

Class 2A Newton Sectional

St. Anthony picked up two pretty quick wins over Carlinville Thursday evening. The Bulldogs won the opener 25-13 then finished out with a 25-23 win to take the sectional championship.

Haylee Mathis, Maggie Mumm and Megan Nuxoll had two aces each. Mathis led in kills with nine. Nuxoll led in digs with 10. Mathis led in assists with 12.

The Bulldogs now advance to the McLeansboro Super-Sectional Saturday against Edwards County (Albion) at 6 p.m. Edwards County won the Carterville Sectional by beating Waterloo 25-23, 25-10.

At Newton

St. Anthony -- Wortman, 1 ace, 3 digs; Mathis, 2 aces, 9 kills, 2 digs, 12 assists; Woltman, 7 assists; Wendt, 2 kills, 1 dig, 1 block; Braunecker, 1 ace, 4 kills, 1 dig; Mumm, 2 aces, 1 kill, 2 digs, 2 assists, 1 block; Nuxoll, 2 aces, 8 kills, 10 digs; Schultz, 7 digs; Schmidt, 1 assist

Class 1A Arcola Sectional

Stewardson-Strasburg went two games and won over Arthur-Lovington for the Arcola Sectional title. The Comets won 25-18, 25-19 to improve to 26-12 on the season.

"This is such an exciting season," said Stew-Stras Coach Ronda Schlechte. "I'm so glad the girls are able to experience this. It will be a wonderful memory for them. The goal tonight was to get Lindsay some court tme and we were able to do that. Arthur-Lovington is a very scrappy team so we really had to be ready tonight. Passing wasn't as consistant as it could have been but we still played well. Thanks to the fans tonight. It was awesome having you there to cheer on the girls."

Kendall Knop led the Comets in kills with 10 and digs with nine. Baylee Quast had 13 assists while Becca Schlechte had 12. Quast had one solo block.

The Comets advance to the Nokomis Super-Sectional to face Liberty, a 25-10, 26-24 winner over Hardin Calhoun in the New Berlin Sectional. The match is scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m.

Class 1A Lebanon Sectional

Cisne lost in its bid to win a sectional. Coached by Altamont native Jonathon Smith, the Runnin' Lions won the opener 25-23 but Lebanon came back to take the next two games, 25-21, 25-20 and the match.

Lebanon now advances to the Marissa Super-Sectional to face New Athens at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Smith took the Lions to their first-ever regional championshp.