Rowing Together To The Finish
Goessel Volleyball – State 2A Tournament – White Auditorium, Emporia, Kansas – October 27-28, 2017
Goessel’s Lady Bluebirds’ motto this year “Row The Boat” accents this team’s dependence on togetherness. In today’s pool pay at Emporia, the Blue together held opponents at or under a baker’s dozen every set until the very last round of the night. Smith Center and Meade tussled to a three set start, leaving Goessel’s initial match off to a late first serve at 5:07. Off to strong starts in each set v. Leon-Bluestem, the ‘Birds were never behind, running to wins of 25-11 and 25-13. At 7:00, Goessel took on Meade, finishing 25-12 and 25-11 in 36 minutes. Goessel played well, notching only 7 errors in the match. In the final match of pool, Goessel and Smith Center faced each other both at 2-0 on the day and both playing on Saturday. In a first set replete with streaks, the Bluebirds took over and went on a 11-0 tear to put away the match 25-12. With the hour closing in on 10 o’clock, teams were feeling tired. The Redmen earned 17 against a fading Bluebird squad, one of the few teams this year to earn more points in a set than the Bluebirds. Two timeouts deep in the set settled the Blue and a closing service ace closed out pool play 25-23. In Pool I, Goessel finished 3-0 and Smith Center 2-1. In Pool II, the action was fast and furious, with three matches going three sets. Reigning 2A champion Olathe-Heritage Christian finished 3-0 and Blue Rapids-Valley Heights 2-1 to move on to Saturday’s semi-finals.
Leon-Bluestem
Goessel showed strong out of the chute today, hitting for only 3 errors the first set. Pummels from Brittney Hiebert in the middle and Eden Hiebert on the left ran it to 5-0 and the Lions called timeout two minutes in. Setter Savanna Wuest quietly gave an all-tournament team performance today. The Bluebirds stroked aggressive deep serves at times today and led 10-6 on an Eden ace. “X” Factor #1 Cierra Nolte tipped expertly, Leah Booton powdered a left side shot, then another off a Nolte set. Booton blasted one so hard the rebound entered the Jenny Fast Birthday suite in the upper deck going nearly 80 mph. Goessel tipped, blocked and served another 5-0 burst to 19-9, then got two back to back blocks from Brittney/Booton. “X” Factor #2 Audessi Unruh and back row colleagues played their hearts out today, getting some great digs off the Lions’ roar. Eden’s crushing crosscourt shot closed 25-11.
In the 2nd set, the Blue could do no wrong, earning 18 with wallops from across the breadth of the net. Eden nested one in the Hallowe’en decorations at Casa Ramos, then Brittney pushed to 3-0 with a near perfect marshmallow ace. Eden added two more crafty service winners, one that pulsed straight down the near border for the 8-4 lead. Booton was credited with a pretty solo block, then Brittney “swept” in the middle to lead 14-7. Off a Wuest back set, Nolte caromed one so hard the ball was last seen entering a cattle pen at the Tyson plant. Eden punched one crosscourt, and “X” Factor #3 Stephany Meyer let it all on the floor with a kill that looked for a moment like it was going to knock the scoreboard from its moorings. Nolte closed out the 5-0 run with a right side blitz to which defenders could just shrug and smile. Meyer tipped to 22-10, Booton smacked a bullet down the line, Hiebert roofed just right in the middle and then combined with Nolte to bring this match to a close 25-13.
Meade
Leah found paydirt with a line drive service to begin, as did Brittney a moment later. Meade knotted 4-4, but Eden finished on a “go-to” set then Nolte crushed one from the right, Leah from the left and Audessi stroked a knuckleball ace between two surprised Buffaloes. After a Brittney stuff in the middle, Meade called time six minutes in down 9-5. On a quick slide from Wuest, Brittney again found hardwood twice in the outrageously noisy White Auditorium. Eden bounced three beauteous finishes into the stratosphere and Meade called their 2nd timeout 13 minutes in at 20-9. Meyer and Nolte buffaloed the Buffaloes on the block and this one finished 25-12. In the 16 minute set, Goessel again made only 3 errors, with Meade earning 9.
Meade led 0-2 on two nice finishes before Brittney poked sideways and Eden/Meyer stuffed the attack to knot at 2. Goessel earned an unusual point off a great service dig, then scored three consecutive blocks to go up 4-3. On good rallies the two teams went to 6-5 until Eden again coasted an immaculate floating servmallow, Stephany smacked a marvelous shot in the middle, and Leah finished expertly on the left. Timeout Meade 9-5. Goessel rode hits from Booton, a sumptuous Unruh ace, a resounding boom from Brittney and a back row Eden finish to 15-6. Audessi was credited with a sparkling get to save point. Again on the middle quick slide Brittney created crowd buzz and Leah jumped for joy after a pin-point placement at 18-8. After Eden galloped one crosscourt with such authority popcorn spontaneously popped in the west concession stand, forcing Meade to again call time at 20-9. Senior Hiebert sees the floor so well, when she has time to check downfield, she can push almost anywhere she desires. Wuest was credited with a great ace to lead 23-10, Nolte tipped into the right corner and Eden the other way in the middle to win 25-11.
Smith Center
At 9:00, the Redmen jumped out to a 0-3 lead in a first set filled with runs and streaks. Eden pounded from the left, then Goessel got a nifty tap right from Nolte and a moment later #27 absolutely tattooed one into the Cottonwood River to tie 3-3. Smith rattled back with a 5-1 run to lead 7-8 before Nolte again power stamped and Kara Burkholder smothered a nice service ace across. Brittney roofed and Leah leaped to go up 11-8. Leah laid down another service ace and, after a battle at the net, Brittney throttled the opposition to lead 14-11. At this point, with #17 at the line, Goessel ran off 11 straight points, earning 7 on simply jaw dropping shots from Eden, a block from Stephany and an Eden/Stephany roof. Meyer finished in the middle 25-12.
Whether Goessel thought the night was done or players were just getting tired, the 2nd set proved a challenge. Smith Center was still ready to play and very eager to earn the right to play Valley Heights and not Olathe-Heritage tomorrow. The Redmen maintained a lead all the way to 6-7 despite a block from Stephany and a sumptuous Booton kill. Brittney got one down in the middle off a deceptively conniving Wuest set, with fan Lyndaker showing some great moves. On the next play, the ball bounced right into his seat. On tips and finishes from a Hiebert or so, Goessel sailed it to 14-7, but the Redmen tore back in it 5-1 on several nice closes and two aces from Hutchinson. Goessel looked like it was sleep walking at 16-14 after a third ace and Coach Guhr was forced to call time at 18-16. Eden prevailed with a back row shot and Leah found the zone down the line to go 21-18. On a hit out, the Blue went up 22-18 but out of a Smith Center timeout, the Redmen knotted at 23-23 and the fans were frothing. Goessel again called time and went to hitter Hiebert who crushed one from the left corner. Brittney whacked one straight and the service was unplayable for the ace win 25-23 and the big sigh of relief.
Goessel’s Madison Smith also saw playing time this evening. Elizabeth Alderfer is also on the Bluebird state roster.
Goessel will face Blue Rapids-Valley Heights in one semi-final game and Smith Center will go up against Olathe-Heritage Christian in the other. The winners will face each other for the 2A championship.
Congratulations Bluebirds for going 3-0 on the first day of state!
Each sub-state had its own intrigue leading up to the state tourney.
8th Seed – Leon Bluestem entered the SCUdall sub-state as a 4th seed with a 16-20 record. The Lions went on a tear, beating rival Dexter/CedarVale, then upending the home team, top seeded KVA 6th ranked Udall. Bluestem made less than 10 errors per match and beat Moundridge 25-21, 25-21 to earn an unexpected trip to state, nearly evening their record at 19-20.
7th Seed – The NCSalina-Sacred Heartsub-state featured KVA 10th ranked Central Plains (29-6) as the top seed and KVA #9 ranked Sacred Heart (27-9) as 2nd seed. #3 Seed Blue Rapids-Valley Heights (25-10) ran the table against the state ranked squads, beating Lincoln in two, defeating Belleville-Republic County (8-22), an upset winner over Sacred Heart, in two, then upending Central Plains in the final 25-19, 25-20.
6th Seed – All eyes were focused on the Burlingamesite, as KVA #2 Olathe - Heritage Christian (28-9) took on several other academies in the NE sub-state. Heritage has been ranked #1 nearly all year and has an extremely tough schedule. The Chargers had no trouble winning this tournament and head to state with high expectations.
5th Seed – Meade entered the SWLeoti-Wichita County sub-state as the top seed with a 29-8 record and rolled through their first two rounds v. Syracuse and Sublette. Against rival #3 seed Ness City (18-15), Meade eked out the narrow win 25-21, 28-26 to earn a spot in Emporia.
4th Seed – In the only 2A sub-state with a play-in match (Ellis v. Oakley), KVA #4 and #1 Seed Plainville (29-5) was favored to win in the west at Wakeeney-Trego Community. Plainville coasted through its first two matches against Ellis and Hoxie, but then faced sports-crazy KVA #8 Smith Center (30-8) in the final. #2 seed Smith had blasted its first two opponents and stayed steady in the final, taking out the top seeded Plainville team 25-20, 25-20.
3rd Seed – At Yates Center in the SE sub-state, Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan (KVA #3) (30-5) was an odds-on favorite as well. In their first two matches of the day, St. Mary’s allowed 6 points the first match and 14 the 2nd, including a shutout set (25-0) v. Madison/Hamilton. Host Yates Center won in three over Oswego to get to the final, where they were demolished by St. Mary’s 25-14, 25-9.
2nd Seed – In the South Central sub-state at Kinsley, top-seeded KVA #5 Greensburg-Kiowa County (33-3) faced off against a resiliant LaCrosse (14-20) Leopard squad, then took on #3 seed Ellinwood (22-13) in the final. In a grand finale, G-KC held tough to win 25-18, 25-22 and move to Emporia.
1st Seed – In its first sub-state in 2A for many years, Goessel (KVA #1 36-0) saw itself in the same side of the bracket as local rival Hillsboro (17-21) and perennial rival Olpe (KVA #7 31-5) on the opposite side of the bracket. To complicate the field, Marion County’s Marion (23-13) HS was hosting and was positioned as the #3 seed. Goessel held sway against Allen-Northern Heights 25-11, 25-7, but then had serve/receive anxiety against a pumped-up Trojan squad, going 25-15, 18-25, 25-11. Regaining its poise in the final against Olpe, Goessel went on a rampage in the 2nd set, beating the Eagles 25-22, 25-8 to earn a place at Emporia.
Of the top 10 Kansas Volleyball Association teams, five were knocked out in sub-state: Plainville (#4), Udall (#6), Olpe (#7), Sacred Heart (#9) and Central Plains (#10). #4 Plainville was knocked out in the sub-state final by Smith Center. #6 Udall was upset in the 2nd round of sub-state by Leon-Bluestem. #7 Olpe lost to Goessel in the Marion site finale. #9 Salina – Sacred Heart was beaten by Belleville-Republic County in their first sub-state match and #10 Central Plains was eliminated in their sub-state final by Blue Rapids-Valley Heights.
Of the other top KVA ranked teams, #1 Goessel earned the #1 seed in the state tournament, #2 Olathe- Heritage Christian the #6 seed, #3 St. Mary’s-Pittsburg-Colgan the 3rd seed, #5 Greensburg-Kiowa County the #2 seed, and #8 Smith Center holds down the 4 seed. Teams not ranked in the top ten earning a spot at state are: Leon-Bluestem, Meade, and Blue Rapids-Valley Heights.
-Karl Brubaker