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Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena will be the site of the 2016 IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals on Friday and Saturday, November 11-12. All 16 matches will be broadcast live on the NFHS Network at www.IHSA.tv.
The four state championships matches will also be replayed on Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
CLASS 1A
NORRIS CITY-OMAHA-ENFIELD FIGHTING CARDINALS (28-6) vs.
WEST PRAIRIE CYCLONES (32-5-1)
NCOE makes its first state final appearance in school history in any sport under Jaclyn Melton, who has coached the team to 20 wins or more in seven of her 12 seasons. The Fighting Cardinals boast the sister act of Murray State bound 6-2 senior Hope Everett (216 kills) and 6-0 sophomore Halle (291 kills).
Teri Paul has led West Prairie to a pair of state trophies previously (4th in 2008, 3rd in 2013), and hopes to advance to the state championship match for the first school history. A junior pair of Western Illinois University recruits lead the way in hitter/setter tandem Peyton Bowman (292 kills) and Cora Vyhnanek (776 assists).
EASTLAND COUGARS (29-9-1) vs.
WINDSOR/STEWARDSON-STRASBURG (COOP) HATCHETS (34-5)
Long-time coach Kristy Pierce retired following last year’s state champion, but first-year head coach Mallory Clements hasn’t missed a beat, as the Cougars vie for their fourth championship since 2008. Seniors Ashley Beyers (784 assists) and Makenzie Fink (625 kills) were both starters in last year’s state championship and provide experience and production.
Steward-Strasburg has a storied volleyball tradition (seven trophies in nine state final appearances) and will vie for its second state title (1986) in its first state final appearance as a Coop with Windsor. Ronda Schlechte coached the team to a runner-up finish in 2013 and will rely on her daughters, senior setter and IUPUI commit Becca (791 assists) and sophomore Megan (312 kills) in 2016. The WSS fans could be favorites to earn an IHSA Do What's Right Sportsmanship banner.
CLASS 2A
ST. JOSEPH-OGDEN SPARTANS (30-3) vs.
ALTHOFF CATHOLIC CRUSADERS (23-11)
Abby McDonald’s squad has won three straight matches in three games to make the second state final appearance in school history (2001). The offense goes through senior Andrea Coursey (745 assists), while senior Kylie Michael (367 kills) carries on the family state final tradition, as father Tom led Carlyle to the 1989 IHSA Boys Basketball state title and brother Nate played in the hoops tourney for SJO in 2013.
Althoff Catholic came up a match short of the state finals a year ago, but head coach Sara Thomas-Dietrich’s experienced squad has the Crusaders at state for the 10th time in school history. Senior Emily Myatt (205 kills) and junior Louise Comerford (663 assists) hope to lead Althoff to its first-ever state championship in the sport.
LATIN SCHOOL ROMANS (29-9-2) vs.
EUREKA HORNETS (33-4)
Saturday, November 5 was a banner day at The Latin School, as the won the IHSA Class 1A Boys Soccer State Title and Carli Weiler’s squad clinched the school’s first-ever girls’ volleyball state final berth. Sophomore Charlotte Cronister (324 kills) and senior Caroline Riise (775 assists) are the engine behind the Romans historic season.
It hasn’t been a bad week in Eureka either, as alum Ben Zobrist won World Series MVP honors for the Chicago Cubs, and head coach Tracy Heffrem guided the team back to state for the first time since 1986. Senior Lauren Rokey (377 kills) and junior Maddie McCunn (519 assists) lead a team that has a signature win over defending Class 2A champ and 3A qualifier this weekend, Bloomington Central Catholic.
CLASS 3A
Mascoutah Indians (30-9) vs.
Marian Central Catholic Hurricanes (39-1)
Mascoutah and head coach Todd Gober return to the state finals for the second straight year and second time in school history. The Indians path included handing Columbia its first loss of the season in the Sectional final. A balanced attack features three players with 200+ kills, including junior Tieghan Morio (236 kills) and senior Katirah Johnson (224 kills).
Laura Watlig’s Marian Central Catholic squad captured the program’s first state championship a year ago in its eighth state final trip and fourth under Watlig. With most of its roster back, the Hurricanes flirted with perfection this season, as Sydney Nemtuda (321 kills), Lauren Hanlon (264 kills) and company enter state on a 23-match winning streak.
Marian Catholic Spartans (30-9) vs.
Bloomington Central Catholic Saints (31-5)
After placing fourth in 2011, head coach Ryan Summers has Marian Catholic back in the state finals for the third time in school history. The Spartans haven’t lost to a 3A foe, fellow state qualifier Marian Central Catholic, since September. Sophomore Temitayo Thomas-Ailara (361 kills) and Jordan Piekarski (421 assists) have led the Spartans to wins in 20 of their last 22 matches.
The defending Class 2A state champion Bloomington Central Catholic squad made the move up to 3A this year, but JR Banister’s talented team was undeterred and finds itself back at Redbird Arena. Seniors Maddie Holt (925 assists) and Kate Hoerdemann (261 kills) try to go back-to-back before continuing their careers at Wake Forest and Memphis, respectively.
CLASS 4A
Minooka Indians (34-6) vs.
Stevenson Patriots (32-7)
Minooka head coach Carrie Prosek has the Indians in the state finals in just her second year at the helm, as the program makes its second state appearance (1999). Minooka features a trio of talented junior hitters who have all recorded 200+ kills on the year led by Alli Papesh (390 kills), while senior Brooklyn Bachmann (940) sets the table.
Stevenson makes its fourth state final appearance and first under Tim Crow in his 15th season at the helm. Northern Illinois recruit Jori Radtke (527 kills) is enjoying a record-breaking senior campaign and has teamed with sophomore Sophie Sorenson (273 kills) to guarantee the Patriots first girls’ volleyball trophy in school history.
Mother McAuley Mighty Macs (38-1) vs.
Niles West Wolves (28-8)
The state’s most successful volleyball program returns to the state finals for the first time since winning Class 4A in 2013. Head coach Jen DeJarld looks to win her second state title, and the 15th in school history, this weekend with junior Notre Dame commit Charley Niego (470 kills) and senior Katie O’Connell (316 kills) leading the way for the Mighty Macs.
After dropping three of its last five regular-season matches, Stacy Metoyer’s Niles West squad caught fire in the postseason en route to the first state final appearance in school history. The Wolves needed three games in four of their five State Series contests to advance, with the senior tandem of Kaila Johanson (342 kills) and sophomore Natalia Pehar (353 kills) leading the battle-tested squad.
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TOURNAMENT HISTORY
43rd annual State Series
10th year of 4-Class Series
27th year at ISU
SITE
Redbird Arena (Normal)
Directions
HOST
ISU Athletics
Bloomington-Normal CVB
BN Sports Commission
SCHEDULE
Friday, November 11
Session 1 - 9:00 a.m.
Class 1A Semifinals
Norris City-Omaha-Enfield vs. West Prairie
after match 1 - Eastland vs. Stewardson-Strasburg
Class 2A Semifinals
after match 2 - St. Joseph-Ogden vs. Althoff Catholic
after match 3 - Latin School vs. Eureka
Session 2 - 4:00 p.m.
Class 3A Semifinals
4:00 p.m. - Mascoutah vs. Woodstock Marian C.C.
after match 5 - Chicago Heights Marian vs. Bloomington Central Catholic
Class 4A Semifinals
after match 6 - Minooka vs. Stevenson
after match 7 - Mother McAuley vs. Niles West
Saturday, November 12
Session 3 - 9:00 a.m.
Class 1A Finals
Third-Place
Championship - after 3rd place match
Class 2A Finals
Third-Place - after 1A championship match
Championship - after 3rd place match
Session 4
Class 3A Finals - 4:30 p.m.
Third-Place
Championship - after 3rd place match
Class 4A Finals
Third-Place - after 3A championship match
Championship - after 3rd place match
WATCH
All matches available live on www.IHSA.tv via NFHS Network subscription
CSN Chicago Rebroadcast
Order DVD
LISTEN
WCAZ 990 AM (Carthage)
West Prairie only
Internet Broadcast
WCCI 100.3 FM (Savanna)
Eastland only
Internet Broadcast
WWGO 92.1 FM (Charleston)
WSS only
Internet Broadcast
WPXN 104.9 FM (Paxton)
St. Joseph-Ogden only
Internet Broadcast
SportsTown Chicago
All matches on Saturday
Internet Broadcast Only
RESULTS & LIVE STATS
IHSA Girls Volleyball Page
TICKETS
$8 per session
STUDENT SAFETY
Play Smart. Play Hard.
Take the PSPH pledge...
OFFICIAL STATE FINAL
Gear from Minerva
Photos from VIP
Balls from Wilson
SOCIAL MEDIA
#IHSA
Twitter - @IHSAstate
Instagram - @IHSA_IL
Facebook.com/IHSA.IL
Classic IHSA YouTube Video
STATE SUPPORTERS
Country Financial
Gatorade
MaxPreps
HISTORY & RECORDS
2016 IHSA State Series
Record Book & Past Champions
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