Page 20 - 2019-20 Volleyball State Finals Program

Last Year’s State Finals in Review Last Year’s State Finals in Review

Yorktown Sweeps Avon to Complete Perfect Season North Judson-San Pierre Sweeps to First State Title in any Sport

Yorktown completed a perfect season in the Class In the school’s first ever appearance in the state
4A championship match, claiming its second title in finals, North Judson-San Pierre made it count with
three years with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-21) win over a 3-0 (25-23, 27-25, 25-21) victory over Christian
defending-champion Avon. Academy of Indiana in the Class 2A championship
The Tigers finish 34-0, making it the first perfect match.
season since Cathedral took the Class 4A title with a
36-0 mark in 2015. North Judson senior Lauren Cox overcame a bloody
Yorktown senior Kenzie Knuckles closed out set one nose (as a result of a dive on the floor) to record 21
and the final set with a kill. She led the Tigers’ hitting kills and 19 digs, while teammate Macy Reimbold
parade with 14 kills and also had 10 digs. Kylie Murr added 17 kills and 13 digs to lead the way.
led the Tigers with 18 digs.
Avon (33-4) had a lead as large as four points in set The match turned in set two as CAI, making its fifth-
straight appearance in a state final match, held leads
two, but couldn’t hold on. In the final set, the Orioles
were tied at 7-7, but the winners recorded the next of 15-9 and 17-12, only to see the Bluejays rally for a
two points and never trailed again. 17-17 tie. The teams traded points until North Judson
(27-7) finally took the lead at 26-25 and claimed set
Abby Maesch led Avon with 13 kills and Ava Torrance point when a Warriors return sailed long.
had 18 digs.
The title marks the fourth in school history for In set three, CAI had a lead as late at 18-16, but
Yorktown, which also won in 2000, 2011, 2016 and North Judson rallied again and took the lead for
the first in Class 4A for the Tigers. Coach Stephanie good on Reimbold’s serve at 19-18. The Bluejays, of
Bloom also guided the team to the titles in 2011 and first year coach Madison Fingerhut, wrapped up the
2016. match with the final two points on Cox’s serve.
The Orioles were seeking to join 3A winner New
Castle as back-to-back titlists in coach Amie Sher- Coach Wes Briscoe’s Warriors (20-10) got 12 kills
rod’s first year. Avon also won titles in 2012 and from Lexi Lester and 21 digs from Kenzie Carter. The
2013. Warriors won the title in 2015 and have finished as
New Castle Sweeps Northview to Repeat as 3A Champions runner-up the other four appearances.
New Castle captured its second straight Class 3A Barr-Reeve Rallies in Fourth Set to Claim Second Crown
state championship with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-14) After a roaring start to the match, Barr-Reeve over-
dismantling of Northview. came a late, two-point deficit in the fourth set to pull
out a 3-1 (25-13, 13-25, 25-22, 26-24) victory over
Coach Sarah Roush took over the New Castle pro- Pioneer in the Class A state championship match.
gram this season after the Trojans topped Brebeuf
Jesuit for last year’s title. In capturing their third state The Vikings of coach Amber DeCoursey thus
title overall (the Trojans won Class 4A in 2007), New claimed their second state championship in school
Castle did so with a roster of only two seniors. history after also winning in 2013.
Sophomore Mabrey Shaffmaster led the Trojans (35-
5) with a Class 3A state finals record 28 kills, while Barr-Reeve (34-5) roared out to a 10-1 lead in the
opening set before claiming the win, only to see Pio-
sister Melani Shaffmaster, a junior, had 36 assists, neer come back strong in set two to even the match.
giving her 1,029 for the season.
After Barr-Reeve took a 2-1 lead by winning set
After a close first set, coach Erica Garrison’s North- three, the teams fought to a 17-17 tie in set four.
view squad (36-3) took a 14-10 lead in set two before Pioneer recorded two straight points at that point and
New Castle took over. The Trojans broke out to a kept that advantage to set point at 24-22. However,
13-5 lead in set three and rolled to the victory. Hailey Raber’s kill started a decisive, four-point rally
by Barr-Reeve which ended with two straight kills by
Jenny Lundy led the Knights (who were also runners- Addison Ainscough to end the match.
up in 2014) with 13 kills, while Kambree Lucas had Anna Ballengee led the winners with 23 kills and Ain-
11 assists and 12 digs. Northview entered the match scough added 12. Pioneer, making its first-ever state
on a 21-match winning streak, having won 59 of the finals appearance, got 13 kills from Alexis Robinson.
previous 61 sets played.
The Panthers of coach Rod Nies finished 30-10.
20 IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport. Pure INDIANA! IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport. Pure INDIANA! 21