By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
St. Joseph-Ogden’s volleyball team capped a perfect October on Thursday with a regional championship match victory.
If the Spartans match that performance in November, they will wind up as the top team in Class 2A.
For the second time in a week, SJ-O topped Monticello (20-15). Thursday’s 25-17, 25-14 triumph was in the Oakwood Class 2A Regional finals.
The Spartans are in familiar territory. The regional crown was the third in a row for the program and the sixth in the past seven years.
“We have nine seniors and they have all been playing volleyball since fourth grade,” veteran SJ-O coach Abby McDonald said. “They were successful last season and they have a lot of court experience. They have been around the program for a long time.
“Their experience and love for the sport is one of our biggest strengths.”
Senior setter Emily Bigger was on the varsity roster in 2016, when the school placed second at state in 2A.
“Emily has great court awareness and does a great job controlling our court,” McDonald said.
Bigger has more than 650 assists this season and is averaging more than 10 assists per set.
In the regional finals, she handed out 23 assists in the two-set sweep.
The Spartans have won 18 consecutive matches, including all 17 played in the month of October. Thursday’s victory extended the school-record single-season win total to 33.
“Our defense has been pretty solid,” McDonald said. “Rylee Stahl has stepped up as our libero this year. She takes every practice very seriously and has made a big difference.”
Stahl had 13 digs and Kennedi Burnett had 10 kills in the regional finals.
Their play put Bigger in position to share the sets. Katelyn Berry hammered nine kills and Stephanie Trame had five kills. Burnett and Payton Vallee each ended with four kills.
Lacey Kaiser was the team-leader with three service aces.
McDonald sees some positive comparisons between her current team and the state runner-up unit, including an unquestioned leader at the setter position. Bigger’s counterpart four years ago was also a senior, Andrea Coursey.
“By the end of the 2016 season, we played with a calmness and a sense of persistence,” McDonald said. “This team has developed very similarly. They are playing very poised.”
In the second set on Thursday, the Spartans weren’t flustered when the Sages opened up a 5-1 lead.
“They believe they can get back, and never quit playing,” McDonald said. “Our kids stayed confident in themselves.”
The coach knew it would be a challenge to beat a 20-win team for the second time in a week.
“As a coach, I tried to be relaxed, but I knew they would have a good game plan,” McDonald said. “Our kids did a nice job of not overlooking them.”
The Spartans will start the November portion of their schedule on Monday in the Watseka Sectional.
SJ-O will face Seneca in the 6 p.m. semifinal. In the opposite bracket, the 7 p.m. semifinal will be between Tolono Unity and Herscher.
The winners will return to Watseka on Wednesday for the sectional finals.
SJ-O’s 33-4 season record includes just one loss to a Class 2A opponent.
There are 32 remaining schools in the Class 2A state bracket, a number that will be cut in half by the end of the day on Monday.
“It’s fun seeing the kids being successful,” McDonald said.
Bigger handed out 18 assists and served nine aces on Tuesday as SJ-O broke its school record for wins in a season by overpowering Oakwood 25-5, 25-8 in the semifinals of a Class 2A regional at Oakwood. The win was No. 32 for the year.
Stahl had seven digs and four aces.
The offensive leaders were Burnett (nine kills), Vallee (six kills) and Berry (two kills).
