Burris boys soccer coach Harald Leusmann’s team fell 9-1 in semistate.

A historic season came to an end on Saturday for the Burris boys soccer team.

Burris fell 9-1 to Mishawaka Marian in the Argos Semistate, one week after capturing the first-ever regional title in Burris boys soccer history.

Guided by interim head coach Harald Leusmann, Burris scored its only goal of the game in first half when Max Alvarado put a shot into the net, cutting Marian’s lead to 6-1.

“It was a very difficult game,” Leusmann said. “We weren’t quite at the top of our game like we were against Hamilton Heights or Heritage Christian. It would have been more competitive if we had been at the top of our game.”

Leusmann said the Marian offense had a five-player rotation that caused confusion among the Burris defenders. One week after shutting out its opponent in the regional, Burris players struggled to keep the ball in front of them, allowing a strong passing attack from Marian to dissect a defense that carried Burris far in the postseason.

“They had great touch with the ball, they moved quickly and with great speed,” he said. “We have a good them, but Mishawaka Marian was very, very good.”

Delta’s Cade Orchard finished in the final individual spot in the New Haven Semistate and will race in the state championship

One local cross country runner advanced to state from the New Haven Semistate on Saturday, and he didn’t have much time to spare.

Delta’s Cade Orchard advanced as an individual after finishing with a time of 16 minutes, 31.84 seconds, strong enough to clinch the final individual spot. The next fastest runner who could have qualified individually was South Bend St. Joseph’s Matt Morris, who had a final time of 16:34.06. Mount Vernon’s Christian Noble had the top time at semistate with 15:18.50 after shattering the course record at the Delta Regional last week.

It continues a strong season for Orchard where he’s been one of Delta’s top runners, finishing in sixth place at the Delta Regional last week. He’ll race in the state championship at LaVern Gibson Cross County Course in Terre Haute next Saturday.

Delta’s boys team finished 19th overall with a score of 412 while Wapahani finished 20th with 431. Wapahani’s Nathan Herbst had the second-best performance of the day for area teams with a time of 16:55, finishing 41st on the day. Pendleton Heights’s Alex Buck won the race for girls with a time of 17:57.

For the competing local girls teams, Delta was No. 17 with a score of 461, while Yorktown was No. 20 with 489. Jay County’s Megan Wellman had the best finish for local teams with a final time of 19:55, finishing 41st, followed by Monroe Central’s Aubrey Norris in 43rd with a time of 19:57. Yorktown’s Madeline Aul was 91st in 20:58, Burris’ Brittany Kent was 95th in 21:02, Delta’s Brittany Tuttle was 96th in 21:03 and Brandy Tuttle was just behind in 98th place, finishing in 21:08.

No girls teams or individuals qualified for state.

Wapahani Senior libero Hannah Smith

MUNCIE — There was a point during Saturday night’s sectional championship when Wapahani’s energy dipped. The team was sluggish and frustrated. The Raiders needed a lift, and senior libero Hannah Smith knew she was the one to provide it.

After all, the 5-foot-1 team captain was a freshman when the Raiders last won a sectional championship.

“I was one of the only ones left from that team,” Smith said. “I knew we had the players to do it, I knew we could do it. … I’m thinking this sectional win will open their eyes, and show them, ‘Yes, we can do it.'”

No. 4 Wapahani secured the 2A Burris Sectional championship on Saturday by knocking off Monroe Central 25-11, 17-25, 25-21, 25-13. Wapahani coach Jared Richardson said shaky servicing caught up to his team in that second set. It seemed to linger into the third set that at one point was tied at 20.

While Smith was the vocal leader pushing her team during the match, Richardson was getting fired up during timeouts in that critical third set.

“Sometimes the more riled up I get, I think it does push the girls,” Richardson said. “But you also have to make sure they stay focused throughout the entire time.”

A four-point run at the end of the third set gave Wapahani momentum that it never lost in the fourth and final set. The Raiders’ energy, once nearly gone in that second set, returned in full force. They jumped out to an 11-3 lead and held on to win the match with a 25-13 victory in the final set.

Smith said she hopes to lead her team through the regional, where it will face Madison-Grant, winner of the Alexandria-Monroe Sectional, all the way to state. Before advancing to Saturday’s sectional championship match, Wapahani found itself trailing No. 1 Wes-Del 0-2 before winning three straight sets to advance to Saturday’s championship match.

That experience, Richardson says, will be valuable moving forward.

“These kids know everything is going to be a fight,” he said. “We’ve had some big, long-drawn-out matches this year. That helps them understand that you never give up, and you can always come back.”

Smith, who is committed to Ball State to play volleyball next year, was a freshman with that 2012 Wapahani team that last won a sectional title. That team went on to win a state championship.

“I didn’t really play then,” Smith said. “It means a lot to me to be on the court, to be a leader and to finally get the (sectional) title.”

Contact Ball State sports reporter Dakota Crawford at dcrawford@muncie.gannett.com or follow @DakotaCrawford_. 

Micah Leavell

For the first time in six weeks, the Central Bearcats came up just short.

Central, which had won 23 straight matches dating to Sept. 12, lost in the Fort Wayne South Side Sectional championship match Saturday night against Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-12, 15-12). No statistics were available. Earlier in the day, Central earned a 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-22) win over Huntington North in the semifinals.

“It was a great battle; it was a hard-fought five games,” Central coach Wes Lyon said. “They just took a step forward and we didn’t respond. They ended up winning, but our girls played their hearts out, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

The Bearcats, who finished the season 30-5, had been one of the hottest teams in the state the last two months climbing to No. 6 in the Class 4A rankings. Lyon knew it would be an uphill battle with four teams with at least 24 wins in the same sectional, and the Bearcats nearly took down the defending Class 3A state champions. Concordia improved to 30-4.

Complicating matters was not having outside hitter Virginia Wilhoite, who tore her ACL two weeks ago. Wilhoite has blossomed into Central’s best all-around player in her sophomore season, and Lyon noted the Bearcats would miss her for her passing and serving as much as her attacking. The Bearcats had still been in good hands at the net thanks to Micah Leavell and E’Laisah Young. Leavell finished the match with a team-high 23 kills, while Young added 16.

The future remains bright for the Bearcats, who lose Leavell and outside hitter Nikki Marshall, but return setter Lacee Adams, libero Kinkaid Padgett, middle hitter Melajah Bryant, Wilhoite and Young, among others. This was Central’s first year in 4A after moving up from 3A.

In other action, Blue River fell to Seton Catholic 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-9) in the Randolph Southern Sectional semifinals, closing its season with a 13-22 record. Seton Catholic went on to sweep Union (15-15) in the championship match 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-16). Seton Catholic will face Daleville Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Daleville’s Zannah Weber serves the ball in a match against Cowan for the Cowan Sectional championship on Oct. 24.

DALEVILLE — It didn’t take long for Daleville volleyball coach Beth Etchison to come up with a way to describe sophomore setter Zannah Weber.

“She’s a silent assassin,” Etchison said.

If Weber is an assassin, her best weapon is her serve. It kept Southern Wells and Cowan at bay on Saturday when Daleville won the Cowan Sectional. Weber finished with 13 aces that day, increasing her total this season to 73, a team-high.

And the Broncos could need another impressive performance from her Tuesday, when they host their regional match against the Seton Catholic Cardinals at 7 p.m.

Weber began developing her serve when she was in middle school, eventually unleashing it for the first time in a match during the sixth grade. She said the serve clearly landed out-of-bounds, but her team won the point and the match.

It’s a jump serve that barely rotates, moving like a knuckleball erratically through the air and making it difficult for defenders to track.

“It floats and moves back and forth, it confuses people,” Weber said.

Once she realized the skill she possessed, she began entering practice an hour early, or staying an hour late, just to hone the serve. The result is she’s Daleville’s first server and tallied two aces in the first four points against Cowan.

“It’ll line drive to your face and absolutely drop,” Etchison said. “People have a hard time judging it, they can’t see where it’s going, and it’s something she’s been doing for two years.”

Daleville’s Zannah Weber prepares to set the ball in a match against Cowan in the Cowan Sectional championship on Oct. 24.

Weber comes from a family with volleyball blood, as her sister was a second-team All-State setter for the Broncos three years ago. Etchison described Weber as quiet and not vocal but is the quarterback of Daleville’s volleyball team and earned her team’s trust.

She took over setting duties midway through last season and plays taller than her 5-foot-3 statue appears, tied for shortest on the team. Against Cowan, she won a joust at the net against one of the Blackhawks’ middle hitters.

“I try to do my best to stay positive and if someone is down, pick them up,” Weber said. “I have to keep my head level if everyone else’s isn’t.”

That’s astute maturity, especially coming from a sophomore leading a team into its first regional match since the turn of the millennium.

“She grew up with a volleyball in her hands,” Etchison said. “She has good floor knowledge and the girls know that. They trust her.”

Tigers travel north

Class 3A No. 1 Yorktown (35-1) travels to Bellmont (21-14) for its regional match. The Tigers have already played the Braves once this season, winning 2-0 in an early-season invitational.

“It’s hard to take much out of it, because it’s so early in the season,” Yorktown coach Stephanie Bloom said. “It’s important to remember that the second time you play someone, it’s a completely different game.”

Yorktown won a five-set battle against Delta before defeating Guerin Catholic to clinch the Delta Sectional.

Raiders seek win

A completely different game is what Class 2A No. 4 Wapahani (23-11) will be looking for when it travels to No. 7 Madison-Grant for its regional.

Wapahani fell to Madison-Grant earlier this season 3-1 and will be looking to reverse its fate. The Raiders and Argylls are two of the more battle-tested teams in the 2A postseason thus far.

Wapahani topped No. 1 Wes-Del in its first sectional match, while Madison-Grant defeated No. 5 Alexandria in the sectional championship.

Contact prep sports reporter David Polaski at (765) 213-5848. Follow him on Twitter @DavidPolaskiTSP.

VOLLEYBALL REGIONALS

TUESDAY

3A: No. 1. Yorktown (35-1) at Bellmont (21-14), 7 p.m.

2A: No. 4. Wapahani (23-11) at No. 7 Madison-Grant (26-8), 7 p.m.

1A: Seton Catholic (28-8) at No. 9 Daleville (20-10), 7 p.m.

Mimi Arrington

Jade York

Olivia Reed

Kenzie Knuckles

It didn’t take long for Yorktown to take down its regional opponent.

Yorktown swept Bellmont (25-12, 25-21, 25-19) in the Bellmont Regional, improving the team record to 36-1.

“I thought we came out really focused,” Yorktown head coach Stephanie Bloom said. “I thought we played the match really strong.”

Kenzie Knuckles logged the most kills for Yorktown with 11 on the night. Just a freshman, she’s turned into one of the strongest attackers on a Yorktown team that already has experience.

Knuckles couldn’t have had the night she did without setter Mimi Arrington controlling who and where the offense would run through. She finished the match with 33 assists, steady and sure as the night went on and spreading out the attack so Bellmont was unable to predict where attacks would come from.

Olivia Reed had the second-most kills on the team with eight while Kendall Murr and Rhyen Neal both had seven kills on the night.

As for the next round, Bloom said passing will be the key for her team. Without strong passing, it’s difficult for Arrington to set up where the ball is headed, leading to an offense that struggles to take quality attacks.

“It’s going to boil down to defensive ball control for sure,” Bloom said.

If that’s the case, Jade York has the Tigers covered. She finished the match with a team-high 23 digs, roaming the back court and stopping attack after attack from the Braves offense.

Yorktown will face New Prairie in the semistate. The match is scheduled to begin Saturday at 11 a.m. at Twin Lakes High School in Monticello.

Central’s Joseph Scruggs reads the defense before the snap against Yorktown on Aug. 28, 2015.

MUNCIE — Statistically, Central football’s Joseph Scruggs stacks up with the best defensive playmakers in the state.

His team-high six interceptions this season is tied for sixth-most in Indiana and he’s developed into the Bearcats’ most cerebral player, according to coach Adam Morris. Central will need his ability when it hosts Class 5A No. 4 Kokomo at 7 p.m. Friday in its sectional opener.

A senior, Scruggs was a part of the football program all four years, joining back when Morris was just an assistant. Morris likes to tease Scruggs that he hasn’t grown physically since the day they met, but the same can’t be said for Scruggs’ ability on the field.

“What he’s become as a leader and how he’s produced in both football and baseball, he’s a great athlete,” Morris said. “He’s a great student, person, he does everything you want.”

Scruggs seems to be a magnet to the ball. As a sophomore, he injured his hand and was required to wear a cast. It was a hindrance in that it changes the way a player tackles and bats the ball, and makes intercepting the ball nearly impossible.

Against the odds, Scruggs had two interceptions that year, somehow finding a way to catch the ball with one hand severely limited. As a personal preference, he doesn’t wear gloves.

“I just had to squeeze the football even harder,” Scruggs said about playing with a cast. “It makes things more complicated, but I was determined I was going to catch the ball, so it was going to happen for me.”

For most of his career, he played outside linebacker. It’s a position requiring the versatility of being able to drop back in coverage, but also shedding blockers and getting to the running back and quarterback.

Against Kokomo, Central will primarily need him to step up in run support. The Wildkats ran nearly six times as many run plays as pass plays this season, dropping back just 80 times.

Before this season began, he moved to safety, usually dropping back in zone or lining up to guard a receiver when in man coverage. At safety, Central can take full advantage of his instincts. His best game this season came against Richmond, where he picked off two passes.

“I just have a great sense of where the ball is going to be at,” Scruggs said. “I notice where the quarterback’s eyes are at, what’s going on around me, where receivers are and then I break to the ball.”

As far as pro comparisons go, Morris put him in elite company. He likened Scruggs to retired Baltimore Raven and future Hall-of-Famer Ed Reed, who made a living anticipating where the ball was going before anybody else due to superior instincts.

“It’s sort of like teaching a kid how to block a shot in basketball, you can’t always do it,” Morris said. “He’s a guy who has great instincts, his knack for breaking on the ball is what’s most impressive.”

Contact prep sports reporter David Polaski at (765) 213-5848. Follow him on Twitter @DavidPolaskiTSP.

ECI Teams on Friday

5A: No. 4 Kokomo (9-0) at Central (5-4), 7 p.m.

4A: New Castle (2-8) at Delta (7-3), 7 p.m.

3A: Yorktown (4-6) at No. 5 Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (7-3), 7 p.m.

2A: Elwood (4-6) at No. 10 Winchester (8-2), 7 p.m.

1A: No. 4 Tri-Central (10-0) at Monroe Central (8-2), 7 p.m.

Yorktown’s defense stops a run by Peru during their sectional game at Yorktown High School Friday, Oct. 23, 2015.

One year later, the Yorktown Tigers are much different. And Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, meanwhile, is mostly the same. The teams will meet in the Class 3A playoffs again Friday night in Fort Wayne — this time in the sectional as opposed to last year’s meeting in the regional, won by Bishop Luers 26-25.

Yorktown (4-6) also has a new mindset after ending a four-game losing streak last week with a 35-28 win over Peru in its sectional opener.

“It’s the old thing, winning cures everything,” Yorktown coach Mike Wilhelm said. “You can just feel that for us in practice this week; positive attitudes, guys working hard. We had it last week too before Peru. The guys felt it was time to see how we matched up against 3A teams after not playing any all year.”

It’s true, the Tigers did not play a single Class 3A team in the regular season, squaring off with three 5A teams and six 4A squads. They’ll need it going up against Bishop Luers (7-3), which beat Northwestern 82-52 last week.

What does a coach even say to a defense that’s going to face an offense coming off an 82-point showing?

“We’ve just been straight forward, we have to stop the run,” Wilhelm said. “That’s been our focus. They’re an explosive team, and they had several one-play drives where Northwestern didn’t put up much of a defense.”

Wilhelm shuffled the offensive line two games ago, just trying to create a spark. Ball State commit Anthony Todd shifted from center to left tackle, Shawn Llamas from left tackle to right tackle, Joey Pier from right tackle to left guard and Matt Phillips moved to center. Whether or not that led to quarterback Brogan Miller throwing for 238 yards and three touchdowns is unknown, but he did credit his teammates up front afterward.

“Our offensive line gave me a lot of time tonight, which is great,” Miller said after the game. “My wide receivers have gotten a ton better this season, I’ve gotten a ton better this season. The routes are getting really good, the spacing has been really good.”

In other postseason action Friday night:

•Delta (7-3) hosts New Castle (2-8) in Class 4A. The Eagles escaped with a 14-12 win over Greenfield-Central last week, while the Trojans stunned Richmond on the final play for a 21-20 victory. Delta won the first meeting 55-20.

•Central (5-4) hosts No. 4 Kokomo (9-0) in Class 5A as Andre Wells looks to add to his 13 touchdowns and 1,695 yards. Kokomo won the first meeting 63-28.

•Monroe Central (8-2) hosts No. 4 Tri-Central in Class A. The Golden Bears are coming off a 60-14 rout of Anderson Prep Academy. Tri-Central won the first meeting 14-0.

•No. 10 Winchester (8-2) hosts Elwood in Class 2A as Falcons coach Mike Jones looks for redemption. Touchdown-machine Kiante Enis is up to 34 total scores this season — 29 rushing, two receiving, one interception return, one punt return and one kickoff return.

Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.

ECI Teams on Friday

5A: No. 4 Kokomo (9-0) at Central (5-4), 7 p.m.

4A: New Castle (2-8) at Delta (7-3), 7 p.m.

3A: Yorktown (4-6) at No. 5 Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (7-3), 7 p.m.

2A: Elwood (6-4) at No. 10 Winchester (8-2), 7 p.m.

1A: No. 4 Tri-Central (10-0) at Monroe Central (8-2), 7 p.m.

Wapahani’s Annie Schuck hits against Madison-Grant’s defense during their regional game at Madison-Grant High School Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015.

Yorktown’s Rhyen Neal hits past Delta’s defense during their game at Delta High School Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.

After getting home late Tuesday night from the Bellmont Regional, where the Yorktown Tigers rolled to a sweep over the hosts, head coach Stephanie Bloom had less than an hour to watch film on New Prairie. Wanting to go into Wednesday’s practice with some sort of scouting report for her team, she noted they had some heavy hitters.

The biggest thing, however, she came away with and tried to convey to her top-ranked Tigers in advance of Saturday’s match against the No. 4 Cougars at the Twin Lakes Semistate was that they were going against a team well-versed in winning.

Regardless of who New Prairie has lined up against (it ranks 50th in strength of schedule, according to IndianaPrepVolleyball.com, compared with 16th for Yorktown), it hasn’t lost since Aug. 29 – a span of 29 matches.

“It doesn’t matter who they’ve played,” Bloom said. “When you’ve won that many games in a row, it means something.”

Yorktown, meanwhile, is 36-1 with its lone loss coming to one of Class 4A’s top teams, the Central Bearcats.

Bloom mentioned New Prairie will have a size advantage, but that’s nothing new to undersized Yorktown at this point, as the Tigers have used intelligence and speed over and over to combat taller teams. Kendall Murr and Olivia Reed have held their own in the middle all season.

“It’s going to come down to defense, as it always does for us,” Bloom said. “But I like where we’re at right now.”

With a win, Yorktown would play No. 6 South Bend St. Joseph (33-4) or Leo (28-8) at 7 p.m. in hopes of advancing to the state final, which would be the following weekend at Ball State’s Worthen Arena.

Wapahani looks to continue momentum

Their record may not appear to match up with some of the 30-win squads left, but the No. 4 Wapahani Raiders (21-11) are as battle-tested as any team in the state, ranking eighth regardless of class going into Saturday’s Bremen Semistate battle against No. 9 Hammond Bishop Noll (27-11).

For a team with underclassmen all over the floor, like sophomores Skyler Van Note and Lexi Spence, that makes this deep postseason run a little less daunting.

“The experience this season has all brought us closer,” Spence said after the Raiders pulled out a four-set win at Madison-Grant on Tuesday. “We’ve all worked hard and we’re showing it now.”

The winner plays either No. 6 Westview (30-5) or No. 3 Rochester (35-1) at 7 p.m. with a trip to the state championship on the line.

Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.

Ian Landwehr

BOYS TENNIS

Seven local players made it on the All-State team named by the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association. Yorktown’s Ian Landwehr and Delta’s Alec Robillard were selected on the All-State singles team, while Yorktown’s Mitchell Minniear and Abe Rosenthall were selected to the All-State doubles team. Central’s Khamasi Muhiga made the second team for singles, and Delta’s Matt Hapner and Jacob Brewer made the second team for doubles.

VOLLEYBALL

Central placed first in the North Central Conference and had four players named to the All-NCC first team: Lacee Adams, Micah Leavell, Nikki Marshall and Virginia Wilhoite. E’laisah Young was named to the All-NCC second team. The Bearcats’ head coach Wes Lyon was named NCC Coach of the Year.

GIRLS SOCCER

Seven local players from New Castle, Yorktown and Delta made it on the All-Conference team in the Hoosier Heritage Conference. Haley Able (NC), Calissa Centner (NC), Delanee Frye (NC), Olivia Malott (NC), Emily Peavie (NC), Elizabeth Smith (Y) and Bailee Allen (D) were added to the All-Conference roster. Brett Smith of New Castle was named HHC Coach of the Year.

BOYS SOCCER

New Castle’s Tyler Broyles and Devon Hernley, Yorktown’s Karter Bibbs and Peter McFarland and Delta’s Jared Hunt all made the all-conference team in the Hoosier Heritage Conference.

Heritage Hall defeated Colonial Christian 3-1 in the state tournament semifinal. Skyler Posey recorded two goals and one assist. The Patriots (13-1-1) will advance to the state championship game Saturday at Yorktown.

Jansen Blevins Jansen Blevins rushed for three touchdowns in Monroe Central’s 60-14 win over Anderson Prep.

Tri-Central held an undefeated record heading into the second round of sectional play, but Monroe Central ended the Trojans’ 10-0 season, picking up the 20-6 victory and advancing to the sectional championship game.

Tri-Central scored the first points of the game, but then the team was held scoreless until time expired. Beau Combs answered the Trojans’ score with a 52-yard reception to put the Golden Bears on the board.

Wyatt Snyder picked up six points in the third quarter on a 2-yard run into the end zone, while Jansen Blevins led the Golden Bears in rushing, running the ball 17 times for 128 yards and recording the team’s final touchdown. Monroe Central’s quarterback Logan Conklin logged 54 passing yards.

The Golden Bears (9-2) will face Adams Central (10-1) in the sectional championship at 7 p.m. Friday.

Bishop Luers 40, Yorktown 7

Despite keeping it close near the end of the game, a tough first quarter closed out Yorktown’s season in the second round of the sectional.

The Tigers’ lone scoring play was a 9-yard pass from Brogan Miller to Cole Barr in the fourth quarter. Miller recorded a total of 77 passing yards from 11 completions.

The Tigers finished their season with a 4-7 record.

Wapahani defeated Marion-Grant Tuesday, Oct, 27, 2015.

BREMEN, Ind. — On-the-spot defense and fantastic focus helped Wapahani dispatch Hammond Noll 25-22, 25-15, 25-22 Saturday morning in the semifinals of the Class 2A Bremen Semistate volleyball tournament.

The Raiders (25-11) advanced to the 6 p.m. semistate championship against Rochester (36-1), a 25-17, 25-18, 25-17 winner against Westview (30-6) in the other semifinal.

“Everything in the postseason so far seems to have gone four sets or five,” Wapahani coach Jared Richardson said. “I was very happy to get it done in three today.

“The biggest thing was our defense. Coming into this, I told (my players) I didn’t think (Noll) had anybody who could hit a ball down really hard, but they get a lot of roll shots and tip very, very well. So picking up the tips and the small-ball stuff was the key to winning the (match).”

Yelling “focus, ladies, focus,” Richardson watched his team take down the Warriors (27-12).

“I did not want to have that let-up,” Richardson said. “We have to keep that momentum on our side. We can’t get in that hole.”

Richardson stressed how his back-line defenders had to stay on their toes and be ready to make a play — “from deep to short.”

Leading the Raiders in digs was senior Hannah Smith (13), freshman Haven Gates (11) and sophomore Skyler VanNote (10).

Middle hitter VanNote racked up a team-best 17 kills.

“She carries us and will continue to do that,” Richardson said of the 6-footer.

Richardson was also especially pleased with a smaller player — outside hitter Sarah Orme.

The 5-foot-8 freshmen racked up eight kills, many of them at the antenna.

“She did a really good job,” Richardson said of Orme. “She’s a really little kid so people don’t expect much out of her. She always comes up big.”

Wapahani never trailed by more than three points in Game 1 and sealed the game with a kill by VanNote.

In Game 2, the Raiders seized a 11-10 lead and never let Noll pull even after that. The decisive point came on a kill by junior Chase Curry.

The match-winning Game 3 saw Wapahani roar out to leads of 8-2 and 10-4 and ended on a kill from freshman Estella Davis.

VOLLEYBALL

Wapahani def. Hammond Noll 25-22, 25-15, 25-22

At Bremen

Individual stats (kills-aces-digs)

Wapahani: Hannah Smith 0-1-13, Lexi Spence 3-0-8, Skyler VanNote 17-4-10, Estella Davis 11-0-2, Chase Curry 2-0-1, Annie Schuck 2-0-2, Kerri Myers 1-0-6, Haiden Gates 0-0-1, Sarah Orme 8-2-7, Havyn Gates 0-0-11. Totals: 44-7-61.

Blocks: Wapahani 5 (Spence 2, VanNote 2). Assists: Wapahani 41 (Spence 38).

Skyler Van Note

Wapahani’s Skyler Vannote (1) and Chase Curry (12) jump to block a hit from Madison-Grant during their regional game at Madison-Grant High School Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015.

BREMEN, Ind. — Wapahani served up a heaping helping of strong serving Saturday and topped previously once-beaten Rochester 3-1 (25-15, 24-26, 25-15, 25-18) for the Class 2A Bremen Semistate volleyball championship.

The Raiders (26-11) kept the heat on the Zebras (36-2) from the service line, where Wapahani racked up 12 aces (led by seniors Haiden Gates and Hannah Smith, and freshman Havyn Gates with three apiece) while earning a berth in the IHSAA state finals.

After a long trip to win two semistate matches, the Raiders get to return home, of sorts, for one more match in the 2015 season. The state championship match against Speedway is slated for about 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Ball State University’s Worthen Arena in Muncie.

“Our service pressure just got (Rochester) out of system,” third-year Wapahani coach Jared Richardson said. “(Rochester junior Hannah Towne) is an amazing player. She puts the ball away hard. We knew she was going to get points.”

To keep that from happening too frequently, the Raiders made it hard for the Zebras to consistently set Towne up for the kill.

“Serving was one key and blocking was the other,” Richardson said. “We blocked very, very well.”

Of Wapahani’s 12 blocks, six came from freshman Estella Davis with four from sophomore Skyler Van Note and three from junior Chase Curry.

The Raiders will be seeking the fourth state title in program history, having taken home the trophy in 2002, 2011 and 2012. One of the players on the tournament roster for the last championship was then-freshman Smith.

She is now a calming force for the 2015 Raiders.

“She’s the one who knows if you keep fighting you can get there,” Richardson said of Smith, the Raider libero. “We’ve been fighters all season long.”

Smith has relished her leadership role.

“If I stay calm, they stay calm,” Smith said. “At the beginning of the season, I looked every one of them in the eye and said, ‘We’re going to state. We’re going. I know we can do it.’ From then on, they bought in. We pushed and worked hard and now we’re here and it’s unbelievable.”

With Smith helping keep Wapahani steady during an emotional match, the Raiders broke open a close first set with sophomore Lexi Spence making the decisive kill.

“We all just clicked and had amazing service pressure,” Smith said. “Everything was there. Our hitters knew what to do. We were just jellin.’”

The second set went to the Zebras after they erased a 22-18 Raider lead, closing it on a kill by sophomore Grace Pfeiffer. Smith said the serve pressure let up in that game and that let Rochester gain momentum.

The third set featured an early 8-0 run by Wapahani. Rochester pulled within 11-8 before the Raiders pulled away again. The decisive kill came from Van Note — one of her 15.

“We went on runs and that is critical,” Smith said. “You have to keep your energy up.”

Wapahani took control in the middle of Game 4, increasing a five-point lead to 10 and then holding off a late Zebra charge. The semistate championship celebration was on following a kill by Davis, her team-high 16th.

Smith, who has committed to play at Ball State, looks to a four-set win against Delaware County rival Delta right before the sectional as a turning point for the Raiders. Wapahani won the Burris Sectional and took down Madison-Grant in the regional.

In the semifinals, Wapahani swept Hammond Noll 25-22, 25-15, 25-22.

Cade Orchard finished first for Delta during the cross country sectional at the Sportsplex in Muncie on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015.

Delta sophomore Cade Orchard was the lone East Central Indiana runner who participated in the IHSAA state cross country finals Saturday at Wabash Valley Sports Center Terre Haute. Orchard closed out his season with a 169th-place finish and a time of 17 minutes, 17.6 seconds at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.

Orchard’s Saturday finish was slightly slower than his time at semistate of 16:31.84, which earned him the last individual qualifying spot for state. He also earned won the sectional crown earlier in October.

Carmel (115 points) took first place as a team with Ben Veatch snagging the individual title, running a time of 14:59.8 for his second consecutive championship. Carmel also finished first as a team in the girls’ state finals with 70 points, its sixth consecutive state championship. The Greyhounds’ Sarah Leinheiser was the individual winner with a time of 17:30.8. It was the first time runners from the same school swept the individual races. Fishers (158) was second in the boys race, followed by Westfield (218). In the girls race, Fort Wayne Carroll (158) was second and Columbus North (170) third.

Veatch, an Indiana University commit, was also recognized as the Mental Attitude Award winner.

Yorktown attempts to block Wapahani’s Haidan Gates kill during the third set. Yorktown won the game 3-0.

The season began with both teams dropping down a class – Wapahani to Class 2A, Yorktown to 3A. It began with each head coach well aware of the talent and depth at their disposal. It began full of optimism.

Most of all, the season began with a potential for greatness.

As Wapahani (26-11) faces Speedway (27-9) in the Class 2A state title game Saturday and Yorktown (38-1) battles Providence (36-3) in the Class 3A title match, let’s look back at the preseason prognosis for each, and how it all came together.

Wapahani celebrates a point against Wes-Del during their sectional game at Ball Gymnasium Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015.

‘The sky is the limit’

The reason Wapahani was so encouraged at the beginning of the fall had a lot to do with the way the Raiders challenged 4A teams all summer. They made it to the championship match of a summer tournament and lost to Fort Wayne Carroll 25-19, 25-22 – the same Chargers team that is 34-3 this season and facing Cathedral in the Class 4A state title game.

“Right now, the sky is the limit,” Wapahani coach Jared Richardson said before a preseason practice. “You have to understand that going back to 2A and with (defending 2A champion) Providence moving up, the competition could be a little bit lighter. With what we’ve done in the preseason, there’s no way we shouldn’t be good. Right now, it’s just setting that expectation, setting that goal and getting the kids to buy in.”

Richardson noted a lot of things, like the leadership of senior libero Hannah Smith and the leader-in-waiting, sophomore setter Lexi Spence; the blossoming all-around game of sophomore star Skyler Van Note; the improved hitting of junior middle hitter Chase Curry; and the immediate impact freshman Estella Davis would make.

And a lot of those observations have manifested throughout the season. But to get through a stretch without Van Note and lining up the hardest schedule in 2A, according to IndianaPrepVolleyball.com, it’s taken more than that. Senior Haidan Gates has been a reliable server; sophomore Annie Schuck has contributed in the front row and senior Kerri Myers in the back row; and freshmen Havyn Gates and Sarah Orne proved they were ready for varsity.

Richardson has changed lineups, littered the court with underclassmen, but the team has pushed through it all thanks to its foundation.

“The chemistry is awesome,” Smith said before that same preseason practice. “It’s honestly the most fun with the girls I’ve had on a team in a long time. It’s just that we all like each other, we all mesh together well on the court. I’m sure you can see, even just in drills, we all feed off each other so well.”

Yorktown defeated Delta at Delta High School Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.

What height deficiency?

Though it was ranked No. 1 in the 3A preseason poll, Yorktown was cautiously optimistic. The Tigers had plenty of experience back, but no height. Kendall Murr and Olivia Reed were the tallest at 5-foot-7 and head coach Stephanie Bloom put them in the middle (for comparison’s sake, Wapahani has four players 5-10 or taller). Murr actually played in the back row during the club season.

“Compared to year’s past,” senior Kate Avila said during the preseason, “we’re definitely smaller, so we’re putting more of an emphasis on our defensive play.”

And the Tigers have done just that, winning their first 22 matches before losing to Central in a best-of-three, then ripping off 16 straight victories to reach this point.

Freshman Kenzie Knuckles has stepped up as the go-to player, but the contributions have come from everywhere – Murr and Reed in the middle; Rhyen Neal and Darian Jackson on the outside; Jade York, Bella Rosenthall and Kylie Murr in the back row; Mimi Arrington at setter; and Avila, pretty much everywhere.

Bloom warned her team over and over in the preseason: If they don’t bring their best on a given night, they’ll get beat. Reading her comments now, it’s not hard to see why an undersized group has been so successful.

“I just don’t want them to get comfortable,” Bloom said. “And we have a lot of room to grow. I think the other thing is, the longer I coach the more I’m able to see the personality and the makeup of a team. What I know about this group is they’re going to be at their best when they’re flat-out getting after it. That doesn’t mean it’s always going to look good, but if they can be scrappy and play hard, I’ll put them up against anybody. If they don’t, it’s 50-50, and they need to understand that.

“So I think it’s important that our team understands our strengths and weaknesses so that they can work to get better. If you don’t know, how do you get better at that? How do you improve?”

She left that question open-ended, but 38 wins later, her team has answered it.

Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.

Wapahani’s Haidan Gates serves during the away game on Monday against Yorktown. Yorktown won the game 3-0.

SELMA — Haidan Gates sat on the steps leading up to the second level of bleachers in Waphani’s gym after a practice in mid-August. Her coach, Jared Richardson, dismissed the rest of the team before asking her a simple question: How do you feel about where you’re at right now?

Then she started to cry.

Months earlier, Gates and the Raiders were playing at an offseason tournament at Indiana Wesleyan. Gates was unable to handle three serves in a row, so Richardson pulled the senior for Havyn Gates — Haidan’s freshman sister.

“I was like, ‘No, my freshman sister is going in for me? This is unbelievable,’” Haidan recalls.

“She slapped my hand so hard,” Havyn says. “It was so bad.”

It was just a preseason tournament, and Richardson had been rotating a lot of freshmen into the lineup, like Estella Davis and Sarah Orme. Richardson, after all, had to see what he had. But this felt … different.

Haidan was caught off guard. Not only was she being replaced on the right side in the back row, where she was hoping to break through as a senior, but her kid sister was the one replacing her.

The substitution was meant to sting. Richardson felt like it was better to get the sting out of the way early on, so Haidan could move on — because Richardson did envision a major role for Haidan, though it wasn’t on the court. He outlined it for her after that preseason practice.

“It was that moment where I really started talking about, you’re the kid this program needs,” Richardson says, reliving the conversation. “You’re the first one setting up setting nets when the bell rings, the first one shagging balls when a drill ends and making sure everything gets picked up.

“At the end of the day, I know how bad you want it. But in the grand scheme of things in life, how bad would you want it for your little sister, knowing how good she is? That was our turning point.”

Wapahani defeated Marion-Grant Tuesday, Oct, 27, 2015.

Haidan’s challenge was to continue to be that positive example for a Wapahani squad that features three freshmen and three sophomores in major roles — and especially for a certain freshman that she calls “the most competitive” in the Gates family.

Havyn is known for her desire to win, whether it be on the volleyball court or during card games like “Gotcha!”. She’s a talented back-row volleyball player too, tallying 226 digs in 88 sets this season. But she also notes how bad her attitude used to be when she didn’t perform well, and she credits Haidan for expediting that process.

“I’ve changed it, a lot, I’ve gotten a lot better,” Havyn says. “It’s partly because she tells me, ‘Hey don’t get mad about things.’”

Preseason prognosis: Wapahani, Yorktown

In many scenarios, Haidan will ask senior teammate Hannah Smith to relay a message to Havyn because sometimes the sisters “get on each other’s nerves,” like most siblings. Haidan relishes being that guiding light, and the sacrifice seems much easier now with Wapahani playing Speedway for the Class 2A state championship on Saturday.

“Now, I know that she’s so much better at it. She gets balls up, she does it all,” Haidan says, looking at her sister seated next to her after a recent practice. “You are making our team so much better than I would have ever been.

“I let her have it,” she continues. “I was really upset about it for a really long time. After he had me serve and stuff, I could handle it. I have my role now, she has hers.”

Wapahani defeated Marion-Grant Tuesday, Oct, 27, 2015.

Haidan’s contributions have extended onto the court, as well, as her 40 aces are second on the team. She served the first seven points of the second set at Madison-Grant in the regional, eventually tallying an ace to give Wapahani a 26-24 win in that set and tie the match at 1.

At one point, she had considered playing in college, but now she just wants to end her prep career in style before moving on to college and majoring in elementary education.

“High school volleyball has been the best for me,” she says. “That was my whole goal since freshman year, to win state. Get my name on that banner, just like my sister (Harley Barrett). Pretty much, that goal is going to come true, so I’ve done all I can with volleyball. I’ve done it all, everything I could.

…My name is going to be up on that banner, with my sister. And that was the biggest thing the whole year. Having her name up there too, with me.”

Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.

Wapahani Soccer held a double header soccer game against Union County on Saturday at Wapahani. The girls team lost 5-0.

GIRLS SOCCER

Burris soccer players Gretchen Andreasen and Hanna King were selected by the Pioneer Academic Athletic Conference for the All-Conference Team. Taylor White was an honorable mention, while Claire Moorman was named Top Team Player by the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association.

Yorktown’s Mimi Arrington sets the ball at the Twin Lakes Semistate semifinal. Yorktown won the match 3-0.

Yorktown’s Mimi Arrington celebrates after a point during the Twin Lakes Semistate semifinal. Yorktown won the match 3-0.

YORKTOWN — With the 2012 season on the line, Mimi Arrington could do nothing but sit on the bench and watch.

A freshman at the time, Yorktown was battling Bishop Chatard for the state championship. After jumping out to a 2-1 lead, Yorktown dropped the last two sets, with Arrington unable to help.

A defensive specialist at the time, she watched the Tigers’ lead evaporate, kill after kill hitting the floor that she could only imagine herself digging.

“It’s really hard to watch and see everything happen,” Arrington said. “But there was nothing I could do, there were other kids in front of me.”

Now the Tigers’ starting setter, she’s poised to lead her team into the state championship Saturday against Class 3A No. 2 Providence.

But her road here hasn’t been easy.

Although she trained as a setter all her life, Arrington started her freshman season as a defensive specialist — not out of desire, but because Yorktown had no other options. She spent the entire season starting on varsity as Halle McKibben, a newly acquired defensive specialist transfer from Burris, took over. McKibben spent the season playing JV, and didn’t become eligible for varsity until the second round of sectional play.

So once that time came, Arrington had to swallow her pride, take a seat on the bench, and wait for her turn.

“It was sad for me, I didn’t want to sit,” she said. “I understood what was going to happen, I had to come in the gym every day and prove that I’m supposed to be here.”

What came the following offseason could have been an even larger blow to her confidence, and would have been a shot to the ego for many. With the team needing to train her to be their setter for the future, she was sent down to JV. After playing varsity for a year and excelling, it wasn’t easy to mentally accept the move to JV.

‘It was hard to play at varsity and have to step down,” Arrington said. “But I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I knew I’d be setting my junior and senior years, so I kept my eyes on that.”

Yorktown faces off against Central during their game at the Muncie Fieldhouse Friday evening.

She was right. As a senior, she’s amassed 1,086 assists — averaging just over 10 per set — and conducts an offense that’s averaging just over 13 kills per set.

To coach Stephanie Bloom, Arrington took the hard way and has come out better for it. The plan wasn’t originally to bench Arrington and then have her play JV, but it developed once McKibben transferred.

“It’s a hard pill to swallow, but she’s always been that person to put the team first, she’s not had an easy road,” Bloom said. “A lot of people don’t know that’s the road she took in her career, it would have been easy for her to say, ‘You know what, I’m not going to do this.'”

Arrington stayed the course and it’s paid off. Now, she gets one last shot at winning a state championship, and this time, she’ll get to make an impact instead of sitting on the bench.

“I’m sure nothing was easy, I’m sure there are moments she really struggled,” Bloom said. “I’m so proud of her. She’s such a leader and is so selfless.”

Contact prep sports reporter David Polaski at dpolaski@muncie.gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidPolaskiTSP.

Monroe Central fullback Jansen Blevins powers through a Wes-Del defender on Sept. 25, 2015.

PARKER CITY — There isn’t a whole lot about Jansen Blevins’ game that’s flashy or pretty.

Monroe Central’s fullback, he’s a change-of-pace back for the speedy and elusive Tyler Writtenhouse. A dangerous one-two combo, they both provide home-run potential, but Blevins is more apt to run over his defender rather than around him.

The No. 12 Golden Bears (9-2) will need his power when they face off in the Sectional 44 championship at No. 8 Adams Central (10-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Blevins started playing football when he was just three, as his dad coached him while he played flag football. As he grew older and continued to play into middle school, he wasn’t under the weight limit to run the ball, so he played right guard.

It wasn’t until he reached the eighth grade that the situation changed.

“I walked into practice my eighth grade year and the coaches said, ‘This kid needs to run the ball,'” Blevins said. “I started running the ball ever since and fell in love with the fullback position.”

As a fullback, Blevins’ responsibilities are greater than most running backs. Not only does he have to run the ball, he’s required to stay in and either protect quarterbacks Logan Conklin and Wyatt Snyder or provide blocking for other runners.

His previous experience at right guard allows him an advantage while blocking, although many fullbacks were former linemen when they were younger.

As the season has gone on, he’s seen an increased role in the run game. Last week against Tri-Central, he had a team-high 18 carries for 134 yards and a touchdown. He finished a win against Anderson Prep to open the postseason with 157 yards and three touchdowns.

Those were his two most productive games of the season, as he didn’t top 62 yards in any other contest. As the weather turns cold, passing the ball becomes harder and power running is a luxury not every team has, but the Golden Bears do.

Many of his biggest plays have come in the second half, when the defense is feeling worn down from chasing Writtenhouse all game. With the defense gasping for breath, the last thing they want to see is a 220-pound bowling ball running at them.

“The intensity is pretty high in the first quarter, but by the fourth, players are wearing down,” Blevins said. “That’s when we like to really punch it in.”

Monroe Central coach John Hochstetler said one place Blevins excels is the weight room. He squats 500 pounds, making him especially useful in short-yardage situations.

Line Blevins up in the backfield, hand him the ball and watch him power over defenders for the first down.

“He’s proven to be secure with the ball and as a senior, he’s smart and has proven he can handle the different sets,” Hochstetler said. “He’s versatile and he earns his worth, during big times in games. He’s hard for kids to stop.”

Contact prep sports reporter David Polaski at dmpolaski@muncie.gannett.com Follow him on Twitter @DavidPolaskiTSP.

Friday’s ECI Sectional Championships

Class 1A: No. 12 Monroe Central (9-2) at No. 8 Adams Central (10-1), 7:30 p.m.

Class 2A: No. 5 Eastbrook (11-0) at No. 10 Winchester (9-2), 7 p.m.

Class 4A: Pendleton Heights (5-6) at Delta (8-3), 7 p.m.

Delta’s Zach Mills looks for space to run against New Castle in a 49-7 win on Oct. 30, 2015.

Delta has a shot to make it at least one round further than they did last season.

The Eagles (8-3) host Pendleton Heights (5-6) at 7 p.m. Friday in the sectional championship, one year after falling in the same game to Yorktown.

If Delta wants to come out victorious, its best bet is to give the ball to running back Zach Mills. He leads all area rushers with 2,200 yards and has punched the ball into the end zone 26 times.

He scored three touchdowns in the first quarter against New Castle last week and four overall, part of Delta’s 49-7 win.

He figures to have openings against a Pendleton Heights defense that’s given up an average of 33 points per game this year, although it clamped down on Mt. Vernon (Fortville) last week in a 49-7 win.

If Delta wins, it’ll be the first time since 2009 that Delta advances to regionals. The Eagles would play either Roncalli (8-4) or Greenwood (7-4).

Winchester meets Eastbrook

Tenth-ranked Winchester (9-2) will have its hands full when it hosts Class 2A No. 5 Eastbrook (11-0) at 7 p.m. The visiting Panthers boast a potent offense that averages 367 rushing yards per game, highlighted by three rushers who have over 1,000 yards.

The Panthers run a no-huddle offense, which Golden Falcons coach Mike Jones said is hard for his scout team to replicate. On his side, Winchester has already faced four no-huddle teams this season.

“We think Eastbrook’s offense and defense are quite formidable and we try to prepare the best we can, just have to let the chips fall on Friday.” Jones said. “They’re a no-huddle group. They run their offense faster than we’ve ever seen.”

On the other side of the ball, Winchester boasts Kiante Enis, one of the most consistent running backs in the state. His 2,180 yards are second in the area to Mills, but his 32 touchdowns are surpassed by no local player.

If the Golden Eagles want to win, getting the ball into his hands could be a necessity. The win would push Winchester into regionals for the first time in program history.

Contact prep sports reporter David Polaski at dmpolaski@muncie.gannett.com Follow him on Twitter @DavidPolaskiTSP.