The Stew-Stras 8th grade were 22-2 last year as 7th graders but were denied a trip to State by the eventual state champions. Not this year. The Stars (17-1) would not be denied, despite a game challenge from St. Anthony. The Stars were shining bright as they completed their 2-year quest to make it State, 24-26, 26-24, 25-16.
"After losing to Grayville in sectional last year, the players knew what they had to do to get to that next level and they worked all season for it. We are all very excited and I am very proud of the team."
The Stars were up against a determined St. Anthony team that was a regional #1 seed that had to battle back from an overtime loss themselves in game of their regional final to advance to sectional. They came into the sectional against Stew-Stras with momentum, while Stew-Stras had sat since last Saturday.
That served St. Anthony well as they took that first game in OT and put the Stars on the state bubble for the second year in a row. Last year, it burst.
"The ladies showed their heart tonight," said Star coach Kim Pinson. "We lost a close first game and were behind seven points in game 2 to come back to win. Then in game 3 the Stars took control of the match. They keys were making our serves and eliminating the errors we made in game 1. It sure was a fight to the end."
Balance was key for the Stars. They didn't have a ton of aces or kills for a 75 point match because of St. Anthony's fire. But the Stars balanced out their 11 aces among five players. Haylee Mathis and Lindsay Burton had three each, Cierra Settlemire and Brittany Tabbert had two each and Kennedy Ferris the other one.
The Stars balanced out their kills in a stair-step fashion. Burton led the Stars with seven of their 22 kills, Ferris followed with six, Tabbert with a five and Mathis with four. They also had balance in net defense. Burton and Mathis added two blocks each and Ferris one. Burton was the chief net threat with a total of nine net points, Ferris had seven, Mathis six and Tabbert five.
Mathis is the #1 setter and she filled that role with nine of the 20 assists that led to 22 kills. The other 11 assists were balanced between four players, with Baylee Quast dishing out six.
Defense was another key for the Stars as St. Anthony had a relentless attack. The Stars recorded 73 digs in the 3-game set. Again, balance was key. Tabbert got down for a team-high 18 digs, followed by Mathis with 15, Burton with 13 and Ferris with ten, 56 of the 73 digs.
Although Mathis had a near double-double (15 digs, 9 assists), it was the digs that gave the Stars four double-digit performers in the sectional title match.
St. Anthony put the Star to the test and should be credited with getting the Stars primed for the state tournament.
Stew-Stras (17-1, 10-0 NTC) will play Elmwood Grade School (12-10) at 11:15 a.m. at the Mt. Pulaski 8-2A State Tournament. If they win they will play again in the 1 p.m. semifinal on Saturday. The 8-2A State Third Place and 8-2A State Championship games will be played on Tuesday at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.
Elmwood was 10-10 as the #1 seed in a 7-team home regional. They beat Herscher, 25-13, 25-21, in the semi and then beat Lockport Taft in the final, 25-20, 25-16. In their sectional, Elmwood, a small farming town, beat Grant Park another small farming town. 2522, 13-25, 25-23, to set the date with Stew-Stras on Saturday.
Albion 8-2A Sectional Final
Stew-Stras def. St. Anthony, 24-26, 26-24, 25-16
Star stats: Brittany Tabbert 2 aces, 5 kills, 2 assists, 18 digs; Lindsay Burton 3 aces, 7 kills, 2 blocks, 2 assists, 13 digs; Haylee Mathis 3 aces, 4 kills, 2 blocks, 9 assists, 15 digs; Kennedey Ferris 1 ace, 6 kills, 1 block, 1 assist, 10 digs; Cierra Settlemire 2 aces, 8 digs; Baylee Quast 6 assists, 6 digs; Morgan Stremming 2 digs; Sarah Locke 1 dig.
Sports
Related Photos
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The Stars held up their Stew-Stras 8-2A Regional Championship plaque over a week ago, when they beat Altamont to advance to sectional. They got to repeat that feat by raising their Albion 8-2A Sectional Championship plaque on Monday night, beating St. Anthony, 24-26, 26-24, 25-16, to advance to the 8-2A State Tournament on Saturday in Mt. Pulaski.
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Lindsay Burton was the chief net thrat among a cadre of Star attackers. Burton had 9 net points (7 kills, 2 blocks), served up 3 aces, and also got down for 13 digs.
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Brittani Tabbert led the Stars in kills in the regional final. In the sectional final, she led the team in digs, getting down for 18 digs. She also served 2 aces and swung for 5 kills.
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Haylee Mathis set a team-high 9 assists in the sectional final. She was near a double-double adding 15 digs. She also had 6 net points (4 kills, 2 block).
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Kennedy Ferris, shown digging at regional, was back at it at sectional. She was the 4th Star in double figures, getting down for 10 of the Stars' 73 digs. She also had 7 net points (6 kills, 1 block) and one ace.
Stew-Stras Out-Battles St. Anthony For Sectional
Stars End 2-Year Quest For State
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Shelby Bows Out With Strong Finish
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