Sauk wins in five in front of a packed house for Homecoming

That was one of the coolest displays of hometown spirit I've ever seen...wanna bet it was Camouflage Day at B-B-E today?
Monday nights haven't been kind lately...of course playing high-caliber teams may have something to do with it too.

Game five tonight went to the Mainstreeters by a 15-9 score as the B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team lost to Sauk Centre for the first time since 2007 and only the second time since 2001. In the last 10 years, Sauk Centre is 0-4 in playoff matches against the Jaguars. Tonight, however, they were the better team in game five.

Last season in the 2010 opener, the Jaguars edged the Mainstreeters 15-10 in game five to run their winning streak to three straight against Sauk Centre. Since 2001, the Jaguars now have a 9-2 overall record including playoff meetings against the Mainstreeters. From 2002 to 2006, the Jaguars compiled a 4-0 record in playoff meetings with Sauk Centre, something I enjoy pointing out quite often.

Going back a bit further, the Mainstreeters earned playoff wins over the Jaguars in 1994, 1995, 1999 and 2000. In three of those four years (not 1995), at stake during those meetings was the sub-section championship.

"Fun" facts about tonight's match: Game one started out with ties at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6 and 7-7! Ties followed that stretch at 9-9, 10-10, 11-11, 12-12, 15-15, 16-16, 17-17, 19-19 and 20-20. That's 16 ties! The Mainstreeters pulled away for a 25-22 win in the opening game with three kills, a double block and a B-B-E hit out of bounds. Also, both teams' liberos were busy all night, as Sauk Centre's Jordan Gamrodt notched 29 digs and B-B-E's Raeann Sorenson had 32 digs. Impressive!

Sauk Centre improved to 14-3 overall with the win. They get no rest as they travel to Melrose tomorrow (Tuesday night) for a battle with their crosstown I-94 rivals. Melrose could pull into a tie for first place in the West Central North Conference if they knock off the Mainstreeters.

More notes from tonight's match will follow on Tuesday.

Shown in the clip...the Jaguars hammered the Mainstreeters in a 25-15 game three win...


The Jaguars (17-4), who have played in nine matches in the last week, now have a much-needed three day break before hosting Pierz on Thursday night. They entered tonight's match ranked #9 in the most recent Class A coaches' poll released earlier today. The Pioneers are the only other unbeaten team in the Central Minnesota Conference and have a 14-5-1 overall record.

How crazy is this?...Maple Lake went five games tonight against one of their neighboring arch-rivals at Annandale tonight.

Area volleybsll results on October 3:
Albany 3, Holdingford 1
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 3, Kimball Area 2