Step IV: STATE it is!!

Right after receiving the Section 5A champion team trophy, the Jaguars are shown in a huddle soaking it all in. It's the first section title for the volleyball team since 2010.

The B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team is headed to the Class 1A state tournament!! Wow! They won the first two sets, fell in the third 25-18 and then won game four 25-20! Game one was 25-22, and game two was 25-20.

"It's coming!" is what I thought as this was happening...Brittany Berge (14) is about to leap high for an ace attack that glanced off the fingertips of Pine River-Backus players and sailed out of bounds for match point.

This match was one for the ages! It had shades of the 2010 Section 5A title match between our B-B-E Jaguars and a red-hot Nevis team. The Jaguars won 3-1 in that match and advanced to state with a 27-2 overall record. Nevis finished an incredible season 29-3-2 overall. The last three games that night in Pierz went into overtime! Game scores were 25-22, 26-28, 27-25, 26-24. This year, the Jaguars head to state with a 26-4 record.

**ADDED at midnight, here's MATCH POINT! and the post-match dog pile!!!


I am SO unbelievably, incredibly proud of our team. Overall, the Jaguars hit 33.9%!! That is an absolutely dynamite hitting percentage in a section championship match.

*We will open up state on Thursday, November 8 at either 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. SPREAD THE WORD!

*My prediction is that the Jaguars will play at 1 p.m. both Thursday and Friday. I have to study the field tonight and see just who's advancing.

Updates to follow after 11:30. Time to head home.

I heard tough news (sports-wise) that St. Cloud Cathedral edged Sauk Centre 3-2 to advance to state. The Crusaders trailed 8-3 in game five before coming back to take it by a 16-14 score. Wow. I also saw that Willmar lost game five 15-13 to Moorhead to fall short of state in Class 3A.

**MY COUGARS ALSO WON!!! They won in very similar fashion  as the Jaguars did! The University of Minnesota-Morris Cougars volleyball team is advancing to the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time in school history! They beat powerhouse University of Northwestern 3-1 to claim the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference title.

Here's a photo of the Cougars tonight in St. Paul after they won. PHOTO BY THE 'COUGARS SIDELINE SQUAD'

This is such an incredible night!!

*Also advancing to the Class 1A state tournament:
New Life Academy (19-10) won Section 4A and holds a No. 18 ranking on the QRF; they beat Nova Classical Academy 3-0 tonight at Bloomington Kennedy high school.

Carlton (28-2) won Section 7A; they beat Deer River 3-0 tonight at Hibbing and were ranked No. 9 in the latest QRF calculation.

Mayer Lutheran defeated Waterville-Elysian-Morristown tonight 3-1 at Mankato East high school to claim the Section 2A crown; they will be the likely No. 2 seed at state.

Minneota won 3-0 over Adrian tonight to win Section 3A; they are 33-1 overall and will be the likely No. 1 seed at state.

In Section 6A, New York Mills (29-2) beat Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 3-0 to advance to state.

On Thursday, Medford beat Bethlehem Academy 3-0 to claim the Section 1A title.

On Friday, Ada-Borup won 3-2 (15-11 in game five) over Sacred Heart to win the Section 8A title in a match played at Lysaker Gymnasium on the University of Minnesota-Crookston campus.

That sets the Class 1A field as follows: Minneota, Mayer Lutheran, B-B-E, Ada-Borup, New Life Academy, New York Mills, Medford, Carlton.

*I should have some type of video up at midnight here. I will try posting match point footage!!

##ConquerEveryDay