Step IV: YES!!!!! the Jaguars say STATE! (VIDEOS!!!)

SUCH a wild night! WHAT A NIGHT! That was a CRAZY ROLLER COASTER we were riding on tonight! Down. UP! Down. UP! Down again, and then UP! And then WE WON!

The 11th-ranked B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team is back in the state tournament for the first time since 2019 after they won a five-game marathon against Henning. B-B-E had a 2-1 lead in sets before the Hornets won game 4 25-17. The Jaguars took command early in game 5 and won the clinching set by a 15-11 score to knock down the door to the big show. Their upcoming state trip is the 7th in school history. They first played at state in Class 2A in November 2005. The B-B-E fans were absolutely outstanding while backing the TERRIFIC play of the team. As I type this, we are over three hours after the match ended, and my ears are still ringing! That was a LOUD and PROUD set of fans! The Jaguars had their best serving night of the playoffs with a 94.5 percent mark. THIS was the perfect time to improve your serving! Also, for the night, the Jaguars tallied 116 digs against Henning's quick, hard-hitting attack. That was tremendous!

**Update late Saturday night: the Jaguars (25-6) will play the first match of the state tournament at either 5 p.m. or 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 10 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Start making plans now to get to St. Paul that night!! Win or lose, the Jaguars shift to play at either 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. on Friday, November 11 for the second day of the tournament.

*Here's a video featuring the opening points scored tonight as game one got underway beginning with Harley Roering serving for the Jaguars:


Game one was not pretty. After initially forging a 1-1 tie, the Jaguars fell behind 12-8 by the end of this video. They were sloppy at times and not communicating. I let my frustration sound at the end of that video. Henning won that set 25-20 to take the early upper hand. Once it was over, you just knew the Jaguars had more. They were not playing to their potential. That was about to change.

Incredible 36.4 percent hitting in game two propelled the Jaguars to a convincing 25-14 win. They caught fire mid-way through the set and took it to the Hornets down the stretch.

B-B-E won game three by a 33-31 score in a super marathon set. That was one for the ages, and I'll break that one down on Sunday morning before church on this blog post. 

*In game three, the Jaguars and Hornets battled with the lead changing hands early on. After a kill by Ava Mueller put the Jaguars up 6-5, the Hornets pushed ahead to lead 11-7. Later a kill by Adley Hagen tied it at 12-12. From that point on, game three was out-of-this-world crazy. The lead changed hands countless times. Trailing 22-21, the Jaguars got back-to-back screaming kills by Mueller. Henning then tied it at 23-23, 24-24, 25-25 and 26-26 after the Jaguars reached game point three straight times. Henning then had back-to-back kills to give them a 27-26 lead. Later a "double" call put the Jaguars down 31-30. The Jaguars scored the final three points of the game to win 33-31.

The Hornets recovered from that game 3 overtime loss after initially trailing 4-0 in game four to claim  a convincing 25-17 win. This set up the fifth and final set, which the Jaguars won 15-11 to earn the Section 6A championship. 

The Jaguars are now 7-9 in volleyball state-qualifying matches in school history. These 16 matches have all taken place between November 2005 and tonight.

**Here's a video featuring action from late in game five:


**And here it is! 

That moment you work so hard for as a student-athlete to achieve:


**Here's the post-match celebration on court by the Jaguars after they won:


Next destination: state tournament! The Jaguars open the Class 1A state tournament on Thursday, November 10 at Xcel Energy Center. I actually have no idea when they play, other than it's either in the afternoon or evening.

I never even glanced at the state tournament schedule leading up to tonight's match. The only thing that mattered was winning tonight's contest and getting to state. We put EVERYTHING into defeating Henning, and it paid off!

Now we get ready to battle in the next round of the postseason!! This will be our school's 7th volleyball state tournament. This is awesome!!

The only other team I've confirmed that is going to state in our class is Minneota. Tonight the Vikings defeated RTR in five games to claim the Section 3A title.

In Section 1A, Mabel-Canton (34-2) defeated Bethlehem Academy in four games.

In Section 5A, Pine River-Backus is back in the state tournament for the first time since 2017 after they beat Mille Lacs in four games tonight for their section title.

Ely won the Section 7A title to advance to state.

In Section 4A, New Life Academy advances to state after they won in three games against Legacy Christian.

In Section 3AA, Pipestone Area advances to state for the first time since 2006 after winning 25-12, 25-17, 25-17 over Paynesville Area.

*Sunday morning update: Mayer Lutheran claimed the Section 2A title to advance to state. They swept Cleveland 3-0 in their section final. I expect them to earn the No. 2 seed at state. Now it's time to get to Elrosa for their church breakfast at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic church!