extended sports coverage for the B-B-E community brought to you by the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper in Brooten, MN. (Address: P.O. Box 250, Brooten) http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com. Please submit feedback in writing to the address posted above. **This is Minnesota's oldest varsity high school sports blog. We hope to keep it going into the future!
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
2-0
Karlee Kern served up a string of points at the end of game three, including an ace serve for match point against A-C-GC. Shown are her teammates giving her high fives as the Jaguars moved to 2-0.
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City became the latest team to fall at the hands of the Jaguars volleyball team. The Falcons lost in three games tonight by scores of 25-11, 25-12, 25-15.
A-C-GC is 0-2; they lost to Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart in their season opener on August 21. They're in a major rebuilding project after going 0-21 last season and have a new coach to break in as they look to end a 24-match losing streak.
The Jaguars have a break in action as they gear up for the Central Minnesota Conference opener next Thursday, September 4 at home when Eden Valley-Watkins comes to town.
Amanda Kollman (left) and Becca Gruber put up a block against Kimball.
Kinlee Swanson fires off an ace attack around a Kimball block.
The Jaguars volleyball team travels to Holdingford tomorrow night for the second Central Minnesota Conference match of the season. The Huskers are 3-1 overall and lost their conference opener to Pierz last week by a 3-0 score.
The Jaguars gather after going 5-0 in Willmar on Saturday...photo by Theresa Winter.
TheJaguars volleyball team (17-3) took all five matches played today at the Willmar tournament. It marks the sixth year in a row they've won the event, after finishing as runners-up to Willmar in 2004 and 2005. Not too shabby.
**Noteworthy...at the Hancock tournament on Saturday, the Upsala Cardinals (12-2) were swept 2-0 by Hancock (21-1-1) in the championship match, losing 25-21, 25-22. Hancock's only loss of the year was in the University of Minnesota-Morris tournament championship in a 2-0 loss to Sauk Centre on Sept. 10. The Owls also split games in pool play against New London-Spicer on Sept. 17.
Area volleyball scores on October 1: Hancock tournament Hancock 2, Upsala 0 Hancock 2, West Central Area 1 Hancock 2, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 0
At other tournaments... Kimball Area 2, HL-W-W 0
Pierz tournament including nine teams... The Pioneers fell 25-18, 23-25 to Mable-Canton and 15-11 and 25-19, 25-15 to eventual champion Faribault while going 3-3 overall on the day to take third place. Bridget Bednar led Pierz with 40 kills on the day. Long Prairie-Grey Eagle won the silver division, finishing the day 4-2. St. Cloud Cathedral took second in the silver (3-3) in front of Holdingford (2-4), which was led by Katelyn Butkowski with 31 kills. Browerville won the bronze division.
More scenes from the Win-E-Mac match - Class A consolation championship
Player introduction. Celebrating a kill shot. Win-E-Mac calls a timeout in game one.
I took 576 photos during the three B-B-E volleyball matches at state. They can be viewed at http://saukherald.mycapture.com You will have to click on "sports albums" on the left hand side of the page to find my BBE Jaguars playoff albums.
These Jaguars volleyball state tournament scenes are brought to you by: Starter introduction.
Jaguars volleyball clinches share of the CMC title! It's a "five-peat"
A very excited Jaguars volleyball team is shown celebrating achieving match point tonight, vs. Eden Valley-Watkins...after they took game three 28-26.
The seventh-ranked Jaguars volleyball team clinched a share of their fifth straight Central Minnesota Conference title with a 25-10, 25-12, 28-26 win over Eden Valley-Watkins tonight. They are now 21-2 overall and 6-0 in the CMC.
Game three was a pure barn burner! More on that will follow later.
This marks the fifth year in a row that the Jaguars have won or shared the CMC title. Since joining the CMC in 1999, the Jaguars have won or shared the title eight times.
Eden Valley-Watkins fell to 1-5 in the CMC and 10-11 overall.
Up next: a trip to Kimball to face the Cubs in the final CMC match of the season, next Tuesday night. Kimball Area swept HL-W-W tonight; they are 8-11 overall and 3-3 in the CMC.
Central Minnesota Conference volleyball standings through Week Six: B-B-E (6-0) Maple Lake (5-1) Pierz (4-2) Holdingford (3-3) Kimball Area (3-3) Eden Valley-Watkins (1-5) Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted (1-5) Rockford (0-6)
Visit the Sauk Centre Herald website to see the photo gallery with 70 photos from tonight's volleyball match: http://saukherald.mycapture.com
Check out the huge crowd - many donning pink in honor of "Dig Pink" night. A clip from the break between games one and two tonight...
Here's a video clip from the final few minutes of game two, won by the Jaguars 25-12.
Central Minnesota Conference results tonight: Kimball Area 3, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 0 Maple Lake 3, Pierz 2 (what a match that must've been...held in Pierz, where the Pioneers blew a two-game lead and lost the fifth game 15-12) Holdingford 3, Rockford 0
Area volleyball scores tonight: Willmar 3, Sartell 2 Albany 3, Milaca 0 Sauk Centre 3, Foley 2 (a gutsy win for the Mainstreeters, who remain in first place in the West Central North Conference) Benson 3, Minnewaska Area 0 Mora 3, St.Cloud Cathedral 0 Royalton 3, Swanville 2 A-C-GC 3, Yellow Medicine East 1 Maccray 3, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 2 BOLD 3, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 1 (BOLD wins their first West Central South Conference title since 2005, when they joined the league and went 12-0) K-M-S 3, Lac qui Parle Valley 0 Benson 3, Minnewaska Area 0 NL-S 3, Dassel-Cokato 0 Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 3, Park Christian 0
Jaguars volleyball team makes quick work of a 3-0 sweep at Pierz tonight - Girls tennis falls in sub-section semi's
Wasting little time in getting the job done and taking out Pierz in three sets tonight, the Jaguars volleyball team improved to 5-0 in the Central Minnesota Conference with a 25-13, 25-9, 25-18 win over the Pioneers.
In a match that took just under one hour, two teams battling for the top spot in the CMC locked horns in front of a rowdy Homecoming crowd, complete with the Pioneers Pep Band performing, at Pierz Healy High School.
The Jaguars improve to 19-2 overall, while Pierz falls to 13-8. The CMC title is by no means wrapped up for the Jaguars, as they still have tough matches remaining in the league against Eden Valley-Watkins (home on Oct. 14) and at Kimball Area (there on Oct. 19).
Up next for the #8-ranked Jaguars volleyball team: a home match next Monday night against our neighbors to the west, Minnewaska Area, in a non-conference match. The Lakers are 8-14 overall and 1-7 in the West Central South Conference.
Real briefly...the Jaguars girls tennis team had an outstanding showing against an 18-4 Benson/Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg team in the Sub-Section 5A-West semi-final round. Even though they lost 6-1, the match was filled with tiebreakers and super tiebreakers, as the Jaguars had B/K-M-S on the ropes at many times.
Next week they participate in the Sub-Section 5A-West individual tournament on Tuesday.
Here are a few links for some of my recent photo albums from the past week...
Central Minnesota Conference results in Week Five: Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 3, Rockford 0 Maple Lake 3, Holdingford 0 Kimball Area 3, Eden Valley-Watkins 2
Area volleyball scores tonight: Osakis 3, Royalton 1 (Silverstreaks are 8-1 in the Prairie Conference, 10-11-3 overall) Sauk Centre 3, St.Cloud Cathedral 1 (at Sauk Centre) A-C-GC 3, Lac qui Parle Valley 0 Foley 3, New London-Spicer 1 Brainerd 3, Willmar 2 Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart 3, Springfield 2 Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 3, Paynesville Area 0 Bertha-Hewitt 3, Menagha 0 Upsala 3, Eagle Valley 0 Minnewaska Area 3, Montevideo 1 Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 3, CMCS 2 (a big win for the Fighting Saints) Minneota 3, Canby 0 (Vikings win battle of ranked Class A powers) Hancock 3, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 1
There's now a virtual four-way tie for first place in the West Central North Conference, after the Mainstreeters defeated the Crusaders. Mora, Albany, Cathedral, and Sauk Centre all have two conference losses.
More will follow early Friday morning, including notes on Friday Night Lights Part VI, when the Jaguars football team travels to Pierz tomorrow night.
Jaguars volleyball continues their dominance in the Central Minnesota Conference with a fast-paced sweep of Maple Lake
Maggie Gruber drops a kill down around a Maple Lake block attempt tonight.
The Jaguars volleyball team improved to 12-2 overall with a convincing win over Maple Lake tonight in a Homecoming match. The Irish entered the match with an impressive 13-3 overall record, but they wilted under the blistering attack of the Jaguars, who won by wide margins in games one and two, 25-11 and 25-16. A handful of non-starters saw action for the Jaguars in game three, which they won 25-20.
The Jaguars, now 4-0 in the Central Minnesota Conference, gear up for a very tough Willmar Cardinal Classic tournament on Saturday.
A photo album with pictures from the Maple Lake match has been fully uploaded to the Sauk Centre Herald website. The link is http://saukherald.mycapture.com
Central Minnesota Conference results: Eden Valley-Watkins 3, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 1 (at Eden Valley) Holdingford 3, Kimball Area 0 (at Holdingford) Pierz 3, Rockford 0 (at Rockford)
*Current CMC volleyball standings, as of 9/30/10: B-B-E (4-0) Pierz (4-0) Maple Lake (3-1) Holdingford (3-1) Eden Valley-Watkins (1-3) Kimball Area (1-3) HL-W-W (0-4) Rockford (0-4)
A video clip from game two tonight...
Following the Maple Lake win, the traditional bonfire was held on the elementary school baseball diamond. Shown lighting it up is Mr. Marks, who has supervised the event since it started about 6 or 7 years ago.
**A quick radio broadcasting note from Smooth Magic 107 in Glenwood...their sports broadcaster, Dave McClurg, will be broadcasting the B-B-E Homecoming football game on Friday night. Pre-game coverage begins at about 6:45pm on 107.1FM or online at http://www.kmgk1071.com/ More on that will follow later.
In a non-conference girls tennis match at Melrose, the Jaguars girls tennis team dropped a dual against the Dutchmen by a 7-0 margin. It was reported that the Jaguars were much more competitive against Melrose compared to their meeting on August 31. In many cases, the Jaguars (6-13 overall) held leads during the sets but couldn't hang on to the momentum.
Melrose Area evened their record at 9-9 overall with the win. They finished the West Central North Conference schedule with a 3-3 record. The Dutchmen will most likely come in ranked #3 in Sub-Section 5A-West for playoff seedings, behind New London-Spicer and Benson/K-M-S.
Area volleyball results tonight: #4 2A Wadena-Deer Creek 3, Sauk Centre 0 (Mainstreeters lose game one 32-30!) Albany 3, Melrose Area 0 Mora 3, New London-Spicer 0 LP-GE 3, Foley 1 LQPV 3, Montevideo 1 A-C-GC 3, Benson 1 (Braves stung by 2nd straight WCCS loss) Perham 3, West Central Area 0 Bertha-Hewitt 3, Staples-Motley 0 Sebeka 3, New York Mills 0 Osakis 3, Browerville 0 Upsala 3, Royalton 0 Parkers Prairie 3, Brandon/Evansville 0 Eagle Valley 3, Swanville 0 BOLD 3, Minnewaska Area 0 Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 3, Breckenridge 0 Barnesville 3, Frazee 0 Minneota 3, Windom Area 1 Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 3, Dawson-Boyd 0 Canby 3, MACCRAY 0 Willmar 3, Little Falls 0
**Coming up Friday night...it's Friday Night Lights Part V when the Jaguars football team hosts Maple Lake for the 23rd annual B-B-E Homecoming game. Kickoff is at 7pm, with a Tailgating party running from 5pm to 7pm at the high school sports complex, sponsored by North American State Bank.
Wow, what a day for the Jaguars volleyball team! as they finish with a 3-2 record at the Southwest Volleyball Challenge
After splitting their pool play matches last night, the Jaguars Volleyball team went 2-1 today against very tough competition at the 32-team Molten Southwest Volleyball Challenge in Marshall.
Match #1 - Burnsville sweeps the Jaguars in two close games.
Match #2 - the Jaguars win an overtime set against Belle Plaine, taking game three by a 15-12 score. The Tigers, who entered the tournament as the #7-ranked team in Class AA, took the first game 25-15. The Blue and Silver fought back to win game two 25-22 to force the extra set.
Match #3 - the Jaguars capped their outstanding showing at the tournament by sweeping Class AAA Owatonna, who had knocked off the #1-ranked AAA team on Friday night (Lakeville North) in a 2-0 sweep. Owatonna entered Day 2 of the tournament with a 6-1 overall record.
The Jaguars won the second set by a 27-25 score. What a match that would've been to watch. They are now 6-2 overall going into Monday night's home non-conference match against a very good Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg squad.
Check back later for more updates from the action in Marshall today.
Over a hundred photos from Friday night's Woodbury match is being uploaded to the Sauk Centre Herald website photo gallery. The link is: http://saukherald.mycapture.com They're not world-class photos, but there are a few gems in the bunch.
Up next for the Jaguars Volleyball team: a home match on Monday night against K-M-S. The Fighting Saints finished as runners-up at the Browerville Tournament today, improving to 4-3 overall. In pool play they beat Browerville 2-1, then swept Eagle Valley and Henning to get to the title match, where they lost via sweep to Bertha-Hewitt.
Coming tonight: Holdingford vs. B-B-E Football in Belgrade - Molten Southwest Volleyball Challenge in Marshall for the Jaguars Volleyball team
The Jaguars football team has their chance at starting the football season 2-0 for only the third time in B-B-E history, when they host Holdingford tonight at 7:00pm in the Central Minnesota Conference opener.
Holdingford is in search of their first win, after losing 21-20 in a nailbiter last week to Class AAA Holy Family Catholic.
In 1997, the Jaguars started 2-0 after beating Kimball Area and Lac qui Parle Valley in their first two games of the season, on their way to a 7-4 finish (Section 5AA runners-up). In 2006, the Jaguars started 2-0 after beating Ogilvie and Rockford, only to drop their final six games of the regular season and finish 3-7 after a 1-1 showing in Section 5A.
Below is the welcome message in the programs for this weekend's 32-team volleyball tournament in Marshall, MN. It is the largest volleyball tournament in the Upper Midwest.
The Jaguars volleyball team opens the tournament tonight at 5:00pm at the Marshall Area High School at 5:00pm against Class AAA Woodbury.
On behalf of everyone in Marshall we’d like to welcome you to the 2010 Molten Southwest Minnesota Challenge high school volleyball tournament. This year marks the 5th annual. The Molten Southwest Minnesota Challenge is the largest high school volleyball tournament in the Midwest. In fact, this 32-team event is larger than the Minnesota State Tournament. The 32-team tournament this season is twice as large as any other high school tournament in Minnesota. Teams from Minnesota and North Dakota will play at both Marshall High School and Southwest Minnesota State University.
The Southwest Minnesota Challenge was founded early in 2005 with the completion of the new High School in Marshall. The tournament was created by former MHS assistant volleyball coach, Jon Hegerle and current MHS head volleyball coach, Dan Westby. In 2006 & 2007, the tournament consisted of 16 teams. The field was expanded to 32 teams in 2008.
We’re very excited about the tournament field we’ve been able to assemble this year. The teams competing this year have over 150 state tournament appearances between them. Seven of the teams entered in this year’s Southwest Minnesota Challenge were participants in their respective state tournaments a year ago while three advanced to the state finals. The host team, Marshall, won their third state championship last season. Eighteen teams entered in the tournament this year were ranked in the top ten in their respective classes, including all three #1 ranked teams in Minnesota.
The people of Marshall and the business community in town have been very supportive in joining our volleyball program in this endeavor. Their financial support has been staggering. Our entire volleyball program at MHS owes them many thanks for their gracious contributions.
We hope you enjoy your time in Marshall and we hope your team finds the Molten Southwest Minnesota Challenge to be a great competitive experience. We hope this tournament is as much fun to participate in as it has been to put together.
Best of luck! The Marshall Coaching Staff
Tournament-opening matches in Marshall tonight: At Marshall High School (at either 5pm or 6:15pm): B-B-E vs. Woodbury, Southwest Star Concept vs. Marshall, Hopkins vs. Lincoln HI, Bemidji vs. Burnsville, West Fargo (ND) vs. Belle Plaine, St.Michael-Albertville vs. LeSueur-Henderson, Andover vs. BOLD, Northfield vs. Totino-Grace.
At Southwest State University (at either 5pm or 6:15pm): Owatonna vs. Yellow Medicine East, Waconia vs. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton, Lakeville North vs. Litchfield, Fergus Falls vs. Minneota, Holy Family Catholic vs. Wayzata, Tartan vs. Eastview, Russel-Tyler-Ruthton vs. Hutchinson, Canby vs. Bloomington Jefferson.
The host Marshall Area Tigers are the defending champions of the event.
Below is a couple paragraphs from the Marshall Independent today.
Marshall (2-2, 0-1 Southwest Conference) will move on from one tough test to another as the Tigers take part in the Molten Southwest Minnesota Challenge, which begins today in Marshall. As the defending tournament champions, Westby said the Tigers will have their hands full fighting through what he said is the best field that the tournament has ever had.
"If you look at the top teams in Class 3A, most of them are here this weekend," Westby said. "If we end up locking horns with any of them, that's going to be difficult. But we've got five opportunities to compete hard and if we do that, win or lose, we'll be fine."
The Jaguars volleyball team defeated visiting Holdingford tonight, winning three of four games to improve to 3-0 on the young season.
The Jaguars went up 2-0 in games before the Huskers (1-2, 0-1 CMC) won the third set by a 25-17 margin. Coach Weller went deep on the bench, as twelve Jaguars all put down attacks in the match, nine of whom recorded at least one kill.
Game scores were 25-12, 25-17, 17-25, 25-12.
Other Central Minnesota Conference volleyball opener results: Kimball Area 3, Rockford 0 Maple Lake 3, Eden Valley-Watkins 1 Pierz 3, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 1
Area volleyball scores: Osakis 3, Eagle Valley 0 Royalton 3, Browerville 1 Bertha-Hewitt 3, Verndale 0 Sauk Centre 3, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 1 Hancock 3, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 0 Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 3, Brandon-Evansville 2 CMCS 3, Renville County West 2 BOLD 3, A-C-GC 2 MACCRAY 3, K-M-S 2 NL-S 3, Milaca 0 YME 3, Minnewaska Area 2 Benson 3, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 2 LQPV 3, Paynesville Area 1 St.Cloud Cathedral 3, Melrose Area 0
A thrilling volleyball match goes to the Jaguars tonight in five games
The Jaguars celebrate taking game three in tonight's barn burner of a match at neighboring rival Sauk Centre, a win that put them up 2-1 in games during the match. What a finish! The Jaguars volleyball team was victorious in their 2010 season opener at Sauk Centre tonight, winning in five sets over the state-ranked Class AA Mainstreeters.
Game scores were 25-22, 11-25, 25-22, 14-25, 15-10. B-B-E senior Maggie Gruber finished off the Mainstreeters with a kill for a 14-10 lead in game five and then an ace block on a Kali Peschel attack for match point.
It marked the third straight win over Sauk Centre for B-B-E's volleyball team. The Jaguars have lost only one time to the Mainstreeters since 2001, while they have beaten Sauk Centre every time since that season in regular season match ups. Sauk Centre defeated the Jaguars in the third-place match of the Sauk Rapids tournament in September 2007.
This video clip ended with Sauk Centre leading 7-4 in game four. Take special note 58 seconds into the clip, when Maggie Gruber blasts a monster kill to open floor in the back corner. The Mainstreeters ultimately won the set 25-14 but lost the match in a 3-2 thriller.
Below, Coach Weller fires up his team with a pre-match pep talk. His words were golden by the time the match was complete.
B-B-E 25, Sauk Centre 22 - Game One
In tonight's see-saw battle, the Jaguars had the early edge with a close win in game one. Two straight kills by Maggie Gruber put them on top 6-2 for a lead that held the rest of the set. After the Mainstreeters closed the gap to 15-14, kills from Gruber and Brittany Roelike helped the Jaguars stay ahead even as the Maroon kept closing the game to one point five more times up to a 23-21 lead.
A Mainstreeters' hitting error and a kill from Taylor Braegelman closed out game one for the Jaguars, who won 25-22.
Sauk Centre 25, B-B-E 11 - Game Two
The second set was all Maroon, as they jumped in front 4-0 before a service error gave the Jaguars a side out. Sauk Centre scored four more unanswered points before they committed two hitting errors and then Gruber and Raeann Sorenson put up a tough block to close the gap to 8-4.
The Mainstreeters stepped it up another level and gave up only one kill while outscoring the Jaguars 9-2. After getting a side out on a Sauk Centre service error, sophomore Taylor Braegelman drilled an attack through a block. The Mainstreeters gave up only one more ace attack (Shyan Kuefler) to the Jaguars the rest of the set, though, finishing off the Jaguars with an 8-3 run.
B-B-E 25, Sauk Centre 22 - Game Three
The third set was controlled by the Jaguars, though Sauk Centre made two runs at big deficits to keep things interesting. The Jaguars took an early 7-2 lead with kills and a block from Gruber and an ace serve from Julie Hieserich.
Sauk Centre's Jena Klaphake served up four unanswered points for the Maroon to make it 12-8. A kill from Kuefler along with her ace block started another rally for B-B-E, who took a 21-12 lead. Kuefler's kill put the Jaguars at game point, leading 24-15, but Sauk Centre did not go quietly as they scored seven straight for a two-point gap.
Braegelman stepped up her game and fired down an ace attack straight down in front of her on the left side, putting the Jaguars ahead 2-1 in sets.
Sauk Centre 25, B-B-E 14 - Game Four
In game four, the Mainstreeters pulled ahead 4-1 before the Jaguars came back with two ace serves from Roelike to get within one at 7-6. They could not grab momentum their way, however, as Sauk Centre stretched the lead to double digits after scoring five unanswered to close out game four 25-14.
B-B-E 15, Sauk Centre 10 - Game Five
In the rubber match of volleyball, game five, an early lead is always important with the rally scoring format that's been in place in Minnesota since 2003.
Sauk Centre won the coin flip, but fortunately a service error nixed that advantage and put the Jaguars up 1-0 before they had even touched the ball. Sauk Centre's outstanding junior middle hitter Kali Peschel earned a kill, then Gruber hit a kill for a 2-1 Jaguars' lead. Peschel hit her final ace attack of the night (#20) to make it 2-2, and then Gruber answered that with her 14th kill of the night to help the Jaguars take a 5-2 lead.
The Jaguars stepped up their blocks and were able to keep Peschel in check the rest of the game. Three unforced errors allowed Sauk Centre to tie the game, though, at 5-5. Kuefler's ace attack started a brief see saw on the scoreboard, with Sauk Centre take their only lead of the set (8-7) after two straight kills from Shelby Deters.
Coach Weller promptly called a timeout, and whatever he said worked like a charm as the Jaguars scored three straight for a lead they did not relinquish. They came out fired up from the break and forced a tie, then took a 10-8 lead on two straight Braegelman attacks.
Sauk Centre's final kill of the night, again from Deters in cross court fashion, brought them within one point. Braegelman answered with her third kill of the game and the Jaguars coasted to the win with a match-ending 5-1 run.
Quite fittingly, after Gruber's ace attack brought match point at 14-10, she put up a solid solo block on Kali Peschel's attack and ended the 100-minute long marathon in Sauk Centre.
It was a great day in Jaguar country, as the girls tennis team also picked up a win earlier in the day at Morris. (See below for more on that)
Area volleyball results tonight, marking the official opener for prep volleyball across Minnesota:
MACCRAY 3, Yellow Medicine East 2 (a thrilling neighboring rivalry just like the one that played out in Sauk Centre)
Albany Tournament results: Maple Lake 2, Park Rapids Area 0 St.Cloud Apollo 2, Minnewaska Area 0 Albany 2, Little Falls 0 Albany 2, Park Rapids Area 0 Maple Lake 2, Little Falls 0 Rocori 2, Minnewaska Area 0 Albany 2, Maple Lake 1 Minnewaska Area 2, Park Rapids Area 0 (seventh place match) Maple Lake 2, Watertown-Mayer 0 (third place match) Rocori 2, Albany 0 (championship)
B-B-E Jaguars volleyball geared for another section title run - they open Friday night in Sauk Centre
This year's edition of Jaguars volleyball will be built around the talents of senior hitter Maggie Gruber. They open the season on Friday night (Aug. 27) at Sauk Centre in a non-conference, rivalry match.
Though they have regularly played with a target on their backs since their first state tournament berth in 2005, the B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team has faced immense regular season pressure throughout that period and regardless of how hard they are hit by graduation, they keep churning out wins in workhorse fashion. After facing heavy graduation losses in 2009, last year's edition of Jaguars volleyball fired on all cylinders to win a fourth straight Central Minnesota Conference title while compiling a 24-5 regular season record.
The Jaguars charged into playoffs and won a sub-section title for the sixth year in a row with a convincing performance over Bertha-Hewitt before falling to a red hot Nevis squad to finish 27-6, good for the third-most wins in B-B-E history. Nevis went on to win the Class A state consolation title.
This year's team will be led by third-year starter Maggie Gruber, who was the Sauk Valley Player of the Year in 2009, along with third-year starting setter Julie Hieserich, who passed the 1,000-set assist mark in her career at the Bethel Showcase Invitational last September. Both are seniors whose efforts will be bolstered by returning hitters Shyan Kuefler, a junior, and sophomores Taylor Braegelman and Brittany Roelike, who all had key roles in last year's success during their first year on varsity. Ashley Kirckof is a third senior who will enter her second year on the varsity roster.
Junior Brittany Winter will serve as libero. Junior Raeann Sorenson, who was the libero last year, has been moved to hitter in her third year of varsity action. Five other juniors who are new to the varsity lineup, Kim Kollman, Morgan Geer, Megan Rodgers, and Amy Bast, bolster the lineup with new talent. A second sophomore, Tia Halvorson, rounds out the varsity lineup that totals 13.
Fourth-year head coach Kevin Weller (85-14, 21-0 CMC, 12-5 playoffs) returns with assistant coaches Amanda Primus (third year) and Ashley Hart (first year).
Nothing less than a five-peat is what the Jaguars aim for in the Central Minnesota Conference, as the team has won every league match since September 28, 2006 - a streak of 24 straight wins in the CMC. Pierz will be the main challenger in the conference. Kimball, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, and Holdingford will also provide challenges for the Jaguars in their quest for B-B-E's 10th conference title in volleyball.
Upsala and Bertha-Hewitt will provide challenges for the Jaguars in Sub-Section 5A-South, while Nevis and Sebeka will be a factor in who wins the section title in November.
It all begins on Friday night, when the Jaguars make the short trip north into Mainstreeter country where they will face a loaded, veteran Sauk Centre team that has its own eyes on winning a conference title and making a state tournament run.
The B- and C-squad matches start at 6:00pm, with the varsity match to follow at 7:30.
This Jaguars volleyball season preview article is brought to you by:
The votes are in - and the Jaguars volleyball team is ranked #12 in the pre-season coaches' poll
Hot off of the press - these were just released this afternoon (finally! I've been looking for this for the past two weeks) - the 2010 high school volleyball state rankings list the Jaguars volleyball team at #12 in Class A. Just ahead of them at #11 is Nevis, the team who defeated them in the 2009 Section 5A championship match.
2010 Class A pre-season coaches poll: 1. Minneota (4) 49 2. Bethlehem Academy (1) 43 3. Canby 41 4. Mayer Lutheran 32 5. Wabasha-Kellogg 25 6. Windom 23 7. Martin County West 16 8. Mabel-Canton 12 9. Northern Freeze 9 Win-E-Mac 9
Others receiving votes: Nevis (8), B-B-E (4), Heritage Christian (1), MACCRAY (1)
Other interesting notes in the first state rankings of the season for volleyball... The team that presumably will be the Jaguars' toughest competition in the Central Minnesota Conference has found themselves in the Class AA state rankings. Pierz, who went 21-8 overall and 4-3 in the CMC (tie with HL-W-W for fourth place) in 2009, is ranked #15. Just ahead of them a few places is one of the Jaguars' perennial non-conference rivals, Sauk Centre, who is ranked #11.
Sauk Centre hosts the Jaguars in the 2010 season opener this Friday night, August 27, with a 7:30pm match. (More on the Mainstreeters will be posted here on Thursday)
Another fun fact...this is the sixth straight year that the Jaguars have been state-ranked entering the season. They have been in every coaches' association poll since August of 2005.
Marshall, a team that has no business being in Class AA, is the top-ranked team in that class. They won the Class AA title in 2009 after winning all three state matches via 3-0 sweeps.
Class AA pre-season volleyball poll: 1. Marshall (2) 32 2. Hutchinson (1) 24 3. Jackson County Central (1) 23 4. Wadena-Deer Creek 17 5. Stewartville 16 6. Jordan 14 Hibbing 14 8 Belle Plaine 11 Delano 11 10 Byron 10
Others receiving votes:Sauk Centre (9), Le Sueur-Henderson (9), Concordia Academy (8), Kasson-Mantorville (7), Pierz (6), Visitation (4), Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (2), Watertown-Mayer (1).
The rankings are conducted by the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association. Coach Weller was quick to remind me that all teams enter the regular season undefeated. What happens the rest of the way is earned.
Here's a quick rundown of how the Jaguarsfared at the recent first annual Minnesota Elite Preseason Tournament on August 7. In pool play, the Jaguars went 1-2, losing to Class AA Waconia and Class AAA Lakeville North (the eventual overall champion of the 32-team field).
In the Bronze Division final, B-B-E edged Nevis in two straight, 25-19, 25-13. The Jaguars defeated Win-E-Mac and Chaska to reach the final match, while Nevis beat Andover and Belle Plaine.
Quarterfinals B-B-E over Win-E-Mac, 25-22, 25-18 Chaska over Apple Valley, 25-22, 22-25, 16-14 Belle Plaine over Centennial, 19-25, 25-16, 15-12 Nevis over Andover, 25-19, 25-23
Semifinals B-B-E over Chaska, 25-13, 18-25, 15-10 Nevis over Belle Plaine, 25-21, 26-24
Bronze Division Championship: B-B-E over Nevis, 25-19, 25-23
In the Silver Division Finals, Jackson County Central defeated Hutchinson in a single set by a 25-14 score.
