By Jim Henry
jhenry@joplinglobe.com
Capping the best volleyball season in school history, College Heights Christian School is in Kansas City today for the MSHSAA Class 2 state tournament.
“This was one of the goals they set as a team,” Cougars head coach Karla Gaines said. “We’ve been to sectional a couple of times, and we wanted to get that milestone crossed and get to the state tournament. So they worked toward this goal all year.”
The Cougars (27-5-2) play Maryville (36-1) at 9 a.m. today in historic Municipal Auditorium in their first match of the round-robin semifinal competition. The other match at 9 pairs Hermann (26-8-1) against Scott City (32-2-1) in a rematch of last year’s championship match, won by Hermann for its 10th state title. Hermann is in the semifinals for the 19th time in 25 state appearances.
College Heights faces Hermann at 11 and Scott City at 1 p.m. to complete semifinal action. The top two teams from today’s matches advance to the championship game Saturday at noon, and the other two teams decide third place at 9 a.m. Saturday.
The Cougars, ranked No. 7 in the Class 2 state poll, lost their opening match in sectional appearances in 2005 and 2008. But last Saturday at Strafford, CHC decked El Dorado Springs 25-10, 25-14 and No. 6 Fair Grove 25-20, 15-25, 25-16 to punch its ticket to Kansas City.
“We’d never won sectional before, so this is the best season ever,” said Makayla Fuller. “It’s exciting to win when no one else has, to break new ground.”
“Last year when we played at sectional, we didn’t do so well,” Missy Sterling said. “This year the first match we won at sectional, it pumped everyone up and got me excited to win the next one.”
“I’m so excited about it. It’s probably the best gift I could have as a senior,” Kelsi Bodine said. “These girls work hard in practice every day. We are really excited about going up there.”
Bodine is the lone senior on the roster.
“Maybe there’s a little bit of pressure, but I enjoy leading my team,” she said. “They are awesome to work with.”
Seven of the remaining 10 players are juniors — Konner McIntire, Danielle Whitmore, Hannah Braeckel, Kaylee Ohmart, Hannah Snow, Fuller and Sterling. Sophomore Jessica Newton and freshmen Kirsty Green and Jade Thompson complete the squad.
“They have great chemistry,” said Gaines, who’s assisted by Lori Thompson. “They play well together, and they pull for each other. When someone gets a kill, everyone is truly excited for her.”
Bodine leads the team with 206 kills, and she has put 99 percent of her serves in play, missing only two of 247 attempts. Her second miss came last week in sectional.
McIntire had made 95 percent of her serves and leads the team with 82 kill blocks and a .577 hitting percentage. Bodine is hitting .462, Braeckel .427, Ohmart .421, Fuller .367 and Sterling .295.
Sterling and Snow have 356 and 309 assists, respectively, and Braeckel leads with 275 digs. Ohmart has served 36 aces among 201 points.
The Cougars won the Spring River Valley Conference title with a 9-0 record. They lost to Camdenton in the semifinals of the Branson Tournament and finished second behind Carthage in the Carl Junction Tournament.
“There are some large schools at the Branson Tournament, and we did well,” Gaines said. “I think they saw that the goal of getting to the state tournament was a good possibility.
“I think playing tough competition makes a team better. One of the reasons we go to the three large tournaments that we do is to see really good quality teams and keep the kids playing at a strong level.
The Cougars’ semifinal appearances has produced a holiday atmosphere at school.
“They are letting school out (today) and taking a spirit bus to the state tournament both days,” Gaines said. “They’ve been awesome, fans, parents, the administration, teachers. It’s been a really fun time for the kids.”
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