Bulldogs to play Normal University High in Regional final
By Fred Kroner
Mahomet-Seymour swept past Centennial, 25-15, 25-12, on Tuesday (Oct. 26) in a Class 3A IHSA regional volleyball semifinal match in Mahomet. The victory was the 19th in a row for the Bulldogs.
Avery Allen garnered 12 kills. Caylee Folken had 12 assists. Libby Bodine finished with 12 digs.
Grace Rodebaugh contributed four kills and Sophie Zerrouki finished with three blocks.
The win not only advances the Bulldogs (31-5) into the Thursday (Oct. 28) regional championship match at home at 6 p.m. against Normal University High, but it also makes the 2021 M-S team the top single-season winner at the school.
Three other M-S squads had won 30 volleyball matches in a season, including in current coach Stan Bergman’s first season at M-S in 2019.
Ironically, Bergman also coached Centennial to a school-record for wins in four different seasons during his 15-year tenure with the Chargers.
M-S’ 19th win this season, which came earlier this month against Freeburg, was the 600th in Bergman’s 21-year head coaching career. He currently ranks 30th on the all-time IHSA list for career wins, with 612.
Excluding the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, Bergman has guided 12 consecutive teams to 30-win seasons and state trophies at two different schools (Centennial and St. Thomas More).
The Bulldogs’ current winning streak began after a three-set loss at home to Normal U-High on Sept. 16.
Overall, M-S has won 10 regional titles in volleyball. Just two of those have happened since 1996, including one in 2019, the last year the IHSA conducted a postseason in the sport.
Normal U-High has 21 regional volleyball championships, including ones in the last three years a regional tournament has been held.
