By Fred Kroner
For the fourth time in school history, the seventh-grade volleyball team from Mahomet-Seymour has qualified for the IESA Class 4A state tournament.
The Bulldogs (22-6) clinched their berth on Monday (March 6) with a come-from-behind win over the host school at Taylorville, 22-25, 25-11, 25-18 in the sectional finals.
In each of the previous five matches this season where M-S lost the first set, it was unable to rally for a victory, until the sectional.
To reach the sectional, second-seeded M-S captured a regional title on their own home court on Thursday (March 2) with a sweep over top-seeded Champaign Edison, 25-11, 25-22. Two days earlier, against third-seeded Champaign Jefferson in the semifinals (Tuesday (Feb. 28), the Bulldogs posted a 25-18, 25-7 victory.
The two-day state tournament starts on Friday (March 10) at Normal Kingsley. M-S will take the court at 8:15 p.m. against Channahon (18-4). The winner will return for a state semifinal match on Saturday (March 11) at 12:15 p.m.
Only two other teams in the Class 4A Elite Eight have more wins this season than the 22-win Bulldog squad.
The M-S team, which has a 12-match winning streak, is coached by Stan Bergman, Sarah Dyer and Chandra Steers.
The seventh-grade roster consists of Emma Arbuckle, Penelope Bird, Marley Cloward, Emma DiFilippo, Katie Hunter, Maddie Klein, Pfeifer Manuel, Madisyn Morgan, Layla Palacio, Nyla Patterson, Makenna Peterka, Charlotte Sinclair, Joella Snodsmith, Kiera Sternhagen, Josie Stites and Ally Young.
Seventh-grade volleyball teams from M-S have previously competed at state in 2012, 2002 and 1992, but none of those teams earned a state trophy. The other three state teams all suffered losses in the quarterfinal round.
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The Bulldogs’ eighth-grade team started its postseason quest on Saturday (March 4) at home. M-S earned an IESA Class 4A quarterfinal win over seventh-seeded Champaign Franklin, 25-19, 25-15. On Tuesday (March 7), the Bulldogs topped third-seeded Danville North Ridge in the semifinals, 25-9, 25-17.
In the Wednesday (March 8) championship match, the second-seeded Bulldogs are paired with top-seeded Champaign Edison, an opponent M-S lost to in three sets on Monday (Feb. 6). The decisive third set was decided by a 25-23 margin.
The regional champion will play in the Rochester Sectional on Monday (March 13).
The Bulldogs have a 16-10 overall record with three wins in a row.
