By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
When it comes to winning state championships, very few Kansas high school volleyball programs have done it better than the Centralia Panthers over the past 15 years.
Since 1994, Kimbrook Tennal’s powerhouse program has won 10 state titles, including eight in a row from 1997 through 2004. The Panthers have also won Class 1A championships in 1994 and 2006, and finished second four times and third three times.
On Saturday, the Panthers (41-7) were bested at the state tournament level for the second year in a row when St. John won the small school title with a 25-19, 25-15 victory. Last season Centralia fell in the semifinals.
Saturday’s two-set loss to the Tigers was just the second setback for the Panthers in their last 55 state tournament matches.
“You can’t win them all,” Tennal told the Topeka Capital Journal Online. “We got second in state, and you can’t feel too bad about that.”
Mustang Championship Bid Falls Short
Rock Creek took the court in its first state tournament over the weekend and competed very well.
The Mustangs won three pool play matches and a 29-27, 25-19 semifinal match against Jefferson County North to move into the championship game against Garden Plain. The Owls, however, won the title with a 25-21, 27-25 victory.
Washburn Rural Wins Third Straight Title
After losing to Blue Valley West in the Emporia Tournament Oct. 18, Washburn Rural put on a dominating performance in winning its third straight 6A state volleyball championship over the fourth-seeded Jaguars 25-15, 25-20 Saturday.
The second-ranked Junior Blues, who didn’t lose a single game during five state tourney matches, trailed the fourth-seeded Jaguars just once in the championship match.
Washburn Rural used quick starts in each set to subdue the Jaguars in the finals. After falling behind 1-0 in the first game, the Junior Blues ran off six straight points. In the second game, the Junior Blues jumped on top 7-0.
Washburn Rural knocked off top-ranked Goddard 25-16, 25-20 in the semifinals. The Jaguars out-played Wichita Heights 26-24, 25-14 to get into the title match.
2008 State Volleyball Results
Class 6A
Pool 1
Goddard def. Lawrence, 25-16, 25-14
Blue Valley West def. Dodge City, 25-12, 25-15
Goddard def. Dodge City, 25-22, 25-17
Blue Valley West def. Lawrence, 25-22, 25-16
Blue Valley West def. Goddard, 19-25, 26-24, 26-24
Dodge City def. Lawrence, 25-21, 26-24
Pool 2
Wichita Heights def. Shawnee Mission Northwest, 25-15, 25-19
Washburn Rural def. Blue Valley North, 25-21, 25-9
Wichita Heights def. Blue Valley North, 25-16, 25-18
Washburn Rural def. Shawnee Mission Northwest, 25-14, 25-18
Washburn Rural def. Wichita Heights, 25-21, 25-14
Blue Valley North def. Shawnee Mission Northwest, 25-22, 25-22
Semi-finals
Blue Valley West def. Wichita Heights, 26-24, 25-14
Washburn Rural def. Goddard, 25-16, 25-20
Consolation
Goddard def. Wichita Heights, 25-15, 25-13
Championship
Washburn Rural def. Blue Valley West, 25-15, 25-20
Class 5A
Pool 1
Bishop Carroll def. Lansing, 25-19, 25-19
St. Thomas Aquinas def. Valley Center, 25-17, 25-18
Lansing def. Valley Center, 25-21, 13-25, 25-20
St. Thomas Aquinas def. Bishop Carroll, 25-15, 25-12
St. Thomas Aquinas def. Lansing, 22-25, 25-21, 25-15
Valley Center def. Bishop Carroll, 24-26, 25-15, 25-22
Pool 2
Bishop Miege def. Salina South, 25-14, 25-14
Topeka Seaman def. Liberal, 25-14, 25-16
Bishop Miege def. Liberal, 25-18, 25-18
Topeka Seaman def. Salina South, 25-19, 24-26, 25-18
Bishop Miege def. Topeka Seaman, 25-16, 28-30, 25-22
Salina South def. Liberal, 25-17, 19-25, 25-22
Semi-finals
St. Thomas Aquinas def. Topeka Seaman, 25-13, 26-24
Bishop Miege def. Bishop Carroll, 25-17, 25-14
Consolation
Topeka Seaman def. Bishop Carroll, 25-16, 25-15
Championship
Bishop Miege def. St. Thomas Aquinas, 25-17, 25-13
Class 4A
Pool 1
St. James Academy def. Bishop Ward, 25-10, 25-17
Topeka Hayden def. Concordia, 25-15, 25-21
St. James Academy def. Concordia, 25-14, 25-13
Topeka Hayden def. Bishop Ward, 25-12, 25-11
St. James Academy def. Topeka Hayden, 25-21, 23-25, 25-23
Concordia def. Bishop Ward, 25-14, 25-16
Pool 2
Clearwater def. Augusta, 25-11, 25-18
Cheney def. Girard, 25-21, 25-9
Clearwater def. Girard, 25-16, 25-18
Cheney def. Augusta, 25-18, 28-26
Cheney def. Clearwater, 25-18, 25-8
Augusta def. Girard, 25-23, 29-27
Semi-finals
St. James Academy def. Clearwater, 25-8, 25-9
Topeka Hayden def. Cheney, 25-18, 25-7
Consolation
Clearwater def. Cheney, 14-25, 25-16, 25-20
Championship
St. James Academy def. Topeka Hayden, 25-15, 25-12
Class 3A
Pool 1
Hoisington def. Phillipsburg, 14-25, 25-23, 25-20
Jefferson County North def. Osage City, 21-25, 25-15, 27-25
Phillipsburg def. Jefferson County North, 25-20, 25-21
Hoisington def. Osage City, 19-25, 25-20, 25-16
Phillipsburg def. Osage City, 25-18, 25-23
Jefferson County North def. Hoisington, 25-20, 25-18
Pool 2
Garden Plain def. Hillsboro, 25-13, 25-17
Rock Creek def. Frontenac, 25-16, 25-13
Garden Plain def. Frontenac, 25-14, 25-17
Rock Creek def. Hillsboro, 25-27, 25-13, 25-19
Rock Creek def. Garden Plain, 25-17, 22-25, 29-27
Hillsboro def. Frontenac, 25-18, 25-22
Semi-finals
Garden Plain def. Phillipsburg, 25-23, 25-17
Rock Creek def. Jefferson County North, 29-27, 25-19
Consolation
Phillipsburg def. Jefferson County North, 25-19, 25-16
Championship
Garden Plain def. Rock Creek, 25-21, 27-25
Class 2A
Pool 1
Valley Heights def. Berean Academy, 25-19, 25-17
Sublette def. Pittsburg-Colgan, 25-23, 24-26, 25-23
Valley Heights def. Pittsburg-Colgan, 28-26, 25-22
Sublette def. Berean Academy, 25-14, 25-23
Valley Heights def. Sublette, 25-13, 25-22
Pittsburg-Colgan def. Berean Academy, 25-23, 25-17
Pool 2
Moundridge def. Nemaha Valley, 25-8, 25-15
St. Mary’s def. Decatur Community, 25-11, 25-20
Moundridge def. Decatur Community, 25-16, 25-14
St. Mary’s def. Nemaha Valley, 25-10, 25-19
Moundridge def. St. Mary’s, 25-19, 23-25, 25-21
Decatur Community def. Nemaha Valley, 24-26, 25-22, 25-23
Semi-finals
St. Mary’s def. Valley Heights, 25-23, 14-25, 25-22
Moundridge def. Sublette, 25-16, 25-11
Consolation
Valley Heights def. Sublette, 25-21, 25-17
Championship
St. Mary’s def. Moundridge, 25-15, 25-15
Class 1A
Pool 1
Weskan def. Hoxie, 25-14, 25-21
Centralia def. Hutchinson Central Christian, 25-12, 25-19
Centralia def. Weskan, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20
Hutchinson Central Christian def. Hoxie, 25-17, 25-13
Hutchinson Central Christian def. Weskan, 25-19, 25-27, 25-23
Centralia def. Hoxie, 25-17, 25-13
Pool 2
St. John-Hudson def. Frankfort, 25-22, 25-21
Skyline def. Goessel, 25-18, 14-25, 25-13
St. John-Hudson def. Goessel, 25-19, 25-11
Skyline def. Frankfort, 25-13, 25-21
St. John-Hudson def. Skyline, 25-9, 25-15
Frankfort def. Goessel, 25-20, 25-13
Semi-finals
Centralia def. Skyline, 23-25, 25-18, 25-17
St. John-Hudson def. Hutchinson Central Christian, 25-18, 25-15
Consolation
Hutchinson Central Christian def. Skyline, 21-25, 25-22, 25-15
Championship
St. John-Hudson def. Centralia, 25-19, 25-15
