Weekly Review: State Tournament Recap

#3 posting 11.10.2008
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WEEKLY REVIEW #13: State Tournament Recap
I have decompressed and digested the three days of volleyball action at the Xcel Center.

ATMOSPHERE
PARKING: too high as always. $12 seems $6 too high.

FOOD: Speaking of high $7 for a pizza in a box is also too high. They did add another pepperoni to the solo pepperoni from last year. I never even attempted to purchase beverages which were obscenely high. The hot dogs were $3.50. Nothing screamed value.

BEST SEATS: I don't understand why the end zone seats aren't used more often. They offer the best views. Press row had a big old ref stand in the way blocking 1/5 of the court. Thursday I sat along press row, but soon moved out on Friday.

BEST BAND: Ada-Borup takes the band to a different place. When the band director starts belting out a rap on Ada you know it is not your mother's band anymore.

BEST CHANT RESPONSE: From Andover to Shakopee's "Why so quiet"... "because were losing"

NO PHOTOS: You didn't see any of the photos I took because the MSHSL controls the images of the state tournaments. You can see the photos from August to the section finals at kevinanderson.photostockplus.com.

GAMES & PLAYERS
all are on the matches I saw.
BEST SET: 1st set of the A championship between Windom vs Bethlehem Academy.

BEST FINAL: Shakopee vs Eastview

BEST COMEBACK: Windom vs BA in the first set of the A championship.

WHAT WAS HE WATCHING?: The no call in the Eastview vs STMA third set when Eastview blocked the ball and the refs didn't see it resulting in a four contact call.

EVEN/ODD JINX: BA----They have won state titles in the odd years of 2003, 05, and 07. They have finished 2nd in the even years of 2004, 06 and now 08. Next year pencil BA in as champs if the Even/Odd pattern holds.

NON SEED ADVANCING: Andover toppled #4 Wayzata in the AAA quarters with a five set win.

BEST OUT OF SYSTEM: Ada-Borup pushed BA to five in the semis with scrappy play and getting points on kills out of system.

BEST SERVING: Windom racked up 38 aces in 12 sets---an average of 3.17 per set. Marshall had 2.7.

BEST HITTING: Shakopee's lowest total was .248. The Sabers were north of .300 in the other two contests.

BEST ONE-TWO PUNCH: Jordan's CD connection---Brittany Chambers and Leah Dietel.

BEST SISTERHOOD: Ysker Sisters of Windom

BEST REVENGE: Windom over BA in the A Championship. In the other two rematches from last year Marshall and Shakopee won in three.

BEST SHORTS: Windom's coaching staff. Snow was falling on Saturday, but they maintained the shorts.

TEAM OF THE WEEK:
You might get tired of seeing it but it has to be Shakopee. The Sabers were 9-1 for the week in sets. Windom was 9-3 as was Jordan. The Sabers have been number one most of the season at AAA and for good reason. They do their jobs. Contrary to popular belief they are not a one person team. The final three earned points vs Eastview came from players other than Ashley Wittman. In fact of the last 11 points only one came off a Wittman kill. In order for Wittman to get her swing going their needs to be a pass. Mollie Geske, Libero and the other Sabers deliver. The setters need to get their jobs done. After that the players cover. Here is the scary thought for the rest of AAA---The Sabers start no seniors. They have a chance for the first "Three-peat" in the three class system. (Central Christian won one title in the two class and then two more in the new three class in A--1998-99-2000). It would be the first "three-peat" in the 25 point era. This is Shakopee's second honor this year. They won in week 1.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
This again is no mystery--Ashley Wittman. She brought the Thunder to the Lightning on Saturday and has been bringing the Thunder all season to everyone. Wittman had 77 kills for the week and hit .449. It would be a mistake to think Wittman's skills are exclusively on the offensive end. She also led her team in digs with 18 vs Rochester Mayo and 28 vs Eastview. Wittman is aware of what is happening. This is Wittman's fourth honor this year. She won in week 1, 4, and 12.

FIRST TEAM
Ashley Wittman, Shakopee, OH
Brittany Chambers, Jordan, OH
Lauren Grant, Eastview, MH
Leah Dietel, Jordan, MH
Megan Ysker, Windom, S
Katherine Harms, St. Michael-Albertville, RH
Mollie Geske, Shakopee, L

SECOND TEAM
Anna Zyvoloski, St. Cloud Cathedral OH
Rachel Westby, Marshall, OH
Holly Hafemeyer, Bethlehem Academy MH
Katie Lange, Hibbing, MH
Anna Olson, Eastview, S
Catherine Yager, St. Michael-Albertville, S
Kaiti Wachter, Eastview L

THIRD TEAM
Kari Ann Nass, Bethlehem Academy, OH
Jaime Rainey, Stewartville, OH
Heidi Lensing, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa MH
Tia Gaffen, Wayzata, OH
Kayla Wallerich, Marshall, S
Kayla Koenecke, Delano, S
Shay Birath, Marshall, L

photos: Team--Shakopee after the final point vs Eastview. Wittman in the Eastview match. photos by kja.

Next up: tomorrow morning