CLASS 3 DISTRICT 7 VOLLEYBALL
Duchesne takes District volleyball crown
Pioneers win eighth consecutive district title
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
Next year when making the 2006 volleyball schedule, St. Charles West may think twice about scheduling Duchesne the week before districts begin. In last week’s Gateway Athletic Conference-North Division action, the Warriors of West went the full 3 games before falling to head coach’s Courtney Blands Pioneers. Tuesday’s event looked nothing like last week’s battle.
Led by junior middle blocker Emily Wandersee (former FCN athlete of the week), the Pioneers attacked quickly and never let up, taking home 25-8 and 25-14 victories. “Playing them last week helped us, no doubt,” said the 5’11” Wanersee, “we were familiar with their style of play and kind of knew, or at least had a pretty good idea of where they were going to hit the ball tonight.”
The title is the eight consecutive district crown for Duchesne, who now advances to sectional-quarterfinal action to be played at Mexico High. Sectional play will pit the district winners from Visitation Academy and Mexico at 3 p.m., with Duchesne taking on the district champ from Trinity Catholic at 4:30 p.m.
“If we can keep our focus and play the way we did today, I definitely think we have a chance of getting back to state,” Bland said, “Today, we were about as steady as we’ve been all season, and that’s what we need. No more of this up and down stuff. We need to really work hard the next three days in practice to stay confident and to stay consistent. We are ready for the next level.”
The winners from Saturday’s sectional-quarterfinal action will play at 6 p.m. for a place in the State finals, held November 4-5 at Central Missouri State in Warrensburg.
