News

MUNCIE BURRIS, MARQUETTE CATHOLIC LOOK TO EXTEND RUN OF TITLES
Twelve of last year’s state finalists, including two defending state champions, have made their way back for the 38th Annual IHSAA Volleyball State Finals in the Muncie area this Saturday.

Muncie Burris (38-0), the 12-time defending Class 2A state champion, along with Marquette Catholic (32-6), the five-time defending winner in Class A, lead the charge into this weekend’s festivities. Both squads will face the team they defeated in last year’s championship match in Saturday’s semifinal round. Burris will face Brownstown Central (29-4) and Marquette will take on Barr-Reeve (36-0), both of which pit the No. 1 team (Burris, Barr-Reeve) vs. No. 2 team (Brownstown, Marquette), in the latest state coaches association poll.

With two victories on Saturday, Burris would finish a perfect 40-0 and become the sixth unbeaten Owls squad and the ninth from that school to finish a season with 40 or more wins. Their current run of 12 straight state titles is the second longest active streak in the state to Carmel’s girls swimming and diving team’s 23 straight crowns. Burris enters the weekend having won 87 consecutive state tournament matches dating back to 1997 while Marquette Catholic has won 39 straight post-season wins dating to 2004.

In addition to Brownstown Central and Barr-Reeve, the other two state runner-up teams from a year ago – Muncie Central (33-4) and Mishawaka Marian (33-5) – also return. Muncie Central takes on Center Grove (33-3) and Marian meets up with 3A No. 1 Yorktown (36-1).

Wes-Del has advanced to the state volleyball finals for the first time since 1976, while Silver Creek, the lone unranked team this weekend, is playing at this level of the tournament for the first time.

Of note, Center Grove coach Deb McClurg was a member of that 1976 Wes-Del team and Yorktown coach Stephanie Bloom is the daughter of Delta boys basketball coach Paul Keller, a state championship coach himself (2002, 3A).

Five of this weekend’s squads are ranked in the latest Fab 50 national poll from ESPN Rise Magazine led by Burris in the second slot. Yorktown is No. 10, Muncie Central is No. 21, Elkhart Memorial (35-2) is No. 23 and Brebeuf Jesuit (32-1) is No. 45.

Four different sites will be used for the morning semifinals which begin at 9 am ET / 8 am CT with the winners at each site converging on Worthen Arena for their respective state championship match. Yorktown High School will host two semifinal matches in Class 4A; Muncie Central will host the 3A matches, Delta the 2A contests and Worthen Arena will be the site for the Class A semifinalists. The Class A state title match begins at 2:30 pm ET, with the 2A, 3A and 4A matches scheduled to begin no earlier than 4:15 pm, 6 pm and 8:10 pm, respectively. The 4A state championship match will be broadcast live to a state-wide audience on the Indiana Cable Network and all four title matches will be webcast globally in live video and audio on www.ihsaasports.org.

Rosters, statistics and season results on all 16 teams are available here: 4A | 3A | 2A |  A

The 38th Annual IHSAA Volleyball State Finals
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2009.
Admission: $8.00 per session; $12.00 both sessions.
General admission tickets will be available for purchase at the participating schools this week. Contact those schools for ticket distribution hours. Tickets also will be available through the IHSAA E-Store this week or from any of the host venues on Saturday.
Parking: Ball State University charges a $5 per vehicle all-day parking fee in the Worthen Arena lots. Any vehicle using more than one parking spot will be charged $10.
Webcast: All four state championship matches will be streamed live on IHSAASports.org beginning at 2:30 pm ET / 1:30 pm CT on Saturday.
Television: The Class 4A championship match will be broadcast live on the Indiana Cable Network beginning at 8:10 pm ET / 7:10 pm CT. Affiliates
Home Team: The second-named team in each pairing will be the designated home team.

Semifinal Matches

Class 4A
Yorktown HS, 1100 S. Tiger Drive, Yorktown, IN
Match 1 – Elkhart Memorial (35-2) vs. Floyd Central (35-3). 9 am ET
Match 2 – Center Grove (33-3) vs. Muncie Central (33-4). Follows Match 1

Class 3A
Muncie Central HS, 801 N. Walnut Street, Muncie, IN
Match 1 – Mishawaka Marian (33-5) vs. Yorktown (36-1). 9 am ET
Match 2 – Brebeuf Jesuit (32-1) vs. Silver Creek (27-11). Follows Match 1

Class 2A
Delta HS, 3400 E. State Road 28, Muncie, IN
Match 1 – Southwood (32-5) vs. Fairfield (31-4). 9 am ET
Match 2 – Muncie Burris (38-0) vs. Brownstown Central (29-4). Follows Match 1

Class A
Worthen Arena, Ball State University. Website
Match 1 – Indianapolis Lutheran (20-16) vs. Wes-Del (27-7). 9 am ET
Match 2 – Marquette Catholic (32-6) vs. Barr-Reeve (36-0). Follows Match 1

State Championship Matches
Worthen Arena, Ball State University, Muncie. Website

Class A
Championship – Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2. 2:30 pm ET
Class 2A
Championship – Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2. 4:15 pm ET
Class 3A
Championship – Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2. 6 pm ET
Class 4A
Championship – Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2. 8:10 pm ET

Media Information

Media Parking: There is no designated parking area for media at any venue. Please be aware that Ball State University does charge a $5 all-day parking fee in the Worthen Arena lots.

State Finals Media Credentials: Deadline is Thursday, Nov. 5, 4 pm ET. The 2009-10 IHSAA State Finals Media Credential issued previously this fall is good for admission. For those outlets without credentials and planning to cover the volleyball state finals, please apply by e-mailing your request (with name of individual applying) to IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille (jwille@ihsaa.org). E-mail requests MUST originate from a recognized business account; e-mails from personal accounts (ie: yahoo.com, aol.com, etc.) will not be accepted. Approved requests will be available for pickup on Saturday at whichever venue the media organization designates. Directions as to where credentials may be claimed are listed below.

Yorktown HS Will-Call (Class 4A): Enter at Door 12 on the south side of the Main Gymnasium of the school.

Muncie Central HS Will-Call (Class 3A): Enter on the west side of Muncie Fieldhouse.

Delta HS Will-Call (Class 2A): Enter the double doors on the school’s east side which face the football stadium. Credentials may be claimed at the ticket office in the foyer.

Worthen Arena Will-Call (Class A and championship round): Enter the arena at Lower Level, Gate 1. Will-call will be at the ticket windows just inside the building.

Media Services: Members of the IHSAA staff and the host school will be on hand at each of the sites to assist in your coverage. Official programs will be available at each site while computer-generated box scores will be issued for the state championship matches only. Interviews may be conducted with coaches and players following their matches though we request your cooperation in holding your interviews for the state championship matches until after the award ceremonies have concluded.

Worthen Arena Media Work Room: Worthen Arena’s Media Work Room is located at Room 203 on the Main Level. Electrical power and phone lines will be available for use. The facility also is equipped for wireless internet access. See Sports Information Director Jason Wille on site for further information about this service. Drinks and snacks also will be served during the day in the work room.

Media Seating: Except where seating is marked for specific media outlets with reserved phone lines, an open seating policy will be used at each venue on Saturday.

Notables

Defending State Champions in the Field (2): Marquette Catholic, Muncie Burris.

Returning State Finalists (12): Barr-Reeve, Brebeuf Jesuit, Brownstown Central, Elkhart Memorial, Fairfield, Floyd Central, Indianapolis Lutheran, Marquette Catholic, Mishawaka Marian, Muncie Burris, Muncie Central, Southwood.

Former State Champions in the Field (7): Brebeuf Jesuit, Center Grove, Marquette Catholic, Mishawaka Marian, Muncie Burris, Muncie Central, Yorktown.

2008 State Runners-Up in the Field (4): Barr-Reeve, Brownstown Central, Mishawaka Marian, Muncie Central.

State Finals Droughts Broken
33: Wes-Del (1976).
9: Center Grove Yorktown (2000).

First Time Participants (1): Silver Creek.

Consecutive State Finals Appearances (Three of more years)
13: Muncie Burris.
11: Marquette Catholic.
8: Brownstown Central.
4: Fairfield, Mishawaka Marian.
3: Brebeuf Jesuit, Elkhart Memorial, Floyd Central.

Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association Poll

Class 4A

1. Elkhart Memorial, 2. Muncie Central, 3. Floyd Central, 4. Center Grove, 5. Penn, 6. LaPorte, 7. Hamilton Southeastern, 8. New Albany, 9. Columbus East, 10. New Castle.

Class 3A

1. Yorktown, 2. Brebeuf Jesuit, 3. Bellmont, 4. Mishawaka Marian, 5. Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, 6. Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, 7. Roncalli, 8. Batesville, 9. New Prarie, 10. Delta.

Class 2A

1. Muncie Burris, 2. Brownstown Central, 3. Wapahani, 4. Northeastern, 5. Southwood, 6. Fairfield, 7. Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, 8. Wabash, 9. Heritage Christian, 10. Park Tudor.

Class A

1. Barr-Reeve, 2. Marquette Catholic, 3. Lafayette Central Catholic, 4. Springs Valley, 5. Wes-Del, 6. Washington Township, 7. Loogootee, 8. Pioneer, 9. Indianapolis Lutheran, 10. Trinity Lutheran.

 

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PLAINVILLE’S JILL WIER NAMED TOP VOLLEYBALL OFFICIAL
Jill Wier of Plainville is the recipient of the 2009 Interscholastic Athletic Official Association Award for excellence in the sport of volleyball. Wier will be honored in a special ceremony at Saturday’s state finals tournament.

Each year, the Indiana High School Athletic Association, in cooperation with the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials Association, recognizes and honors an outstanding official in each of 11 sports during the school year.

During her career, Wier has worked 18 sectionals, 12 regionals, three semi-states and four state finals having served as a line judge, umpire, and referee.

She was selected for this honor by a committee representing the officials associations.  In Indiana there are 26 associations made up of men and women who give up much of their personal time to assist in providing wholesome, worthwhile, and healthy activities for the student athletes in our state.  Statewide, there are more than 8,000 officials licensed by the IHSAA in 11 sports.

A licensed referee for 24 years, Wier has served as an IHSAA rules interpreter as well as an IHSAA clinician. She is a member of the Southwestern Indiana Officials Association, for whom she has also served as a clinician and rules interpreter. Jill has been a volleyball chairman for the past 10 years.

Wier is a 1984 graduate of Indiana State University, where she earned a B.S. in Early Childhood and Business.  She currently is an Office Manager at Daviess Community Hospital. Wier and her husband, Gary, have been married for 24 years. They have one son, Mitch, 19.

 

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FOOTBALL SECTIONAL TITLES AT STAKE THIS FRIDAY
All 40 sectional championship games in the 37th Annual IHSAA Football State Tournament presented by the Indianapolis Colts are scheduled for this Friday night.

 

The winners at each site will advance to a regional championship game the following weekend.  Scores from each game will be posted to the IHSAA website on Friday night along with regional matchups.

Seven of Friday’s games pit a pair of ranked teams against one another according to the final regular season poll from the Indiana Football Coaches Association. Perhaps none bigger will take place than in the Pocket City as third-ranked Jasper (11-0) meets sixth-ranked Evansville Reitz (11-0) in the famed Reitz Bowl. The game will be televised locally by ABC affiliate WEHT 25.

The 5A clash between fifth-ranked Hamilton Southeastern (10-1) at top-ranked Carmel (10-1) will be webcast on IHSAASports.org.

Sectional Championships
Friday, Nov. 6.
7 pm local time or as determined by host school.
$5.00 per person.

Sectional Brackets: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | A
Regional, Semi-State, State Brackets: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | A

Notables

Active Sectional Championship Streaks (Among Teams Still Alive)
8: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
6: Lowell.
3: Carmel, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter Indianapolis Cathedral.

Most Consecutive Sectional Championships: 19 by Hobart, 1979-97.

Top 10 All-Time Sectional Championships
22: Carmel.
19: Hobart, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
18: Ben Davis, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Jimtown, Penn.
17: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Sheridan.
16: Adams Central, Fort Wayne Snider, NorthWood, Roncalli.

Sectional championship games involving two ranked teams (Coaches Association poll)

Class 5A
Sectional 2
4 Penn (10-1) at 7 Mishawaka (10-1).
Sectional 4
5 Hamilton Southeastern (10-1) at 1 Carmel (10-1).

Class 4A
Sectional 16
3 Jasper (11-0) at 6 Evansville Reitz (11-0).

Class 3A
Sectional 21
1 Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (10-1) at 9 Brebeuf Jesuit (10-1).
Sectional 23
10 Indian Creek (11-0) at 5 Heritage Hills (10-1).

Class 2A
Sectional 25
4 Wheeler (11-0) at 5 Rensselaer Central (9-2).

Class A
Sectional 39
10 Rockville (8-3) at 3 Fountain Central (11-0).