By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Top seed Silver Lake posted three straight-set victories Thursday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, earning the Pool I title and advancing to Saturday's semifinals.
Silver Lake volleyball advanced to Saturday's Class 3A semifinals with a perfect 3-0 record in pool play on Thursday. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
The Eagles, now 44-1 and the winner of 35 straight matches, opened their state bid with a 25-20, 25-13 win over No. 8 seed Hesston.
Silver Lake then outlasted No. 5 Ellsworth 25-23, 31-29 before getting tested again in its final match of the day, taking a 27-25, 25 win over No. 4 Wichita Trinity.
The Eagles will get Friday off as Class 4A takes the Sports Arena court before playing a 9 a.m. semifinal Saturday against Pool II runnerup Hoisington, which went 2-1 Thursday and is now 38-5 on the season.
The other semifinal will pit Pool II champion Holton against Pool I runnerup Wichita Trinity. Holton went 3-0 in pool play to improve to 37-9 while Wichita Trinity went 2-1 and is now 30-6.
The championship and third-place matches will follow 25 minutes after the final semifinal is completed.
Rural to open 6A state bid against Olathe West
Eight-time Class 6A state champion Washburn Rural will be making its ninth straight state appearance, earning the No. 4 seed for Friday and Saturday's state event at Tony's Pizza Event Center in Salina with a 30-7 record.
Kevin Bordewick's Junior Blues will open Pool I play in Friday's first match of the day at 10 a.m., facing No. 5 seed Olathe West (26-7).
Brynn Anderson, Washburn Rural [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
After a match break, Washburn Rural will face No. 8 seed Free State (20-12) at 12 p.m. before closing out pool play at 3 p.m. against top seed Mill Valley (31-4).
On the other side of the 6A bracket are No. 2 seed Blue Valley West (30-4), No. 3 Wichita Northwest (30-6), No. 6 Manhattan (27-8) and No. 7 Olathe Northwest (28-9).
The top two finishers in both pools will advance to 1 p.m. semifinals on Saturday, followed by the championship and third-place matches.
Hayden opens 4A pool play against No. 3 McPherson
After finishing third in last year's Class 4A state tournament, Hayden will begin its quest for the state title Friday and Saturday at Hutchinson Sports Arena as the No. 6 seed.
Ella Foster, Hayden [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Corrinne McGreevy's Wildcats, 29-9 on the season, will open Pool II competition at 10 a.m. Friday against No. 3 seed McPherson (34-5).
After a two-match break, Hayden will play back-to-back matches at 1 and 2 p.m., facing No. 2 Clay Center (38-2) and No. 7 Buhler (15-22).
On the other side of the 4A bracket are No. 1 seed Andale (31-1), No. 4 Rock Creek (32-6), No. 5 Paola (26-8) and No. 8 Bishop Miege (9-26).
The top two finishers in both pools will advance to 1 p.m. semifinals on Saturday, followed by the championship and third-place matches.
Bulldawgs looking to make longshot run in 2A
Rossville enters Friday and Saturday's Class 2A state tournament at Dodge City's United Wireless Arena as the No. 8 seed, but the 28-13 Bulldawgs will be counting on the experience gained through a tough regular season schedule to help them mount a strong longshot bid.
Nora Burdiek, Rossville [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Dani Dodge's Rossville team will open Pool I play at 11 a.m. Friday against top seed Ellinwood (42-0) before taking on No. 4 Humboldt (34-9) at 12 p.m. and closing out pool play with a 2 p.m. match against No. 5 Hillsboro (32-9).T
On the other side of the 2A bracket are No. 2 seed Jefferson County North (40-4), No. 3 Oakley (36-4), No. 6 Valley Heights (29-9) and No. 7 Conway Springs (26-12).
The top two finishers in both pools will advance to 1 p.m. semifinals on Saturday, followed by the championship and third-place matches.
