2A State Final Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We made it! Worthen Arena, on the campus of Ball State University, is opening its doors for a full day of state championship matches this Saturday. The 2A final, the only match on Saturday NOT hosting a repeat attendee, should start at around 1:30pm. As always, we will preview each team's records, what got them here, the players that made a difference in the semi-state, the x-factors to bring home the big trophy and each team's rating (according to IndianaPrepVolleyball.com). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#6 Brownstown Central (24-13)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Don't let their record fool you. The Braves consistently play one of the toughest schedules in the state, regardless of class. Since no part of the postseason is seeded by the IHSAA, a tough schedule is a great training tool to prepare for a deep playoff run. As it turns out, this mixed group of youth and experience made it here through balance. Returning Second Team All-State honoree <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='750544' first='Sophie' last='Wischmeier'] </strong>led the Braves last week in a five set thriller over Scecina. Her double-double of 18 kills and 25 digs, to go along with some primary passing, should change that honor from last season into a First Team All-State selection this fall. She's got a great supporting cast as well. Fellow pin attacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='160069' first='Addison' last='Darlage'] </strong>added 10 kills to the fray, while senior middle <strong>Kera Wischmeier </strong>added 11 kills and 5 blocks. All three of those attackers are going to be needed on both offense and defense, as Burris has yet to drop a set this postseason. Speaking of defense, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='238122' first='Jaydynn' last='Yeadon']</strong> has the libero jersey locked down for the next year or two, and her 32 digs in five sets this past Saturday proved it. Their 6-2 offense is in good hands, run efficiently by sophomore <strong>Finley Wheeler</strong> and senior <strong>Kaitlyn Williams.</strong> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#1 Muncie Burris (30-4)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The lone representative from Delaware County will treat the state finals like any other team from Muncie---this should be a loud and boisterous home crowd for the Owls. As stated above, Burris has yet to drop a set in the postseason, further solidifying their #1 status for the majority of the season. Junior middle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='155089' first='Lilly' last='Howell'] ('25, 6-2 MB)</strong> was a Second Team All-State honoree from last fall, and is a commanding presence at the net on both offense and defense. She's even scoring points from behind the baseline, as she accounted for six of her team's FIFTEEN aces in their semi state sweep over Pioneer. The surprising point scorer for the Owls last Saturday was diminutive outside <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='386146' first='Aubrey' last='Miller'] ('24, 5-6 OH),</strong> who finished with match highs of 18 kills, 18 digs and a .485 hitting percentage. Quite impressive for a primary passing outside that plays much bigger than her frame. Libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='371990' first='Layla' last='Gonzales'] ('24, 5-4 DS/L, Southern Indiana commit)</strong> added 20 digs in her three sets in the semi state, which kept setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='386141' first='Avery' last='Seale'] ('24, 5-8 S)</strong> quite happy. Muncie teams pride themselves on the serve-and-pass game while minimizing errors. This Burris team emulates those qualities and should bring home the big trophy by dinner time on Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">PREDICTION: Burris over Brownstown Central in three.</h2> <!-- /wp:heading -->