Class 2 State Championship Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinal 1:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>St. Vincent Indians 22-8-5</strong> vs. Bishop LeBlond Golden Eagles 31-3-1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>How they got here:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Vincent swept past Portageville before battling with Jefferson, winning the reverse sweep 15-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-17, and 15-11.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bishop LeBlond swept St Paul Lutheran before taking out Adrian 26-24, 23-25, 25-12, and 25-22.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Meeting:</strong> No</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Common Opponents:</strong> None</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Players:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>St. Vincent</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='225325' first='Kate' last='Rubel'] – 2026 – 6'0" – Outside</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>336 kills, 212 digs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='225326' first='Brie' last='Rubel'] – 2026 – 5'9" – Libero</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>444 digs, 276 assists</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brigid Sauer – 2025 – 5'11" – Middle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>175 kills, 80 blocks</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bishop LeBlond</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='232218' first='Rilyn' last='Conard'] – 2026 – 5'9" – Outside</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>386 kills, 427 digs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='735227' first='Katie' last='Sego'] – 2026 – 5'11" – Middle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>180 kills, 70 blocks</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ella Frazee – 2026 – 5'7" – Outside</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>270 kills, 326 digs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Vincent has a ton of height and will be hard to stop for Leblond. They start mostly 2027 players and will be strong next year as well. They have eight losses, but only to some they should have beaten. The Indians have a pretty experienced team and should give LeBlond a fight. St. Vincent revenged one of their losses in the quarterfinal by knocking off Jefferson. They are a better team with [player_tooltip player_id='225326' first='Brie' last='Rubel'] as libero.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bishop LeBlond is familiar with the pressure, as they lost a heartbreaker in the semifinal last season to Hermann. They are looking to get to the championship match this season and will need big games from someone other than [player_tooltip player_id='232218' first='Rilyn' last='Conard']. Will the two 2028 players for the Eagles rise to the occasion? Middle hitter [player_tooltip player_id='730103' first='Maya' last='Acosta'] has developed into a solid 2^nd middle, and [player_tooltip player_id='729553' first='Emily' last='Conz'] hits the opposite and is the backup setter. LeBlond is only losing one senior and no one who plays regularly, so their return next year is a strong possibility.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This could be another 5 set affair for St. Vincent and bring back bad memories from last year's semifinal loss to Hermann for LeBlond.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinal 2:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hermann Bearcats 19-15 vs. <strong>Fair Grove Eagles 39-0</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>How they got here: </strong>Hermann swept its two opponents, Duchesne and Licking. Fair Grove knocked Diamond out and then got a first-set loss to Miller before waking up and steamrolling them for a 3-1 win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Meeting</strong>: No</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Common Opponents</strong>: Licking</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams swept the Wildcats of Licking.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Players:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hermann</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='493045' first='Sydney' last='Schulte'] – 2025 – 5'8" – Outside</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>316 kills</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='702778' first='Ashlyn' last='Hughes'] – 2026 – 5'10" – Middle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>249 kills, 70</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='493022' first='Kennedie' last='Witthaus'] – 2025 – 5'5” – Libero</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>431 digs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br><strong>Fair Grove:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='349621' first='Brooke' last='Daniels'] – 2025 – 5'6" – Setter</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>150 kills, 494 digs, 1111 assists</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='493046' first='Shea' last='Skouby'] – 2025 – 5'11" – Middle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>365 kills, 60 blocks</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='737648' first='Ashton' last='Bell'] – 2025 – 5'8" – Outside</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>172 kills, 338 digs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction</strong>: No other team in Class 2 plays the level of competition that Hermann does. When they played in the state championship match last year, it was a five-set slugfest, and this one will be no different. Back is [player_tooltip player_id='702778' first='Ashlyn' last='Hughes'], who played big-time in the title match along with [player_tooltip player_id='493022' first='Kennedie' last='Witthaus']. Hermann is prepared for this kind of matchup and will be the underdog.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fair Grove is the defending state champions and came in undefeated, having no significant issues except for the match with Willard. This season, Willard was the only team to push Fair Grove to five sets. [player_tooltip player_id='349621' first='Brooke' last='Daniels'] is one heck of an athlete. Last year, she split her time between setting and hitting. She is the only setter this year and has done nothing but get her team back to the final four. Fair Grove is the favorite to move to the final, but remember, Hermann has ruled Class 2 since 1985.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This one will be the best match from the two semifinals as this will pit the two teams that played in the final last year. This season, FG comes in confident that they can beat anyone. Hermann comes in knowing they are in a spot they've been in a lot. Fair Grove will slip past Hermann again in 4 to keep their season alive and for a repeat title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->