Sports NewsPast Week Mayfield's MutteringsSchedules,

Announcements,  CalendarSports News Elsewhere  (fresh daily from the Web)

Thursday, Oct. 30

Round 1: Panthers tamed     Send a link to a friend

Lady Railers head to regional finals

By Rick L. Hobler

[OCT. 30, 2003]  From what I already knew, I hoped I was in for a good "boring" evening.

I only got half of what I hoped for.

As I meandered toward Mount Zion last night, I knew two things for sure. The Lincoln Lady Railers volleyball team had a record of 25-6. The Decatur Eisenhower Panthers had a record of 6-24.

After a crazy day at my "day job," I hoped for a "boring" match where the Railers dominated throughout and won easily. As I said, I only got half of what I hoped for.

The Panthers from Decatur Eisenhower had other hopes. Like upsetting the highly seeded Lady Railers and moving on to the regional final on Saturday. In game one of last night's match, they almost had their hopes come true. Almost.

Early on in game one it was apparent that the majority of the Railer team was in Mount Zion in body only. Was it because it was a Wednesday night and the Railers never play on Wednesday night, or was it that the Railers forgot that this is the postseason, where prior records seldom matter? Whatever the reason, Eisenhower showed up to play from the beginning, and the Railers showed up about 20 points later.

As game one began I was tempted to go out and measure the Mount Zion court out of fear that somehow the lines had been shrunk. As I watched Railer serves and kills go long at least a half-a-dozen times, I knew it had to be the court. Unfortunately it wasn't. The Railers never led game one until they led 23-22. At 20-22 in favor of Eisenhower, I made a space on my score sheet for a three-game match, at the same time Lincoln's coach Howe called timeout. I'm not sure what words of motivation and wisdom the coach imparted during that short minute of rest, but when the Railers returned to the floor, they were now wide-awake. A Samantha Conrady kill (five total for the match) immediately followed by a Samantha Conrady serve and a Michelle McFadden kill (six total for the match) knotted the score at 22-22. Then another Conrady serve followed by a Conrady dig off the floor on the return led to a Megan Hoffert kill, and the Railers led 23-22. Timeout Decatur to freeze the Railer senior. It worked, as "Sam" served into the net to bring the score to 23-23. Michelle McFadden then stepped up to drive home the next point, and then an unreturnable Maria Benitez serve gave the Railers the two remaining points they needed to secure game one, 25-23.

[to top of second column in this article]

The Railers did give me what I hoped for in game two -- a nice easy win. Unlike game one, the Railers never trailed in game two. Three almost successive aces by Michelle McFadden (eight service points for the match) and two more aces by Maria Benitez (five total service points for the match) were just the beginning of the end for the Eisenhower Panthers. Numerous unforced errors by Decatur and adequate team play by the Lady Railers filled in the rest of the story line. Game two was quickly in the books at 25-13 with the Railers hardly breaking a sweat. That may sound boring, but boring is good some nights.

I know one thing further: There won't be any more "boring" from here on out.

In the other regional semifinal match, LCHS rival Bloomington High School had a similar problem with a Mount Zion team which, on paper, they should have beaten easily. "Easily" for Bloomington meant a three-game match with scores of 21-25, 25-15 and 25-21. I don't imagine that is what they expected either. Similar "spooky" stories were told around the state of Illinois in first-round games where the favorites were beaten or almost beaten.

Bloomington escapes to play Lincoln in Saturday night's regional championship match at Mount Zion. Unlike yesterday, the Lady Railers will have to play on Saturday like there is no tomorrow. Which, of course there isn't, unless they win.

Here's what I'll hope for the Railers on Saturday -- a game like none before it this year, the Railers playing with some of their own self-induced emotion and passion, a regional championship for the Lady Railers, and the chance to play again next Tuesday (maybe against your friends from Champaign Centennial).

One point at a time, one game and one match at a time.

GO, RAILERS!!

[Rick L. Hobler]

Respond to the writer at rhobler@lccs.edu.

Sports articles from the past week

Wednesday:

Tuesday:

Monday:

Saturday:

Friday:

Thursday:

< Back

Back to top


 

News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching & Learning | Home and Family | Tourism | Obituaries

Community | Perspectives | Law & Courts | Leisure Time | Spiritual Life | Health & Fitness | Teen Scene
Calendar | Letters to the Editor