2018 8th Grade Class 2A Regional:  Illini Central dominates Mount Pulaski in regional volleyball championship

[March 07, 2018] 

The Illini Central Cougars were on a mission Tuesday night on their home court in Mason City. A mission that was a year in the making. The Cougars had lost their last game of the season last year to the Mount Pulaski Honeybears and they had not forgotten that feeling. Mount Pulaski defeated Illini Central in three sets to win the 7th Grade Class 2A IESA State Tournament last March. So on Tuesday night the Cougars and their fans were pumped up for this rematch.

As two of the best teams in the state hit the court to face off in a regional championship, the home team may have had a slight advantage due to their heavy-populated fan section. But as soon as the whistle blew, it was anybody's ballgame and both teams fought hard - back and forth, high and low.

Mount Pulaski did take a 5-1 lead in set one with Cassidy Clark getting in a couple good swings early. But the Cougars would tie Mount Pulaski 9-9 quickly.

With the two teams knotted 11-11 Illini Central went on a 5-0 run thanks to a huge kill by Gentri Fangmeier followed by a couple Mount Pulaski hitting errors.

 The Cougars lead was extended to 18-12 on an ace serve by Fangmeier. A number of the girls on that Illini Central squad have a bullet serve that just grazes the net perfectly and then drops on the other side.

Mount Pulaski rallied back with a tip by Clark and after a couple Cougars got crossed up and watched the ball drop, the Honeybears had made a ballgame of things, just trailing 19-17.

Illini Central's Gentri Fangmeier was a force to be reckoned with at the net in the win over Mount Pulaski. Fangmeier led the way with 5 kills and 4 blocks.

The Cougars regrouped and used a 6-0 run to put the match away, 25-17. In that stretch it would be Fangmeier again with an outstanding kill and then teammate Bailey Clark serving the team to victory with serve after serve that just proved too much for the Mount Pulaski defense.

Mount Pulaski's only lead in set two would be 1-0. While the two teams would keep it close early, it was evident Illini Central was in control. The Cougars broke a 4-4 tie and eventually ran the score to a 10-5 lead. As the Cougars led 14-7 it was evident they were just outplaying Mount Pulaski at the net.

Bailey Clark (29) goes up against Cassidy Clark of Mount Pulaski. Bailey Clark's 5 kills and 3 aces helped earn the Cougar victory.

In Mount Pulaski's defense, Cassidy Clark is the only eighth grader in the starting lineup and versus the 1-2 punch of Fangmeier and Clark from Illini Central, she had her hands full. The rest of Mount Pulaski's firepower comes from a very talented seventh grade class, but on this night those Illini Central eighth graders were highly-focused and highly-motivated.

The Cougars built up a 22-9 lead thanks much in part to their stellar defense. When your defense is elevated it makes your offense look effortless. The Cougars were dominating and feeling it with every point.

But Mount Pulaski never just rolls over easily. The Honeybears fought back and found some new life that saw the score go from 24-11 to 24-21.

A 10-0 run by Mount Pulaski came out of nowhere and shocked the Cougars. Needing just one point to win and taking what seemed like forever to get it for Cougar fans, Illini Central finally earned the victory when three Mount Pulaski defenders were simply caught watching the ball hit the floor between them.

The Cougars did it! A win over Mount Pulaski clinches a regional championship and the Cougars can't wait to celebrate!

A final score of 25-21 flashed on the scoreboard as the Cougar players jumped up and down in celebration.

Shortly thereafter the Cougars were presented the plaque for winning the 2018 8th Grade Class 2A Regional 9 Volleyball Championship.

Following photos with the championship plaque, the team took off in a bus for a fire truck escort around Mason City.

Catching up with Illini Central Coach Jim Newell after his trip around town, he said of the game, "This match tonight has been a long time coming. Mount Pulaski took us in the state championship last year and that is what we rallied on all year. They are never a pushover. Donna does wonders with the girls she has and you can never count them out of a match. The first match started with Mount Pulaski getting out to a 5-1 lead and I felt like here we go again. The girls held their own and slowly caught back up and took the lead to win 25-17.

"The second set was a surprise to get out to a 24-11 lead. Mount Pulaski had their best server, Hailee Daigh, up and she did a number on our girls. She served nine straight points to put them back to within three points. That one point was the hardest point to get to close out the game. What a match."

Illini Central improves to 22-2 on the season and they will advance to the Sectional 5 Championship at Raymond Lincolnwood on Monday, March 12, 2018 at 6:30 p.m.

Mount Pulaski ends the season with a 19-5 record.

Illini Central stats:

Gentri Fangmeier 5 K, 6 Assist, 4 blocks 1 ace
Bailey Clark 5 K, 5 assist, 1 block, 3 aces
Alyssa Stewart 1 K, 2 blocks
Isabella McKinney 13 service points 2 aces

Mount Pulaski stats:

Cassidy Clark 5 kills 10 digs
Je'Na Rentmeister 4 kills
Hailee Daigh 9 assists 1 dig 3 aces
Alexis Wade 4 digs
Keyleigh Stewart 3 digs
Kenna Wilham 4 digs
Clarissa Turner 1 dig

[Teena Lowery]