Stags impressive in Morgan Lee
Buerkett Memorial Tournament; capture second place
Cross and Briggs make all-tournament team and Cross
eclipses 3,000 career assists
[October 20, 2025]
Hartsburg-Emden showed up and showed out in the Morgan Lee
Buerkett Memorial Tournament hosted by St. Thomas More on Saturday
in Champaign.
The Stags went 4-1 on the day, making it to the championship match
versus Cissna Park.
Cissna Park has turned out some pretty phenomenal volleyball teams
lately and they’ve come up against the little powerhouse that is
Hartsburg-Emden volleyball in recent years at the IHSA Class 1A
State Volleyball Tournament. The Stags beat Cissna Park in the
semifinals in 2023 but lost to them in the third place game at State
last season.
When the two teams met on Saturday night for the championship, it
was the no.1 state-ranked Stags versus the no. 2 state-ranked Lady
Timberwolves.
The Stags would suffer their only loss of the tournament to Cissna
Park in three intense sets: 26-28, 25-18 and 26-28.
Coach Jennifer Hayes is hopeful and already looking towards a
rematch at the State semifinals in November, but nonetheless she
said it was a phenomenal day of volleyball as her team finished
second overall on Saturday.
“What a day!” said Hayes. “The best volleyball we’ve played so far.
We knew when we added this tournament, we would see most of the
ranked teams in the state. It did not disappoint. As a whole, I
could not have asked any more from my team. They gave 100 percent
effort all day. Five matches in one day is a lot and we showed up
each and every time. Did we play perfectly every play? No. Do we
have things to clean up? Yes. Did my Stags leave everything out on
the court in their 26-28, 25-15 and 26-28 championship match? They
sure did!”
The Stags started the tournament early Saturday morning with a 25-14
and 25-16 win over Mount Pulaski.
They followed that up with a mid-morning victory over Monticello,
25-12 and 25-16.
By early afternoon the Stags were taking the win over LeRoy 25-10
and 25-20.
A 3-0 record sent the Stags to the gold bracket with the four top
teams in the tournament.
Their first opponent in the gold bracket was Galena, the no. 4
ranked team in the state. The Stags handed Galena a two-set loss,
25-19 and 25-11.
In the match with Galena, Stags senior Celia Cross crossed over the
3,000 mark for career assists.
Celia Cross and Alayna Briggs were each named to the all-tournament
team.
Cross tallied 115 assists in the tournament on Saturday.
When the tournament ended, Cross was left sitting on 3,043 assists
and counting. What an incredible accomplishment!
Briggs had 42 kills and 35 digs in the tournament.
Cambelle Hopkins and Ellie Klokkenga did not make the all-tournament
team but they certainly had a terrific tournament. Hopkins turned in
a fantastic performance with 40 kills and Klokkenga was more than
holding her own on the court with 26 kills.
This Stags team is dangerous. Look out for the postseason!
The Stags now have a 28-5 record and they look to add another win
tonight at Greenview and a Tomahawk Conference championship, if all
goes well.
The Stags will play in Greenview at 6:00 p.m. for the JV Pink Out
game and at 7:00 p.m. in the Pink Out Varsity game.
Stats vs. Mount Pulaski
Points
Ava Eeten 13
Allie Grelck 6
Ellie Klokkenga 5
Alayna Briggs 5
Cambelle Hopkins 4
Celia Cross 4
Kills
Cambelle Hopkins 6
Ellie Klokkenga 5
Alayna Briggs 5
Emma Eeten 4
Celia Cross 2
Lydia Doolin 1
Blocks
Celia Cross 2.5
Emma Eeten 1.5
Alayna Briggs 1
Assists
Celia Cross 19
Digs
Alayna Briggs 8
Cambelle Hopkins 8
Ellie Klokkenga 5
Allie Grelck 5
Ava Eeten 5
Celia Cross 1
[to top of second column] |
Celia Cross and Alayna Briggs made the All-Tournament team at the
Morgan Lee Buerkett Memorial Tournament. Photo courtesy of Jennifer
Hayes
Stats vs. Monticello
Points
Cambelle Hopkins 10
Ava Eeten 8
Allie Grelck 6
Ellie Klokkenga 6
Celia Cross 3
Alayna Briggs 3
Kills
Alayna Briggs 9
Cambelle Hopkins 7
Ellie Klokkenga 4
Celia Cross 4
Emma Eeten 3
Lydia Doolin 2
Blocks
Celia Cross 1.5
Lydia Doolin .5
Assists
Celia Cross 22
Digs
Cambelle Hopkins 8
Allie Grelck 7
Alayna Briggs 5
Ava Eeten 4
Celia Cross 4
Ellie Klokkenga 3
Stats vs. Leroy
Points
Ellie Klokkenga 14
Celia Cross 6
Cambelle Hopkins 6
Alayna Briggs 3
Allie Grelck 3
Ava Eeten 1
Kills
Cambelle Hopkins 9
Alayna Briggs 5
Ellie Klokkenga 3
Celia Cross 3
Emma Eeten 2
Lydia Doolin 2
Blocks
Celia Cross 2
Assists
Celia Cross 17
Digs
Cambelle Hopkins 6
Alayna Briggs 5
Allie Grelck 4
Ava Eeten 4
Ellie Klokkenga 3
Stats vs. Galena
Points
Allie Grelck 10
Cambelle Hopkins 7
Ellie Klokkenga 6
Alayna Briggs 4
Ava Eeten 4
Celia Cross 3
Kills
Alayna Briggs 13
Ellie Klokkenga 7
Cambelle Hopkins 4
Emma Eeten 3
Lydia Doolin 3
Celia Cross 1
Blocks
Alayna Briggs 3
Emma Eeten 1
Lydia Doolin 1
Assists
Celia Cross 22
Digs
Alayna Briggs 5
Cambelle Hopkins 4
Celia Cross 2
Ellie Klokkenga 2
Allie Grelck 1
Ava Eeten 1
Stats vs. Cissna Park
Points
Alayna Briggs 17
Ava Eeten 13
Ellie Klokkenga 10
Cambelle Hopkins 6
Allie Grelck 5
Celia Cross 4
Kills
Cambelle Hopkins 14
Alayna Briggs 10
Emma Eeten 9
Ellie Klokkenga 7
Lydia Doolin 4
Celia Cross 2
Blocks
Alayna Briggs 2
Emma Eeten 1
Cambelle Hopkins 1
Lydia Doolin 1
Celia Cross 1
Assists
Celia Cross 35
Digs
Alayna Briggs 12
Cambelle Hopkins 10
Allie Grelck 6
Ellie Klokkenga 5
Celia Cross 4
Ava Eeten 4
[Teena Lowery] |
