High School Volleyball
Stags finish in second place in 2024 Crusader Classic

 

[September 02, 2024] 

The Hartsburg-Emden Stags are off to an impressive start to the 2024 season, no surprise since the team finished runner-up in the IHSA Class 1A State Tournament last November and they have some key players returning from that team.

Alayna Briggs (left) and Celia Cross

Notable returnees are Alayna Briggs and Celia Cross, who were named to the 2024 Crusader Classic All-Tournament team. Briggs was also named the tournament MVP.

Briggs and Cross led the way over the weekend as the team came home with a second place finish in the 2024 Crusader Classic hosted by Springfield Lutheran High School.

The tournament was held at Chatham Glenwood, the same place where the Stags earned a second place finish in the tournament a year ago. Once again the Stags, with an enrollment of 52 students, knocked off some larger opponents, notably a very talented Glenwood team with a school enrollment of 1,491 students.

Quick wrap-up

The Stags defeated PORTA on Friday night at the tournament.

Hartem then took down Jacksonville Routt Catholic, Chatham Glenwood and Springfield High School on Saturday to advance to the championship match with LaSalle-Peru.

LaSalle-Peru, with an enrollment of 1,222, defeated the Stags in three sets for the championship.

Friday

On Friday evening Hartem defeated PORTA 25-12 and 25-12. Alayna Briggs led the Stags with 10 kills. Celia Cross had 25 assists.

Saturday

The Stags started off strong early Saturday morning with a win over Routt Catholic in two sets, 25-12 and 25-10 the scores. Alayna Briggs had 9 kills. Celia Cross had 24 assists.

The Stags next victory was a three-set win over Chatham Glenwood, 25-10, 15-25 and 15-11 the scores. Alayna Briggs had 7 kills. Celia Cross had 21 assists.

On Saturday afternoon the Stags took down Springfield High in three sets. The Senators have an enrollment of 1,438 and they fell to the Stags 27-25, 19-25 and 15-6. Alayna Briggs was on fire with 19 kills. Celia Cross had 33 assists.

The Stags made sure fans got their money’s worth by the end of the day, taking LaSalle-Peru to three sets in the championship. Those scores were 20-25, 25-21 and a heartbreaking 23-25 loss in the third set.

Alayna Briggs was dominant in the championship match with 14 kills.

Celia Cross was hustling with 35 assists.

Campbelle Hopkins led the team with 12 points.

Kylie Starcevic had 6 digs.

Emma Eaten had 3 blocks.

Coach Jennifer Hayes has a team with plenty of experience and a lot of potential for yet another deep postseason run and she is quite pleased with the team’s 5-1 start.

“The Stags are off to a great start,” said Hayes. “We lost a few from last year, gained a few and returned a lot! The players have put a lot of extra time in during the off season. I’m beyond excited to see what this season brings. Go Stags!”

Stags leaders versus PORTA

Alayna Briggs 10 kills
Celia Cross 25 assists
Sadie Williams 8 points
Emma Eeten and Addi Briggs 1 block
Sadie Williams and Alayna Briggs 4 digs

Stags leaders versus Routt Catholic

Alayna Briggs 9 kills
Alayna Briggs 6 digs
Kylie Starcevic 12 points
Celia Cross 24 assists
Addi Briggs 2 blocks

Stags leaders versus Chatham Glenwood

Alayna Briggs 7 kills
Campbelle Hopkins 12 points
Celia Cross 21 assists
Emma Eeten 3 blocks
Alayna Briggs 9 digs

Stags leaders versus Springfield High School

Alayna Briggs 19 kills
Sadie Williams 6 digs
Celia Cross 33 assists
Alayna Briggs 10 points
Alayna Briggs 6 digs
Ellie Klokkenga 2 blocks

Stags leaders versus LaSalle-Peru

Campbelle Hopkins 12 points
Alayna Briggs 14 kills
Emma Eeten 3 blocks
Celia Cross 35 assists
Kylie Starcevic 6 digs

[Teena Lowery]