By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
FAUCETT - The Bishop LeBlond volleyball team used a dominant effort and claimed their second Class 2 District 16 title in the last three years, defeating the defending district champion East Buchanan Bulldogs, 3-0 Monday at Mid-Buchanan High School.
LeBlond head coach Kim Huss says it feels great to win another district title after her team put in lots of hard work during the offseason.
"They have their mind set on some goals, this is the first one of those, and so I think that they're just working towards that achievement, and I hope we can keep the momentum going," Huss told reporters following the game.
Leblond went back-and-forth with the Bulldogs through set one, but eventually forced a timeout from East Buchanan, leading the set 14-10.
After the timeout, the Golden Eagles extended their lead, briefly allowing the Bulldogs to tie the set up at 21, before LeBlond scored the final four points, taking set one 25-22.
LeBlond took the second set in dominating fashion, outscoring East Buchanan 22-7 after the Bulldogs took an early 5-3 lead. The Golden Eagles claimed set two, 25-12.
Again, the Bulldogs fought hard in the third set, but LeBlond took a 10-4 lead to start the third.
East Buchanan rallied hard, but were held off by the Golden Eagles 25-22, ending the match in straight sets. LeBlond players and fans then poured onto the court to celebrate.
LeBlond senior Kyla Conard says she's happy to be a part of another district championship team after the Eagles won one her sophomore year.
"After everything that we went through last year with that tough loss in the second round, I'm just really happy that we were able to put it together this year, it was just amazing," Conard said.
Last season, despite being the No. 1 seed, Bishop Leblond fell to West Platte in district semifinals. Conard says coming off that loss, the message from the coaches was to remember that feeling.
"And I feel like we remembered that today and we didn't want to feel it again, so we wanted to come out and win," she remarked.
LeBlond has a veteran core of players, led by seven seniors. Huss says this group of seniors is a special one.
"There's not a lot that we have to talk to them that they don't already know that they are aware of in practice that needs to be improved," Huss pointed out.
"And what's really cool about this group is that they've already achieved success in other sports besides volleyball, final four in basketball, final four in soccer, there's a lot of kids that have already been to multiple final fours."
Bishop LeBlond will now play Carrollton on Thursday in state sectionals at 6:30 p.m. The Golden Eagles are currently 30-4 on the season.
