Columbus Christian has had one of its best volleyball seasons in the school’s history, and the Crusaders would like to finish it with an ICSAA state championship.
At around 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Faith Christian Community Center in Lafayette, Columbus Christian will play Horizon Christian in the semifinals. Clinton Christian will play in the first semifinal at 10 a.m. against the winner of tonight’s Northwest Regional final. The title match will be at 3 p.m. Saturday.
The Crusaders beat Horizon Christian in straight sets earlier this season.
“I love that that’s the matchup for the first match,” Columbus Christian coach Sarah Stair said. “I am confident that we will go there and fight hard. I’m confident that if our girls play well and play together and play to glorify the Lord, they can win.”
The Crusaders (25-2-1) have been led all season by sophomores Mayah Schundelmier (274 kills and 34 blocks), Hannah Stair (541 assists and 142 aces) and Madison Henderson (224 digs and 99 aces).
But Columbus Christian may have been dealt a major blow when junior middle hitter Lauren Hunnicutt went out with an injured foot in Saturday’s South Regional. Hunnicutt leads the Crusaders with 35 blocks and is second on the team with 150 kills.
Columbus Christian, which is on fall break this week, took Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off and will return to practice today.
“If Lauren can’t come back for Saturday, Thursday and Friday practice will allow us to move some people around and find out what works best,” Sarah Stair said.
Teams seek sectional titles
Bartholomew County’s other three volleyball teams will be shooting for sectional titles this weekend.
Columbus East (10-20) opens Class 4A Bloomington South Sectional play at 6 p.m. today against East Central (30-2). The winner will meet Columbus North (9-17) in the semifinals at 11 a.m. Saturday. Whoever emerges from that match likely will meet the host and defending sectional champion Panthers (19-9) in Saturday’s 7 p.m. championship match.
Meanwhile, Hauser is seeking its ninth consecutive sectional title at home this weekend. The Jets (17-14), last year’s Class A state runner-up, open at around 7:30 p.m. today against Jac-Cen-Del (2-21). A win would put them in Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. semifinal, likely against a Southwestern (Shelby) team (19-12) that has taken them to the brink twice this season.
Hauser, which went unbeaten in the Mid-Hoosier Conference on the court this season, ended up having to share its MHC title with Southwestern after the Jets had to forfeit their win against Waldron for using an ineligible player. Hauser also had to forfeit its win against Oldenburg Academy.
Runners ready for regional
Columbus North’s boys and girls cross-country teams took their first steps toward returning to the state finals when they ran to sectional titles at Brown County.
Saturday morning, the 11th-ranked Bull Dog boys and 16th-ranked North girls will look to defend their regional championships, also at Brown County. The Bull Dogs will be the lone ranked squads in the 10-team fields.
The girls meet also will include Columbus East and Jennings County, which won the Southwestern (Hanover) Sectional. Three individuals from Brown County and one each from Hauser and Trinity Lutheran also will compete.
Jennings, which won the Southwestern Sectional, figures to be a big challenger to the Bull Dogs in the boys race. North has beaten the Panthers twice this season.
“They’ve improved tremendously,” North boys coach Danny Fisher said. “We’ve followed them. We’re looking forward to regional, looking forward to racing them and looking forward to them challenging us and us challenging them and getting the best out of each other.”
Brown County also will be in the boys field, along with three individuals from East and one each from Hauser and Trinity.
The top five teams and top 10 individuals on non-qualifying teams advance to the Oct. 20 Brown County Semistate.
Ted Schultz is sports editor for The Republic. He can be reached at [email protected] or 812-379-5628.
