Banner volleyball season for the Jaguars

Wow! Look at how the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa volleyball team performed through the section tournament. The Jaguars or "Jags" are a Class A team. Such high-flying performances keep my old newspaper friend Randy Olson busy over there. But it's a joy I'm sure. Randy had the pleasure of following the Jags' perfect performance over the Section 6A affair. 

Nothing but wins. Not only that, nothing but wins by sweep! Yes, a succession of 3-0 outcomes. The first two of these matches were played at BBE. The Jags swept Pelican Rapids 3-0 on Oct. 22. Success continued with the 3-0 outcomes against Park Christian, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy and Parkers Prairie. The last two of these matches were at Fergus Falls. 

   

Bring on state! 

Fans had to feel buoyed as the stage was set for state. First the task was to get past Clevelend. Well Cleveland MN of course! That job was accomplished 3-1 at Grand Casino Arena. 

It blows my mind that high-level high school sports events are being played at a place named for a casino. This fact might not surprise you a bit if you're considerably younger than me. I assure you that when my generation was young, gambling was taboo. It was sin! Times change and maybe it's for the better. I still have reservations about gambling. And I speak as someone who once took trips to Las Vegas. Well, keep it out in the desert. 

But today the activity has spread pretty far and wide. Normalized? Well maybe. Good luck y'all. No I don't mean that in the gambling context. 

Having dispatched Cleveland, the Jags then squared off against Mayer Lutheran. The Jags finally got turned back. The outcome was 1-3 but the BBE journey was not over. The match for third place awaited. And here the Jags took on Ada-Borup-West. 

Kacey Fischer

What an exclamation point to the season! Not only did BBE win, they were back at it with sweep success, 3-0. A triumphant trip home for the whole Bonanza Valley crowd, to be sure. The third place honor was quite to be savored. 

All three of the Jags' state matches were at the place named for the casino.  Hey kids think twice before gambling yourselves! When I was in my 20s, newspapers were on thin ice if they even promoted a raffle! Randy might be too young to remember that. 

BBE finishes its season with the stellar record of 26-7. The Jags were 7-0 in section, 7-0 conference, 6-1 away from home, 12-5 at neutral courts and 8-1 in front of the friendly home fans. 

The West Central Tribune reported that "the BBE volleyball team wrapped up its first state tournament appearance in three years with a win." That's rather odd wording. Two appearances in three years means the team is rather a mainstay. First in three years? People might talk about me in teasing terms if I wrote such a thing. 

Let's look at the scores from BBE's triumphant final match, the 3-0 sweep over Ada-Borup-West. Scores were 25-21, 25-18 and 25-14. 

Kamie Fischer

The cog in the setting department was Kamie Fischer who recorded 37 assists. In serving aces it was Macey Roering leading the way with four. Fischer supplied one as did McKenna Lieser and Josie Buckentine. 

We see a different Fischer, Kacey, leading the way in kills with 16. She was followed by Roering 11, Mya Worms 5, Kadynce Haider 5, Teagan Dingmann 4 and Kamie Fischer 3. The ace blocks story had Dingmann and Haider each with 1 1/2. Kamie Fischer and Worms each had one. 

Four Jags put in digging totals of note: Lieser 14, Roering 13, Kacey Fischer 11 and Makenna Roelike 9. 

The Class A state champion is Mayer Lutheran. They downed Russell-Tyler-Ruthton at the end. It was a sweep. 

The stat report for Ada-Borup-West - the "Cougars" - shows Malayna Syverson leading in kills with 16. Syverson was team-best in blocks too with 2 1/2 aces. Leighton led in digs with 14. Their top setter was Morgan Engel with 13 assists. Syverson sent two serving aces over the net. 

Now let's get ready for basketball! Be prepared to work hard again, Randy! I can relate.

 

- Brian Willliams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com