Warriors to host home volleyball tournament
Victory at Centre is first of the season
Sports reporter
After recording its first victory of the season Saturday at the Centre tournament, the Marion High School volleyball team will play host this weekend to the Marion Tournament.
Centre, Canton-Galva, DeSoto, Council Grove, Halstead, Herington, Sedgwick, and Collegiate will come to Marion to compete in the round robin tournament - the first volleyball tournament to be held at MHS.
Warrior head coach Jim Versch said the team is ready to play in front of its home crowd.
"That's kind of a given," he said.
MHS activities director Tod Gordon was pleased to hear from the state each school was able to add a tournament to the schedule.
Instead of attending one, Gordon was able to find seven other teams to come to Marion.
"In other towns tournament week is a big event," Gordon said. "We are hoping to build off of this one."
Gordon said the plans are for Marion to continue to play host to a tournament every season.
The tournament Saturday will be held at the Marion Elementary School gymnasium, and Gordon said it could get crowded for fans.
That shouldn't be the case next season.
"Next year it will be in the gym," Gordon said. "We'll get through it this year."
None of the seven teams in the tournament are from Mid-Central Activities Association, something that was done on purpose.
So far the Warriors, 1-9 after defeating Centre Saturday, have played seven of their 10 games against MCAA league foes.
"It's exciting to play some schools outside of our league," Versch said.
It's also good because the MCAA is a strong volleyball league, led by number five ranked team in the state, Hillsboro.
The Trojans handily defeated the Warriors Aug. 31 in a pre-season league tournament.
MHS played Hillsboro again Sept. 4 in the Marion Triangular and had the same results — sort of.
The Warriors lost both games in the match, but they were a lot closer than before.
Leading 23-21 in game one, Hillsboro came back to win, 26-24. It took the second game 25-21.
"It was much better than the first time," Versch said. "I was proud they didn't give up, and some people stepped up."
One of those players was senior setter Austin Percell.
"AP did well," he said. "We are starting to see some leadership from her."
The Warriors however lost a vocal leader on the court when sophomore Lindsay Hett injured her ankle Friday in practice. She missed the entire Centre tournament and could be out for more than a week.
"It's hard to fill her shoes," Versch said. "She has a very positive attitude."
Kimber Hardey stepped in for Hett, and Versch said she did a good job.
After falling to 2A powerhouse Little River and Berean Academy, MHS equaled its win total from last year with a 25-20, 25-21 victory against Centre.
"I was proud of the girls," Versch said. "They did what I asked them to do."
The core group of players has now won just two matches the past two seasons, but Versch said it has not affected the team's attitude.
"Incredibly it's very good," Versch said. "They stay positive and shrug off the mistakes."
This weekend is a chance for MHS to blow past its 2006 victory total in front of a home crowd.
Versch thinks better things are to come.
"I'm proud of the girls," he said. "We are starting click a little bit."
MHS played Tuesday at the Ellinwood quad. Results were unavailable at press time.
