Rams encounter little resistance on way back to volleyball final four

Scott City senior Brooke Simpson spikes past St. Vincent blocker Monika Smith during Saturday's Class 2 state quarterfinal in Piedmont, Mo. (Kit Doyle) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

PIEDMONT, Mo. -- The Scott City volleyball team could have traveled to Clearwater High School on Saturday and played OK, all right, average, pretty well, not all that great or anywhere in between and the result almost certainly would have been the same.

The reality is that the Rams didn't need to play anywhere near their best to advance to the final four for a second consecutive season. But they did anyway, overpowering their competition with an identical pair of 25-7, 25-8 victories over Senath-Hornersville and St. Vincent.

"Like I told them," Scott City coach Haley Jennings said, "I said you can't let down on any team, it doesn't matter who you're playing, and they really came in today determined and focused. I couldn't ask for anything better than that."

Scott City went on a 9-0 and 7-0 run in its game-one victory before closing out game two with a 15-2 run in its sectional round win over Senath-Hornersville.

"We made very few mistakes," said Scott City senior Brooke Simpson, had 18 kills and 15 digs combined in her team's wins. "It was very exciting. We kept the momentum on our side 100 percent of the time and that's what we have to do to win."

Teammates blow on the floor-burned knees of St. Vincent libero Mackenzie Buehler between games in the Class 2 quarterfinal against Scott City on Saturday in Piedmont, Mo. (Kit Doyle) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

In the quarterfinal round, Scott City and St. Vincent were tied 2-2 when Mikah Simpson stepped behind the line to serve for the Rams. Scott City scored 11 more times before she stopped, giving her team a comfortable lead and eventually the first game.

The Rams started the second game by building a 9-0 lead, and before they could close out the match, the Scott City student section was chanting, "Kansas City, Kansas City, Kansas City."

Unlike Senath-Hornersville, St. Vincent (20-15-1) was able to force Scott City to play long rallies several times during the match, but it usually was a Scott City hitter who found a way to end the point.

"We saw these girls in summer league and then we saw them at the SEMO tournament, but we never got to play them," St. Vincent coach Mindy House said. "We knew going into it that they were a tough team. They've just got a lot of good, valuable players on that team. They dominated."

Now the Scott City players are just one off day and two of the longest school days of their lives away from getting a second chance to bring home the school's first state championship in volleyball.

Scott City players celebrate the state quarterfinal victory Saturday. [Click to enlarge]

"We're so excited," said setter Jordan McFall, who had 26 assists and nine digs Saturday. "Last year we got second, so we're hoping that this year we can get first. We're all excited. Our adrenaline's rushing. We can't wait until next Wednesday when we're going to leave."

Like her teammates, McFall had a big smile on her face as she talked about Saturday's matches, hugged fans as they came out of the stands and discussed the prospect of a state title.

This isn't surprising, but according to Scott City's Katie Hogan, who had 19 kills to go along with 19 digs, it was a far different reaction than the players had a year ago.

"Last we were crying and bawling our eyes out and so happy," Hogan said. "Honestly I didn't really know what state was, I just was excited to win."

This time around the Rams knew what to expect.

St. Vincent's Megan Sutterer hits around Katie Hogan during Saturday's Class 2 quarterfinal match. [Click to enlarge]

"Last year it was so emotional," Brooke Simpson said. "We were all crying. It was the first time we'd ever made it. This year I think we knew we had a good chance of going back and that's what we expected. Everyone expected us to go back and that's what we did."

And it looked oh-so-easy, something Jennings says she hopes doesn't cross her players' minds.

"Hopefully they don't get that big ego going," she said. "We've just been so much more focused this year. We know what we've got to do and we're ready for it."