Davis serves as Leopold's good luck charm in tourney

~ The team's coach was a player the last time it reached the finals.

Leopold placed second in the B.A. Sports high school volleyball tournament at the Show Me Center on Saturday, its best finish since 1989 when assistant coach Sandy Davis was wearing the blue and white Wildcats uniform.

"The last time we got in the championship game was my senior year," Davis said, laughing. "I remember that game. I played all day long like these girls and your legs don't feel like they can move. I know how they feel. They worked hard. ... I just can't say enough about these girls."

Davis returned to the school four years ago to become Greg Nenninger's assistant, the coach of that 1989 team.

Nenninger said this year's squad, which includes four all-district players, is similar to the 1989 team when Davis was his outside hitter.

These Leopold girls played five matches Saturday, beating Senath, Lebanon, St. Vincent and Seckman before losing to Ozark in the championship match 25-14, 25-20. In the title match, Maddy Hutchings led the team with eight kills and three blocks. Cassie Seiler had 12 assists and Desiree Arnzen had seven digs.

"This team has grown just like the team she played for," Nenninger said. "She's got a lot of her self in this team.

"She knows the game inside and out and she really gets it out of the kids. She was an outstanding player. She was an all-state player and we didn't even go to states that year and she came over here to SEMO and played three years."

Davis could not decide whether it was more fun taking second in the tournament as a player or now as a coach.

"Coaching is very challenging because you can't get out there and do it," she said. "You can tell them, but playing, you had control. It's different but it's a great experience both ways."

Nenninger said not only was Davis a talented player back in high school, but also a nice personality to have on the team. She's brought that positive attitude to the team as a coach.

"When she was a sophomore, we were playing for the district championship," Nenninger said. "And she hit a kid in the forehead, and laid her back on the floor and she wanted to know whether she should go apologize."

The Leopold girls are glad to have her as their assistant, especially the seniors. She began her coaching career about the time they were freshmen.

"It's hard to explain all the many things she has brought to this team," Hutchings said. "She's just a part of us. It's like she is a kid again. ... She can relate to how we play with our other coach and it is so overwhelming how she can put herself into our shoes."

Hutchings said Davis has helped her, especially with hitting.

"[She taught us] the full-body snap," Hutchings said. "It's when you have to put your entire body into it or you aren't hitting as hard as you should be. ... She's the one who has made us understand how it works and she has put the features into to it to where we know how to move when we hit, close our body and snap."

Back when Davis played, her team lost in the state sectional round.

"We lost 16-18, 16-18," she said. "That was back in the day when you only went to 15, but you had to win by two."

Leopold made it sectionals last year before losing to Bismarck in the first round. This year, Davis has another chance to get to the next round with her alma mater.

"Every coach wants to [get to the state tournament]," she said.

Local leaders

Jackson: The Indians finished in the top eight. Chelsea Dale smacked seven kills against Portageville. Katelynn James had six kills against Portageville and nine against Gideon. Chelsea Olsen recorded 64 assists in the three matches. Megan Spooler had four kills against Seckman.

Notre Dame: Meghan Dohogne finished with 11 kills in the Bulldogs' three matches. Paige Schumer had eight assists against St. Vincent and another 10 against Scott City. Kelsey Bradshaw recorded 18 digs against Scott City.

St. Vincent: Sarah DeWilde recorded 34 kills and Brooke Brown added 26 for the Indians. Kelsey Cissell had 41 assists and 15 kills while Lacey Sigmund finished with 36 assists.

Central: Wendi Zickfield finished with 13 kills against Eminence and 10 against Dexter. Rita Walter had six blocks against Dexter. Carissa Wheeler recorded eight digs against Holcomb and 19 against Bismark. Taylor Kirn had 15 digs against Eminence.

Saturday's Pool Play

Woodland def. Southland, 25-15, 25-17

Kennett split with Puxico 13-25 25-17

Lesterville def. New Madrid 25-15 25-13

Gideon split with Eminence 25-20 21-25

Bismarck split with Bell City 18-25 25-9

South Iron def. Bloomfield 25-19 25-13

Park Hills def. St. Elizabeth 25-23 25-8

Holcomb splits with New Haven 25-17 24-25

Lee's Summit def. Poplar Bluff 25-7 25-8

Oak Ridge def. Greenville 25-24 25-24

Meadow Heights def. Marshall Co 18-25 25-24

Ozark def. Oran 25-9 25-13

Advance def. Clarkton 25-19 25-23

Bernie def. Zalma 25-20 25-9

Lebanon def. Scott City 25-12 25-17

Perryville def Malden 25-10 25-15

Seckman splits with Notre Dame (Stl) 25-19 21-25

Jackson def. Portageville 25-15 25-11

Dexter def. Saxony Lutheran 25-13 25-21

Sikeston def. Marquand 25-8 25-14

Richland splits with Twin Rivers 13-25 25-22

Leopold def. Senath 25-8 25-18

Cape Central splits with Clearwater 19-25 25-22

St. Vincent def. Notre Dame (Cape) 22-25 25-15

Gold Division Round of 16

Bismark def. Notre Dame (StL) 27-25 25-8

Ozark def. Bernie 8-25 12-25

Marshall Co def. Scott City 23-25 25-23 25-22

Lee Summit def. Notre Dame (Cape) 25-13 25-16

Leopold V. St. Vincent 22-25 27-25 25-23

Lebanon def. Lesterville 12-25 10-25

Jackson def. Gideon 23-25 25-16 25-22

Seckman def. Bell City 25-19 25-22

Silver Division Round of 16

Woodland def. Clearwater 25-14 25-10

Eminence def. Bloomfield 16-25 12-25

Sikeston def. Richland 10-25 15-25

Perryville def. Puxico 25-15 25-15

Poplar Bluff def. Oak Ridge 25-27 25-16 25-13

Meadow Heights def. Park Hills 25-23 12-25 25-20

Dexter def. South Iron 27-25 25-19

Cape Central def. Holcomb 25-18 25-12

Bronze Division Round of 16

Portageville def. Clarkton 25-5 25-20

Saxony Lutheran def. New Haven 12-25 20-25

St. Elizabeth def. New Madrid 25-23 22-25 25-16

Greenville def. Seneth 25-12 26-24

Kennett def. Malden 25-15 25-18

Twin Rivers def. Marquand 25-9 25-8

Southland def. Oran 25-22 25-21

Advance def. Zalma 25-18 25-7

Gold Champion Division Quarterfinals

Ozark def. Bismark 25-10 25-17

Seckman def. 25-21 25-19

Leopold def. Lebanon 25-23 25-18

Lee Summit def. Marshall 25-9 25-10

Gold Consolation Quarterfinals

Notre Dame Stl def. Bernie 25-22 25-22

Bell City def. Gideon 23-25 25-15 25-19

St. Vincent def. Lesterville 25-15 27-25

Scott City def. Notre Dame Cape 25-23 28-26

Silver Champion Division Quarterfinals

Eminence def. Woodland 25-23 26-24

Perryville def. Sikeston 25-17 25-18

Poplar Bluff V. Meadow Heights 25-23 25-23

Cape Central def. Dexter 25-15 25-22

Silver Consolation Quarterfinals

Clearwater def. Bloomfield 23-35 25-23 25-12

Puxico def. Richland 25-20 25-19

Park Hills def. Oak Ridge 25-13 25-14

Holcomb def. South Iron 25-12 25-17

Bronze Championship Quarterfinals

Portageville def. Saxony Luth 28-26 19-25 26-24

Greenville def. St. Elizabeth 25-7 25-21

Twin Rivers def. Kennett 25-21 22-25 25-23

Southland def. Advance 22-25 25-23 25-16

Gold Champion Semi

Ozark def. Lee Summit 25-13 25-27 25-23

Leopold def. Seckman 25-16 25-21

Gold Consolation Semi

Notre Dame (Stl) def. Scott City 25-10 19-25 25-21

Bell City def. St. Vincent 27-25 17-25 25-23

Silver Champion Semi

Eminence def. Perryville 20-25 25-17 25-16

Cape Central def. Poplar Bluff 25-18 25-11

Silver Consil Semi

Puxicon def. Clearwater 26-24 26-24

Holcomb def. Park Hills 25-21 25-22

Bronze Semi

Portageville def. Greenville 25-27 25-21 25-16

Twin Rivers def. Southland 25-11 18-25 25-16

Gold Champion

Ozark def. Leopold 25-14 25-20

Gold Consolation

Bell City def. Notre Dame (Stl) 25-27 17-25

Silver Champion

Cape Central def. Eminence 25-17 26-24

Silver Consolation

Holcomb def. Puxico 25-13 25-14

Bronze Champion

Twin Rivers def. Portageville 18-25 25-18 26-27