Huffman heads back to state with Leopold

LEOPOLD, Mo. --Winning seems to follow Leanne Huffman.

She played for three Class 1 state volleyball championships while at Zalma High School, helping the Bulldogs to the state championship in 1990.

The "Zalma Zinger" went on to play at Southeast Missouri State University, where the Otahkians won four straight OVC titles and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time her senior season.

She then embarked on her coaching career, leading Leopold to the Class 1 state championship in 1997, her first season at the school.

Now in her sixth year, Huffman has the Wildcats back for a second run.

Leopold (32-2-1), the top-ranked team in Southeast Missouri, opens Class 1 final four play Friday morning at the CMSU Multipurpose Building in Warrensburg, Mo.

What has Huffman, who's compiled a 144-31-6 record at Leopold, learned from her four previous trips to the state tournament?

"Basically you have to keep a level head," Huffman said. "It's a whole different atmosphere and once you get there it's easy to get overwhelmed with the excitement of it all."

Huffman thinks her team, led by senior Holly Jansen, will be able to thrive in the surroundings.

"They handle pressure pretty well, because they've had a lot of pressure all year," Huffman said.

A lot of the pressure arose from expectations, which accompanied four-and-a-half starters from last year's 27-4-1 team that fell to Meadow Heights in the district championship.

Much different from the 1997 team, which lost three times to Bell City in the regular season before upsetting the Cubs in sectional play en route to the state title.

"In 1997 we were not expected at all to win," Huffman said. "We were expected to win this year."

Leopold has won its last 17 matches and 23 of its last 24. It swept Gideon and Bismarck on Saturday in the sectional and quarterfinal rounds, neither team scoring more than nine points.

At the state tournament, Leopold's first opponent, Green Ridge, will carry the burden of a perfect 33-0 record.

"It's very hard going into the state tournament undefeated," Huffman said. "They have a lot of pressure on them. Hopefully we can end that streak for them."

The teams will meet in a two-set match at 9 a.m. Leopold will follow with two games against the other semifinalist, Eminence (19-8-4) and Crest Ridge (21-9-1). The teams with the best records in Friday's round-robin play will meet Saturday for the championship.

jbreer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 124

CLASS 1 FINALS AT A GLANCESCHEDULE

Today

9 a.m. -- Leopold vs. Green Ridge; Crest Ridge vs. Eminence

11 a.m. -- Green Ridge vs. Crest Ridge; Leopold vs. Eminence

1 p.m. -- Eminence vs. Green Ridge; Leopold vs. Crest Ridge

Saturday

9 a.m. -- Third place

Noon -- ChampionshipTHE TEAMS

EMINENCE (19-8-4)

Notes: Carli Warren leads team with 117 kills and 100 digs and has attack percentage of .415. Megan Chilton has 113 kills. Eminence has won six in a row, the last five in sweeps, including sectional win over Clever and quarterfinal victory over Wheaton. LEOPOLD (32-2-1)

Notes: Leopold has won 17 in a row, 23 of its last 24. Holly Jansen leads team with 295 kills and 156 blocks. Courtney Wesbecher has 174 kills and Tasha Thele 128. Wendy Vandeven has 593 assists. Thele leads team with 154 digs and Toni Eftink has 128. Jansen has attack percentage of .419 and team has overall percentage of .302GREEN RIDGE (33-0)

Notes: Sierra Smith leads team with 203 kills, 53 blocks, 97 digs and has team-high kill percentage of .430. Jeanie Meyers has 194 kills and Heather Bridges has 178. Jenny Myears has 428 assists. Team has .430 attack percentage. Green Ridge is undefeated and has only been pushed to three sets three times this season, one being its quarterfinal win over Lockwood. CREST RIDGE (21-9-1)

Notes: Sophomore Janae Bennett not listed as starter, but leads team with 129 kills and has 86 blocks. Lindsey Tyler has 114 kills and Christi Wade has 107 kills and team-high 106 blocks. Two non-starters Trisha Shackelford and Mindy Oxley lead team with over 300 digs apiece. Have won their last seven straight.