The 2022 ILSAA state tournament took place over the weekend with a total of 46 matches played, and the Lutheran Central School eighth grade volleyball team was the squad that ended up as champions.

There were 12 teams in the tournament — Lutheran Central, Holy Cross Fort Wayne, White Creek, St. John Emmanuel, Immanuel Lutheran, Zion Lutheran, Wyneken, St. Peter’s Columbus, Concordia Fort Wayne, Holy Cross Indy, St. John’s Sauers and Central Lutheran — and each team earned their spot by qualifying throughout the season.

On Friday, each team played two games to start pool play, and Lutheran Central won both of those. On Saturday morning, LC got its third win in pool play.

After pool play finished, everyone met up at Trinity Lutheran High School in Seymour. The girls got to compete in “Queen of the Court,” where they got to dress up and have some fun.

After that, the next round began. LC played three more games Saturday, winning the first two, but then lost the third game to White Creek.

Based on how each team performed through those first six matches, they were separated into two brackets — a gold bracket and a silver bracket.

LC was in the gold bracket, matched up against St. John Emmanuel. White Creek and Holy Cross Fort Wayne were on the other side of the bracket, and it was Lutheran Central and Holy Cross Fort Wayne that both won and met for the championship match Sunday.

LC was able to win that championship match in three sets to become ILSAA 2022 state champions.

“In terms of excitement level, it was off the charts,” LC coach Julie Warren said. “There were some nerves, but they just played how they know how to play. We played great the first set, it looked like we were going to maybe win in two, but we had a couple plays go against us and then had to come back in that third set and did fairly well. After we won, I can’t even describe how excited they were. It was a lot of fun.”

The team got to ride on the firetrucks in Brownstown after earning their victory.

Warren said this group of girls — Jules Wessel, Emma Lucas, Maddy Wischmeier, Emma Sparks, Charli Garrison, Sammie Brown, Marley Warren, Emerson Warren, Addie Burcham and Bella Griner — had been playing together since fifth grade.

Over those years, they’ve compiled a record of 65-14 and won seven different tournaments. This past season, they were 32-4 and won four tournaments. Julie Warren and Sarah Brown are the two coaches.

“It was something they’ve been working toward for a long time,” Warren said. “For them to accomplish that, it was very exciting.”

Warren and Brown had set five expectations for the team at the start of the season. Those were maximum effort, maintain a positive attitude, be a team player, represent Lutheran Central as Christian athletes and then finally just have fun.

“All of that came to fruition at the end of the season,” Warren said.

With Lutheran Central as the champion, Holy Cross Fort Wayne was runner-up, and White Creek and St. John Emmanuel tied for third place.

Immanuel Lutheran won the silver bracket, and Zion Lutheran was the silver bracket runner-up. Wyneken and St. Peter’s Columbus tied for seventh place, and Concordia Fort Wayne, Holy Cross Indy, St. John’s Sauers and Central Lutheran all tied for ninth place.

“It really is a fantastic event,” Warren said.

The all-tournament team was selected by coaches and officials. After each match played, each coach had to vote for the top two players they played against. The officials also voted, and there was a point system attached to that process. Before the championship game, the coaches had to rank the top 10 players they played against.

All of that was compiled to name 14 girls on the all-tournament team.

The 2022 ILSAA state all-tournament team is, front from left, Courtney Inman (Holy Cross Fort Wayne), Maddux Tindall (Zion Lutheran), Blayklee Hancock (Immanuel Lutheran), Brooklyn Bottorff (St. John’s Sauers) and Marley Warren (Lutheran Central); and back from left, Sammie Brown (Lutheran Central), Lanie French (Wyneken), Emerson Warren (Lutheran Central), Audra Bickel (St. John Emmanuel), Alexa Peoples (Concordia), Emmy Price (White Creek), Presley Meyer (White Creek) and Maddie Bartels (Holy Cross Fort Wayne). Not pictured: Audrey Bush (St. Peter’s Columbus).

Submitted photo

The 2022 ILSAA state all-tournament team is Courtney Inman (Holy Cross Fort Wayne), Maddux Tindall (Zion Lutheran), Blayklee Hancock (Immanuel Lutheran), Brooklyn Bottorff (St. John’s Sauers), Marley Warren (Lutheran Central), Sammie Brown (Lutheran Central), Lanie French (Wyneken), Emerson Warren (Lutheran Central), Audra Bickel (St. John Emmanuel), Alexa Peoples (Concordia), Emmy Price (White Creek), Presley Meyer (White Creek), Maddie Bartels (Holy Cross Fort Wayne) and Audrey Bush (St. Peter’s Columbus).