BROWNSTOWN — I mean, did you really expect this story to have gone any other way? All season long we have waited to see how the Lady Braves would perform in the postseason.

Brownstown had the chance for another sectional title on Saturday night and didn’t waste the opportunity at all —capturing their sixth straight sectional crown by defeating South Ripley in straight sets.

Coach Jennifer Shade spoke about securing another sectional trophy on Saturday.

“It never gets old,” Shade said. “I do not care. I have had people ask me that a hundred times and it is a new set of kids, a new team and we have a new goal. It just simply never gets old.”

Senior Kinzee Dean doesn’t know what it is like to not win a sectional title for volleyball. Dean captured one in all four years of her high school career. She agreed with her coach about never getting tired of the feeling.

“It’s happened, this is our sixth in a row this year and it’s my fourth for volleyball,” Dean said. “Some people might think it gets boring, but it’s super fun every time, getting to ride the firetrucks and seeing our community support is crazy. It’s an amazing feeling.”

Sophie Wischmeier enjoyed adding another accomplishment to her athletic resume.

“It feels great and never gets old,” she said. “All year we’re working continuously to win the sectional championship, and it just feels good.”

Brownstown battled with the Raiders in the opening set, as South Ripley tied the Lady Braves at nine.

Dean and Addison Darlage added kills, forcing South Ripley to call a timeout. Wischmeier and teammates Claire Brock and Finley Wheeler then picked up points forcing another the Raiders to call another timeout.

Dean finished the point, making it 21-17, before the team cruised to a 25-17 opening set win.

Brownstown Central then dominated the second set, seizing full control of the match after leading 14-6. Brownstown finished the set with an 11-5 run to win 25-11.

South Ripley showed some resiliency in the third set after falling behind early to the Lady Braves.

The game would eventually be tied at 14, before Brownstown seized momentum for good, ending the match with a 25-19 set win.

It had been 349 long days since the Lady Braves had played postseason volleyball. That date was the state final of last season, when the team dropped the championship to Muncie Burris.

Wischmeier and Dean said the team has been anxious to get back to playing in the playoffs.

“We’ve been super anxious all year, it’s been our fire,” Wischmeier said. “We’re just trying to get back there and get a different outcome this time and we’re certainly working hard for that.”

Dean mentioned the whole season has been working toward that goal.

“Ever since the beginning of this season our goal has been to get back to where we were last year and prove everyone wrong that said we couldn’t do it,” Dean said. “We all know it’s our redemption year. Even since the summer, we didn’t all come in wanting to have fun, we’ve been working hard to get back to that state final.”

The team continues its postseason journey, facing off in the regional final next Saturday at Jennings County, where they’ll meet Tecumseh. Tecumseh is currently at 27-7, while Brownstown is sitting at 30-3.

The two teams met on Sept. 21 in the New Albany Invitational, where Brownstown Central won the tournament style match in two sets, 25-21, and 25-20.

Obviously, that will not matter when a new game is played Saturday in North Vernon.

Coach Shade thinks the team must bring more energy to the games and keep their focus if they want to advance in the tournament.

“After watching us tonight, I think we need to get a little more fired up,” Shade said. “I don’t have any doubt that the girls will show up. It’s going to be step-by-step and game-by-game and we’re going to have to have the girls prepared going into every game, because I know everyone is going to want to beat us.”

Wischmeier said the team must continue working hard if they want to continue to be successful.

“We have to continue to practice hard and work on the things that we need to fix,” Wischmeier said. “Coach will have some things for us to work on and continuing to listen to each other will help us out.”

Dean thinks the mental aspect will be crucial for the Lady Braves.

“I think we need to stay mentally strong and not have our ups-and-downs,” Dean said. “Whenever we play good, we play really good. I think if we can stay focused and on that level for the rest of the season, nobody can touch us.”

Both athletes have spent plenty of time with each other and their teammates during the season and many seasons for Wischmeier and Dean.

Wischmeier enjoys playing and being alongside her teammates.

“I just enjoy being with them,” Wischmeier said. “They’re all super fun to be around and we’re all super tight and it’s a great environment to be a part of.”

Dean isn’t wasting her senior season and her final postseason on the Brownstown volleyball team.

“This being my senior year and the last time I’ll be a Lady Brave, this team is like my family, and I love every single girl on this team,” Dean said. “There isn’t a single team in high school like Brownstown Central and anyone that played Brownstown Central volleyball can vouch for that.”

The Lady Braves will face Tecumseh next Saturday at Jennings County at 1 p.m. If the team can pull out a win, they will face Covenant Christian or Indianapolis Scecina in the semi-state semifinal the following weekend.

IHSAA Brownstown Central Sectional — Saturday

Brownstown Central 3, South Ripley 0

Brownstown Central def. South Ripley, 25-17, 25-11, 25-19

Serve-Attempt-Aces

Serving: Alex Davidson, 15-15-1, Olivia Fritz, 9-9-1, Finley Wheeler, 17-19-1, team, 61-68-5

Attempts-Total-Kills

Hitting: Sophie Wischmeier, 29-33-11, Kinzee Dean, 14-16-9, Addison Darlage, 18-19-8, team, 89-97-41

Assists:

Digs:

Brownstown Central 3, Brown County 0

Brownstown Central def. Brown County, 25-5, 25-4, 25-11.