The girls pose with their trophy after clinching another trip to the state final on Saturday night at Martinsville High School on Nov. 2, 2024.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
The players and coaches with the trophy after defeating the Barr-Reeve Vikings in the Martinsville Semistate final on Saturday night.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
The Lady Braves celebrate with their trophy after winning semistate on Saturday evening.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Brownstown girls swarm each other after securing another trip to the state final on Saturday evening.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Brownstown’s Sophie Wischmeier soars for the spike on Saturday against Indianapolis Scecina in the semistate semifinal.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Brownstown’s Olivia Fritz serves for the team against the Crusaders on Saturday afternoon in the Martinsville semistate semifinal.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
BC’s Brailey Teipen blocks the spike from Indianapolis Scecina on Saturday afternoon in the four set win over the Crusaders in the semistate semifinal.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Brownstown’s Kinzee Dean soars for the spike attempt on Saturday during the semistate games at Martinsville High School.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
MARTINSVILLE — Brownstown Central had plans for two games when they showed up to Martinsville High School on Saturday morning and they got just that after defeating Indianapolis Scecina in four sets in the semistate semifinal.
Now they can make their reservations for the state title game next weekend in Muncie against Western Boone after defeating Barr-Reeve in the semistate final, defeating the Vikings in five sets.
BC head coach Jennifer Shade spoke on the fight from the girls after clinching her 10th semistate title and advancing back to Worthen Arena next Saturday.
“You know what I’m most proud of and have been all season long is that they never quit,” Shade said. “Volleyball is such a game of momentum, and you are up and down throughout, and my girls never gave in.”
The Vikings took the opening set with a 25-23 win over Brownstown, but the Lady Braves rebounded with a second set win at 25-22. Brownstown took control in the third set with a 7-point set win, defeating Barr-Reeve 25-18.
Barr-Reeve opened the fifth set on a good run, taking a 4-1 lead before Coach Shade called a timeout. Brownstown rallied to take a 10-9 lead in the final set, forcing the Vikings to call a timeout. The team held a slight edge at 13-12 before Barr-Reeve called their final timeout, but Brownstown has dealt with these matches before.
In last year’s semistate final the Lady Braves had to outlast Indianapolis Scecina in five thrilling sets to get to the state final, and they were able to do it again, winning the fifth set 15-12.
Shade never had a doubt in her girls during the final set.
“Honestly even when we were down four to one, I didn’t see us losing it,” Shade said. “These girls somehow come back and win every time.”
This is the tenth time Shade has coached the Lady Braves to the state final, speaking on her favorite part about the current postseason run.
“Just these girls, it’s a beautiful thing on and off the court and they do beautiful things on and off the court,” Shade said. “I simply cannot imagine not spending time and being with them every single day. It is great to see them be rewarded for everything that they have done and how they act. They’re class acts, and I just couldn’t be prouder of them.”
The win vaults the team to the state title game with Western Boone next weekend at 1:30 p.m. The Stars (25-5) will meet the Lady Braves (33-3) for the Class 2A Volleyball crown.
Coach Shade spoke about some keys for the upcoming game. She mentioned that she would approach it differently than last season.
“The middle part of the experience,” Shade said. “Last year we took a lot of these same girls, and it all happened so fast. In the blink of an eye the game was over, and the entire week went by, and we were on the way home. This year, my goal is to slow down and mentally get the girls prepared for this game.”
Brownstown will look to clinch their second state title in program history.
Lady Braves down Crusaders to advance to semistate final
The Lady Braves battled Indianapolis Scecina in the opening game, in a rematch from the semistate final last season.
Brownstown Central came out with two early set victories, taking the opener 25-16, behind points from Claire Brock, Addison Darlage, Kinzee Dean, Addison Darlage, Brailey Teipen, and Sophie Wischmeier, who ended the first set with a huge kill.
The team didn’t have much trouble in the second set, taking the lead to open the set after a serve ace from Alex Davidson.
Scecina rallied to make it a 4-3 game, before Brownstown regained control at 6-3, Olivia Fritz served an ace to make it 7-3.
The Crusaders rallied once again, cutting the deficit to 10-9. Kinzee Dean then scored a point to end the run and take a two-point lead. Teipen then added a point and before you knew it, Brownstown held a 15-10 lead in the second set.
After a crazy run of events, Wischmeier hit a shot away from the net and it nicked the net and went over, extending the lead to six as Scecina fans could not believe what had just transpired.
Brock and Finley Wheeler then held together up front and blocked the Scecina shot for set point, taking the commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
The third set combined for 60 points if you can believe it. Scecina came out rolling in that set with a 4-0 advantage. Wischmeier then ended the run with a point for the Lady Braves.
Eventually the Crusaders held a 12-6 lead before Brownstown went on a run. Brock scored and then Dean, Darlage, and Wischmeier picked up points on a 7-1 run to tie the game up at 13.
Scecina took a 19-17 lead later in the set before the Lady Braves rallied to tie it up at 22. The game went to sudden death as someone had to win by two points being tied at 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29 before the Crusaders won the set 31-29.
Brownstown erased that third set from their minds as the game was tied at 8. The Lady Braves gained all the momentum they needed, ending the match with a 17-6 run and won the match 25-14.
Martinsville Semistate Final
Brownstown Central 3, Barr-Reeve 2
Brownstown Central def. Barr-Reeve, 23-25, 25-22, 25-18, 23-25, 15-12
Serve-Attempt-Aces
Serving: Alex Davidson, 19-21-2, Kinzee Dean, 18-20-2, Jaydynn Yeadon, 16-18-1, Finley Wheeler, 16-18-1, team, 99-106-7
Attempts-Total-Kills
Hitting: Sophie Wischmeier, 54-62-23, Kinzee Dean, 24-27-14, Addison Darlage, 28-35-15
Martinsville Semistate Semifinal
Brownstown 3, Indianapolis Scecina 1
Brownstown def. Indianapolis Scecina, 25-16, 25-12, 29-31, 25-14