When the Hamilton Southeastern volleyball team steps on to the floor at Ball State’s Worthen Arena Saturday night, the Royals will be taking on a team that’s familiar to them – and volleyball in general.
Southeastern takes on Yorktown at 7 p.m. Saturday for the IHSAA’s Class 4A state championship. It will be the second time the Royals play in a state title game. Southeastern made it to state in 2019, falling to New Castle in four tough sets.
When the two teams met in the regular season, Southeastern beat Yorktown in five sets. Since then, neither team has lost a match, and haven’t lost very many sets, either. The Royals have dropped only eight sets to their opponents, while the Tigers have only given up 11 sets.
The Royals are 33-1 for the season while the Tigers are 34-2. Yorktown lost in five sets to Brebeuf Jesuit early in the season and has won 22 straight matches since then, while Southeastern dropped its season-opener to McCutcheon and has won 33 consecutive matches after that. Not surprisingly, these two teams hold the top spots in the final coaches poll of the year, with HSE ranked No. 1 and Yorktown No. 2.
“They play defense at a higher level than any other team in the state,” said Royals coach Jason Young. “They run a fast offense. They are very talented and have probably the best coach in the game.”
The Tigers’ coach is Stephanie Bloom, who pretty much is Yorktown volleyball. Bloom graduated from Yorktown in 2001 and was part of the Tigers’ 2000 Class 3A state championship team. She returned to Yorktown to become head coach of the team in 2008, and has guided the Tigers to four more state titles, with 3A championships in 2011 and 2016, then 4A titles in 2018 and 2020.
“Stacie Taylor (my assistant coach) and I were on the first State Championship team at Yorktown High School in 2000 and went on to be teammates in college at Ball State,” said Bloom. “We were also college teammates with Sarah Steele, the assistant coach at HSE. Being at Worthen all together but not all on the same side of the net will be a first for all of us!”
The Tigers hosted their own sectional, sweeping past Richmond, Mount Vernon and Pendleton Heights for the title. Yorktown played at the Greenfield-Central regional, where it avenged its lost to Brebeuf Jesuit with a four-set semi-final victory, then beat Brownsburg in the championship. The Tigers then defeated Floyd Central in four sets to win the Columbus East semi-state.
Yorktown has four players with at least 200 digs on the season. Sophomore libero Addi Applegate has collected the most digs with 459, while senior Emilee Hill has 387 digs. Junior Addi Rains has 286 digs and sophomore Charlotte Vinson has collected 230.
Vinson is also the Tigers’ leading hitter, working on the outside and hitting 451 kills for the season. Hill, on the right side, has 316 kills, while senior middle hitter Gretchen Moore has 214 kills. Hill also plays the setter, with 574 assists, and junior setter Kynnadi Bell has dished out 557 assists. At the net, Moore has 94 blocks, with sophomore middle hitter Shanese Williams making 84 blocks and junior right side Jayde Garrett getting 82 blocks.
Once in the tournament, Southeastern swept through its sectional, beating Carmel, Westfield and Fishers to win. The Royals then traveled up to the Noblesville regional, straight-setting Fort Wayne Carroll in the semi-finals before avenging their loss to McCutcheon in four sets for the trophy. Southeastern swept Lake Central to win the Frankfort semi-state.
“They have been very focused and committed to playing for each other,” said Young. The coach said his team had three goals this season:
- Have fun. “Winning is a lot of fun,” said Young.
- Complete like crazy. “We play one of the most competitive schedules in the state,” said Young.
- Be a great teammate. Young said his players “have been amazing teammates to each other this year. They cheer for each other,” said the coach.
The Royals have had a strong offense, with six players hitting over 100 kills. Leading the way is outside hitter Avery Hobson, the lone senior on the team. The Duquesne commit has 414 kills for the season. Next is junior outside hitter Lauren Harden, a Florida commit with 320 kills. Sophomore right side hitter Lindsey Mangelson is next in line with 21 kills, followed by junior middle blocker Tiffany Snook (166), junior middle blocker Breonna Goss (154) and junior right side hitter Madison Evett (125).
Goss, a Duke commit, is the leader at the net with 118 blocks, while Snook has made 89 blocks. Junior setter Macy Hinshaw has 703 assists, while sophomore Ava Hunter has handed out 425. Junior libero Sophie Ledbetter leads the digs with 444, with Hinshaw collecting 253 and Hobson getting 252. Sophomore Kaylyn Christy has 185 digs.
It’s been a fun ride for the Royals, one they hope ends on Saturday night with a big trophy in their hands. Young said he has been communicating with Providence coach Terri Purichia, whose team will be playing in the 3A state championship game against Bellmont at 4:30 p.m. Purichia has a local connection, as she was an assistant coach at Noblesville from 1995 to 1999, and her husband Jeff served as the athletic director at Hamilton Heights several years ago.
“I read my team what she wrote me and it is so true,” said Young. “’HAVE THE BEST TIME WITH YOUR PLAYERS AND COACHES! These moments don’t come along often and it sure makes for a great experience when it does!’
“This team has been special and so enjoyable,” said Young. “I hope our players, coaches and families have enjoyed the journey. Saturday Night will be bittersweet as it will be the last time this group will be able to play together. I am so grateful for this year and it will be some of the fondest memories I will cherish for a lifetime.”
Headed to the state championship?
TICKETS: All tickets sales will be digital only via GoFan ticketing. No cash or credit card at the gate. Please purchase tickets online in advance and show your purchase verification on your phone at the admission gate. $15 per person. Children age 5 and younger admitted free. All seats general admission.
PARKING: Please note that Ball State charges a $5 all-day parking fee in the Worthen Arena lots. $10 for vehicles that take up more than one parking space.
TELEVISION: All four state championship matches will air live on Bally Sports Indiana and also stream on the Bally Sports+ app.
STREAMING: All four state championship matches will stream at IHSAAtv.org via pay-per-view for $15 per match or $20 for all matches.
YORKTOWN SEASON RESULTS (34-2)
Aug. 15 Westfield W 3-0
Aug. 17 Muncie Central W 3-0
Aug. 18 at Brebeuf Jesuit L 2-3
Aug. 20 Avon W 3-0
Aug. 20 Bellmont W 3-0
Aug. 23 Delta W 3-0
Aug. 24 Carmel W 3-1
Aug. 27 Roncalli W 2-0
Aug. 27 McCutcheon W 2-0
Aug. 27 Munster W 2-0
Aug. 27 Crown Point W 2-0
Aug. 30 at Wapahani W 3-0
Sept. 1 Pendleton Heights W 3-0
Sept. 6 Hamilton Southeastern L 2-3
Sept. 8 at Mount Vernon W 3-0
Sept. 10 at Brownsburg W 3-0
Sept. 10 Penn W 3-0
Sept. 13 New Castle W 3-0
Sept. 15 at Muncie Burris W 3-0
Sept. 17 at Shelbyville W 3-0
Sept. 21 at Greenfield-Central W 3-0
Sept. 22 Cathedral W 3-1
Sept. 24 Fort Wayne Carroll W 3-0
Sept. 24 Concordia Lutheran W 3-0
Sept. 27 at New Palestine W 3-0
Sept. 29 Cowan W 3-0
Oct. 1 Daleville W 3-0
Oct. 1 at Wapahani W 3-0
Oct. 4 at Fishers W 3-1
Oct. 8 at Center Grove W 3-0
Yorktown Sectional
Oct. 13 Richmond W 3-0
Oct. 15 Mount Vernon W 3-0
Oct. 15 Pendleton Heights W 3-0
Greenfield-Central Regional
Oct. 22 Brebeuf Jesuit W 3-1
Oct. 22 Brownsburg W 3-0
Columbus East Semi-State
Oct. 29 Floyd Central W 3-1
SOUTHEASTERN SEASON RESULTS (33-1)
Aug. 13 McCutcheon L 1-3
Aug. 15 at Carmel W 3-0
Aug. 17 New Palestine W 3-0
Aug. 23 Lawrence North W 3-0
Aug. 25 at Brownsburg W 3-0
Aug. 27 at Providence W 3-0
Aug. 27 at Floyd Central W 3-0
Aug. 30 at Brebeuf Jesuit W 3-0
Sept. 1 Avon W 3-0
Sept. 6 at Yorktown W 3-2
Sept. 8 at Fishers W 3-0
Sept. 10 Delta W 3-0
Sept. 10 Indpls. Cathedral W 3-0
Sept. 12 Pendleton Heights W 3-0
Sept. 14 Westfield W 3-0
Sept. 17 at Sacred Heart (KY) W 3-1
Sept. 20 at Roncalli W 3-1
Sept. 22 at Zionsville W 3-0
Sept. 24 Pendleton Heights W 2-0
Sept. 24 at Brebeuf Jesuit W 2-0
Sept. 24 Tri-West W 2-0
Sept. 24 Wapahani W 3-0
Sept. 28 Hamilton Heights W 3-0
Sept. 29 Noblesville W 3-0
Oct. 1 Center Grove W 3-0
Oct. 1 Franklin Community W 3-0
Oct. 4 at Greenfield-Central W 3-0
Oct. 6 Franklin Central W 3-0
Hamilton Southeastern Sectional
Oct. 13 Carmel W 3-0
Oct. 15 Westfield W 3-0
Oct. 15 Fishers W 3-0
Noblesville Regional
Oct. 22 Fort Wayne Carroll W 3-0
Oct. 22 McCutcheon W 3-1
Frankfort Semi-State
Oct. 29 Lake Central W 3-0