<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2OwPS4_1Grmpl3X00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2OwPS4_1Grmpl3X00" width="2000" height="1500" >LINCOLN – The Amherst Broncos entered the Class D1 State Championship looking to repeat as champs after winning last year, trying to be the first team to repeat as Class D1 Champions since Johnson-Brock three-peated from 2015 to 2017.Central Valley had only dropped five sets all year coming into Championship Saturday, seeking its first volleyball championship in school history.In the first game of the NSAA State Volleyball Championships in Class D1, the Broncos went back-to-back and brought home their second state volleyball championship, winning in five sets.Eleven errors in the first set from Central Valley helped Amherst gain a 10-point lead in the first set when they led 22-12. Seven attack errors and four service errors from the Cougars made it easy for Amherst.Amherst took the first set 25-19, capped off by another error from the Cougars on their fourth service error in the opening set. That was the sixth set the Cougars had dropped all year.In the second set, Central Valley went on a 6-2 run to lead 12-7 and held a lead for the majority of the set, along with the emergence of Bentleigh Dugan. The leader in kills for the Cougars had three in the first set, then had seven in the second set as part of her 23 total kills.The Cougars won the second set 25-21 after holding the Broncos to a .122 hitting percentage, while the Cougars only had eight errors.It looked similar to the subdistrict final 11 days earlier. Amherst won that first set, then dropped the second set. Central Valley won in four sets in the subdistrict final, and after the third set, it looked like a true possibility after the Cougars took the third set 26-24 in extra points.Central Valley had hit .410 compared to the .306 from Amherst.When asked about what they had learned from the first go against them, Kenna Hagan knew coming together was how they would be able to improve. “We all kind of just came together after those games, and we knew that ten days ago was not our best volleyball at all, and we just knew we needed to change some things.”In the third set, Dugan had fully come to life. Dugan finished with 12 kills in that third set to put herself at 22 kills through three sets, setting a career high.Amherst had to slow down the junior outside hitter who already had a career high, and still had at least one more set to be played.Brooke Bosshamer, following the match, on slowing down Dugan: “We knew that they were going to come in firing. We knew that going into the game. We knew we just had to fire back.”Fired back indeed. In the fourth set, the Broncos won it 25-11, holding Dugan to one kill and holding the Cougars to a .000 hitting percentage. Amherst led 12-5 before the first Central Valley timeout and was out-hitting them .368 to .058.On came a fifth set. Amherst led early at 3-1. Central Valley responded by going on a 5-0 run to not only tie it at six, but then grab a 9-6 lead, which prompted Jonie Fader to burn her first timeout.Fader on what she said to her group down by three in the fifth set: “I’m not really sure at this moment. But if tradition holds true, then we breathe, right? We just kind of reset our mind and talk about self-coaching when you go back out there so you don’t get caught up in the moment.”Entering the timeout, Central Valley was hitting .300, while Amherst was hitting .182.“I think the kids just dug in and executed our game plan and stayed calm,” Fader added. Amherst proceeded to execute the game plan, retaking the lead after a 4-0 run, making it 10-9.Central Valley would tie it at ten, but then Amherst took the lead and never let go.Bosshamer would get the final kill to finish with 18 total kills. Amherst officially had repeated as champions, winning set five 15-13.25-19, 21-25, 24-26, 25-11, 15-13. The Broncos were not going to let their title go this year.Fader’s immediate thoughts after placing first-place medals around her athletes’ necks: “It is just so fun to watch when women do that. As you all know, when women get determined, there is nothing holding us back.”Bosshamer added onto that with what the sophomore said to her teammates. “I came into the huddle and I said, who are we playing for? We’re playing for our teammates. We’re playing for our community. We’re playing for ourselves. So just remember that and keep fighting.”This is Amherst’s second volleyball state championship, and Jonie Fader was asked about being able to do this with her seniors. Fader’s response: “Well, we don’t know Bronco volleyball without the seniors. They came in as 6th and 7th graders, as student managers. They’ve been with us the whole time. They have poured in, they’ve bought into the culture.”The Broncos graduated four seniors, and Sadie Van Raken, who finished with 19 kills, said that they wouldn’t have been able to do it without their underclassmen.“I just want to mention how proud I am of our underclassmen. They came in and they played so mature. They came on the court, and they’re like, no, we’re winning. No, we’re doing this. When I would try and tell them something, they took it, and they’re like, okay, I’ll fix it,” said Van Raken.Amherst hit .255 as a team compared to .185 for Central Valley. Bentleigh Dugan led everyone with 23 kills. Sadie Van Raken finished with 19 kills for the Amherst team lead. Bosshamer tallied 18, and Libby Mitchell had 17 of her own.Brecken Veskerna, who played libero all match, finished with a game-high 32 digs on either side, another Bronco senior who was sent off into the sunset.Bosshamer emotionally talked about the seniors and expressed her love and gratitude to the seniors she played with over the last two seasons. “It was all for them. I love them so much, and I have become great best friends with all of these girls, and especially these seniors, (10:50) and I wanted to win it so badly for them.”After a second, Bosshamer only needed six words to wrap it all up: “I love you guys so much.”Amherst will continue to hold the Class D1 trophy, finishing with a 28-5 record, while Central Valley finishes at 33-2 with its best season in school history.</div></body>

Block Source: centralnebraskatoday.com

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LINCOLN – The Amherst Broncos entered the Class D1 State Championship looking to repeat as champs after winning last year, trying to be the first team to repeat as Class D1 Champions since Johnson-Brock three-peated from 2015 to 2017. Central Valley had only dropped five sets all year coming...

Amherst Volleyball Repeats as Class D1 Champions

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LINCOLN – The Amherst Broncos entered the Class D1 State Championship looking to repeat as champs after winning last year, trying to be the first team to r

Amherst Volleyball Repeats as Class D1 Champions

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