By: Derran Cobb, Reporter
MUNCIE, Ind. --- On a chilly, gloomy fall night in Muncie, volleyball fans and players from all over Delaware County packed into Ball Gymnasium on the south side of Ball State University's campus to watch the Indy Ignite high school match of the week: the Muncie Burris Owls (22-7, 4-0 PC) hosting the No. 2-ranked Yorktown Tigers (27-2, 7-0 HHC) at Burris.
Led by senior middle hitter Shanese Williams and senior outside hitter and Indiana University-commit Charlotte Vinson, Yorktown started off hot and never cooled down. The Tigers took the first set 25-13, the second set 25-10 and the third 25-13, completing the sweep. Williams and Vinson combined for 18 kills themselves — more than the Owls had as an entire team (13).
Burris senior middle hitter and University of North Carolina at Charlotte-commit Lilly Howell said the athleticism and skill of Yorktown took them off guard, and they weren't able to adapt and recover.
"Yorktown's a great team, and I think we underestimated them just a little bit. Their offense is extremely fast, and their defense is extremely scrappy, so they're a tough team to play," she said.
Head Coach Jim Craig was more blunt about his team’s performance.
"We just weren't very good," he said.
The crowd — and especially Burris' student section, the “Owls Nest” — was intense and heavily involved from warmups all the way through the final match point. Howell says that energy is representative about the love for the game in the area.
"It shows a lot about Delaware County. It is really known for volleyball, so it just shows a lot of support, and we like all like the energy behind it here," she said.
Howell further added that the crowd wasn't just Yorktown and Burris. There were players and coaches from nearby Delta High School and Wapahani High School, the latter of which hosted Burris and four other schools in the first round of state tournament at sectionals. Wapahani (27-4, 9-0 MEC) defeated Burris 3 sets to 2 on Sept. 12.
Craig said even though the atmosphere of the building was high energy and fun, it doesn't matter if the product you're putting on the floor doesn't match.
"When you're compounding errors after errors, the whole idea of the spirit and surrounding of the place is just lost. It was a great environment until we started playing, and then we just couldn't do anything," he said. "I was pretty disappointed in how we performed."
By contrast, Howell says the energy of the crowd and skill of the team ultimately prepped them for their sectional matchup just 20 minutes down the road.
"We finish off our season with really strong opponents, so I think that really helps us going [into the state tournament]. The environment is really good because we're going to play at Wapahani," she said. "Wapahani is known for having a large student section, so playing in a big environment with all these people is a great way to prepare for that."
Burris was in pursuit of a second consecutive state championship after sweeping the tournament just a year ago. This was the third class 4A team that Burris (class 2A) has played this season, finishing 1-2 in these contests. Craig says these games are experiences that help his Owls during high-stakes tournaments.
"We knew these [4A athletes] were going to be really powerful at the net, so from that standpoint, it was good for us to have this game. You can see their size. They're just big and athletic," he said.
Senior middle hitter Lilly Howell prepares to serve the ball for the Muncie Burris Owls during the second set against the Yorktown Tigers in the Indy Ignite high school match of the week Oct. 12. The Tigers swept the Owls 3-0. Burris won sectionals at Wapahani the next week. Derran Cobb, BSU
Last season, Burris had about three seniors graduate, taking all of their experience and leadership with them. Throughout this season, there have been signs that this team is not on the same level as the state champion team. Craig admitted that losing those players left a hole in the competitive nature of his team and takes some of the blame. He further added that while his young players are showing promise, he doesn't think they're at the right spot now.
"Having to replace that experience [was hard on us]. I think that's the number one thing. We're having to replace very, very experienced people, for the most part, with really young people," he said. "[The younger players] are going to be a lot better; they're going to be stronger; they're going to be mentally tougher; they're going to be more skilled. But right now, they're not as much as I would like for them to be."
Howell was an integral player on the state roster and added that this was not how she wanted to spend her last game in Ball Gymnasium. However, as she reflected on her career with the Owls, she expressed that she is happy to be ending it with this group of girls.
The Owls won their second consecutive sectional championship after defeating Wapahani 3 sets to 1, but they would lose to Western Boone (23-5, 5-2 MAC) 3 sets to 1 in the regional championship.
Head coach Jim Craig (right, blue shirt) calls a timeout during the first set after Yorktown Tigers takes an early lead during over the Muncie Burris Owls in the Indy Ignite high school match of the week Oct. 12. The Tigers swept the Owls 3-0. Burris won sectionals at Wapahani the next week. Derran Cobb, BSU
Senior middle hitter Lilly Howell prepares to serve the ball for the Muncie Burris Owls during the second set against the Yorktown Tigers in the Indy Ignite high school match of the week Oct. 12. The Tigers swept the Owls 3-0. Burris won sectionals at Wapahani the next week. Derran Cobb, BSU
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