St. Anthony Captures Third Place Honors at State

St. Anthony defeated Cissna Park in three games 25-14, 23-25, 25-23. The action was heard on Classic Hits 979XFM.

In the opening set, the Bulldogs scored the first point of the match. But Cissna Park came back to tie the score twice before St. Anthony regained the lead . St. Anthony remained ahead until Cissna Park tied at 7-7 and moved ahead 9-7 on a attack error by St. Anthony and an ace by Josie Neukomm.

St. Anthony came right back to tie the score at 9-9, 10-10, 11-11, 12-12 and then moved ahead on a kill by Abbi Hatton with an assist by Addi Wernsing. The Bulldogs remained in control the rest of the way. Stacey Vonderheide took the serve at 18-14 and the Bulldogs went on a six point run to move into a 24-14 lead. St. Anthony stood at match point but a service error gave the ball back to the Timberwolves.

The Bulldogs got the game-winner on a kill by Andrea Rudolphi with an assist from Cara Hatton.

In the second set, Cissna Park moved ahead 1-0 but here came the Bulldogs with a five-point run. In that run, Anna Niemeyer had three straight kills. She had assists by A. Hatton and Wernsing. The Bulldogs were in control until Cissna Park tied the score at 7-7 and moved ahead on a solo block by Sophie Uis for a 10-7 lead. Another block by Duis saw the Timberwolvesat 11-7.

St. Anthony knotted the score at 11-11, 12-12, 14-14 and 15-15 then moved into a lead on an attack error by Cissna Park and a kill by Rudolphi. The two teams went back and forth with the score tied six more times, the last at 23-23. Cissna Park then moved into set point at 24-23 on a block by Josie Neukomm. A St. Anthony time out couldn't halt the Timberwolves getting the win at 25-23.

In the final set, Cissna Park moved ahead but St. Anthony took the lead at 2-1 on a kill by A. Hatton and an assist from Wernsing. The lead went to 3-1 on an error by Cissna Park. Although the score was tied at 6-6 and 7-7, a kill by Sophie Duis put the Timberwolves ahead at 8-7. The lead went to 10-7 and eventually to 15-9

That didn't keep the Bulldogs down. Although they trailed at 21-16, they continued to slowly fight back. Vonderheide took the serve at 21-17 and here came St. Anthony. They got four straight points to knot the score at 21-21.

The score was tied at 22-22 and Cissna Park moved ahead on a kill by Josie Neukomm. But St. Anthony tied at 23-23 on a kill by C. Hatton on an assist by Vonderheide. St. Anthony moved into match point on a kill by A. Hatton with an assist by Vonderheide. The winning point came on a serve by Addi Nuxoll and an attack error by Cissna Park, 25-23.

The Bulldogs traveled back to Effingham where they will joined a parade route and celebration that began at 3 p.m. from the Effingham Event Center. From the Center, the route turned left at Walgreens, then right on Jefferson through town. The procession turned left on Third Street, continued to Orchard Inn and then turned right to St. Anthony High School.

Galena won the 1A state championship, defeating Hartsburg-Emden 25-23, 25-16.