By DAVID WOOD, for The Democrat
Rain slashed sports schedules across the county on Saturday, but not inside the Larry C. Banks Memorial Gymnasium.
From mid-morning to early afternoon, the courts featured the annual BCHS volleyball invitational, involving six teams divided between two brackets.
Not ones to rest on their laurels, the Eagles successfully defended their title to become back-to-back invitational champions, besting longtime rival Indian Creek in their third and final match.
“I knew it would be tough because we played Bedford North Lawrence in our first game of the season and won. In years past, the girls told me they always face BNL in the championship game, and last year we won, so we wanted to repeat that,” Head Coach Jessica Robertson said.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]“We were confident going in there knowing we already beat them, but we didn’t expect Indian Creek to come out in the end.”
Having to beat Greencastle and Edinburgh on the way to first, the triple-win weekend brought Robertson and her team to an overall record of 5-1.
“Last season the girls finished 17-9 and I’m hoping to keep our losses to five or under this year,” she said.
“I know they can do it. … They’re a tighter group, they love playing with each other now and they’re enjoying it. They’re willing to put in the extra time and the extra effort.”
Powerhouse seniors Mekenzie Dunnuck and Shea Keller formed the wall for the Eagles, dominating the net and setting a foundation for the team up front. Fellow senior and libero Bae Koester rounded out the back line, scooping up shot after shot on defense.
“We came into this tournament with a very positive attitude and even changed things up and adapted really well. The turnout was great,” Koester said.
In addition to their technical play, Keller said the team pulled through because of how much the tournament means to them, as well as their history with Indian Creek.
“I think we came together because we really wanted to win this tournament. It’s really special in our hearts so we put our minds together. … We’ve never beaten Indian Creek during our high school career, so this is a really big win for us,” she said.
The tournament carried an additional layer of meaning to the trio and fellow seniors Evey Crimmins and Maggie Redmond, considering it would be the group’s last BCHS invitational.
It’s crazy to think it’s their final invitational, but Dunnuck said she’s glad they went out with a bang as back-to-back champions.
Keller said she also believed this was something they needed to do for the future of Eagles volleyball.
“I think we gave a good example to the younger girls: This is how we win and how we do things here,” she said.
Robertson stated she’s specifically been cultivating that sense of family within the volleyball program. From the intermediate school all the way to the varsity level, she wants to see everyone involved and working together under the Brown County banner.
“It’s not just here at the high school; I’m big on building a program. … I’ve built into every one of our calendars that we will go to intermediate and junior high games,” she said.
“The junior high girls were here today and we just support and involve each other in everything. It’s definitely a program thing all the way around.”
Specifically, Robertson called on her seniors to continue to lead the way as they have been.
“They step up, and they’re good role models. They set good examples and are always involved with the younger girls when we do things,” she said.
“They’re great role models, every one of them.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Meet the varsity Eagles” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Sophomores: Natalie Suding, Macee Terry
Juniors: Addison Branson, Whitney Clark, Abigail Hollander, Chloe Lee, Marley Nickels
Seniors: Evey Crimmins, Mekenzie Dunnuck, Shea Keller, Bae Koester, Maggie Redmond
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