INDIANAPOLIS
Sometimes, it’s referred to as “winning ugly” — that ability that champions show to finish off victories even on those days when not everything goes according to plan.
Class 4A No. 9 Center Grove had one of those days on Saturday at the Perry Meridian Sectional, earning a four-set win over Franklin Central in the semifinal and then grinding out a 25-22, 25-20, 25-19 championship win over a Southport team that was far more stubborn than expected.
“I love matches like that,” coach Jennifer Hawk said after the Trojans won their 10th consecutive sectional crown and 36th overall. “It keeps us on our toes. We’ve got to pay attention — no time off. That’s what the tournament’s all about; everybody’s bringing their best, and they definitely did.”
The Trojans (23-8) will face No. 4 Brownsburg in a regional match this coming Saturday at Greenfield-Central. The Bulldogs, who lost in straight sets at Center Grove on Sept. 17, survived five-set battles with Plainfield and Avon en route to their sectional title.
Southport tried to make life just as difficult for the Trojans.
The underdog hung in throughout the opening set, cutting a 22-16 deficit to 24-22 before Center Grove senior Ellen Zapp fought through a block to deliver the set-closing kill. Undeterred, the Cardinals jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the second set and remained in front until the Trojans tied it at 12-12 on the serve of junior Skylyr Merriman. After falling back behind by one, Center Grove drew even at 14-14 with a Reese Dunkle kill, then got the next three points courtesy of Zapp kills on Dunkle’s serve to take the lead for good. The margin was chopped to one on a pair of occasions, but the Trojans were able to put the set away on a tip kill by Dunkle.
In the third, Southport (18-12) again struck first by scoring the first three points and stretching out to a 7-2 advantage — but once more, Center Grove had an answer. Kills by soph Kaylen Plunkard and Dunkle, along with an ace from senior Savannah Cook, highlighted a 7-1 run that put the Trojans in front at 13-11. The Cardinals scored the next two points to pull even and were still within striking distance at 20-19 before Center Grove scored the final five points, the last coming on a kill from junior Natalie Vance.
Zapp finished with 17 kills and Dunkle 13, but the Trojans were able to mix up their attack when needed, going to Kaelyn Groce (five kills) or Plunkard (six) on some key points to throw the Cardinals off the scent.
“Obviously, (Zapp and Dunkle) are our primaries, and so blockers sometimes realize that and they start to cheat,” said sophomore setter Anabelle Schembra, who finished with 39 assists. “So I just have to realize, whenever I see the blocker start moving, then I just reverse it, throw it back. I have to make sure I’m watching the blockers.”
“That’s what’s going to get us further in this tournament,” Hawk added. “Where anybody can score at any time and feel confident. … Balance is definitely the magic word.”
Center Grove advanced into the final with a 25-13, 23-25, 25-17, 25-17 victory over Franklin Central.
Surviving a day that was tougher than expected should give the Trojans a little more confidence for the upcoming rounds of the tourney, when they’ll no doubt run into adversity again.
It’s nice that we have games that we don’t play our best, so we know how to get through those games,” Schembra said. “Because every game’s not going to be perfect.”
