From ihsaa.org

Twelve of last year’s state finalists, including two defending state champions, have made their way back for the 38th Annual IHSAA Volleyball State Finals to be held Nov. 6 in the Muncie area.

Muncie Burris (38-0), the 12-time defending Class 2A state champion, along with Marquette Catholic (32-6), the five-time defending winner in Class A, lead the charge into this weekend’s festivities. Both squads will face the team they defeated in last year’s championship match in Saturday’s semifinal round. Burris will face Brownstown (29-4) and Marquette will take on Barr-Reeve (36-0), both of which pit the No. 1 team (Burris, Barr-Reeve) vs. No. 2 team (Brownstown, Marquette).

With two victories on Saturday, Burris would finish a perfect 40-0 and become the sixth unbeaten Owls squad – and the ninth from that school – to finish a season with 40 or more wins. Their current run of 12 straight state titles is the second-longest active streak in the state to Carmel’s girls swimming team’s 23 straight crowns. 

Burris enters the weekend having won 87 consecutive state tournament matches dating back to 1997, while Marquette Catholic has won 39 straight postseason wins dating to 2004.

In addition to Brownstown and Barr-Reeve, the other two state runner-up teams from a year ago – Muncie Central (33-4) and Mishawaka Marian (33-5) – also return. 4A No. 2 Muncie Central takes on 4A No. 4 Center Grove (33-3), while 3A No. 4 Marian meets up with 3A No. 1 Yorktown (36-1).

Class A No. 5 Wes-Del has advanced to the state volleyball finals for the first time since 1976, while Silver Creek – the lone unranked team this weekend – is playing at this level of the tournament for the first time.

Of note: Center Grove coach Deb McClurg was a member of that 1976 Wes-Del team, and Yorktown coach Stephanie Bloom is the daughter of Delta boys basketball coach Paul Keller, a state championship coach himself (2002 in 3A).

Five of this weekend’s squads are ranked in the latest Fab 50 national poll from ESPN Rise Magazine, led by Burris in the second slot. Yorktown is No. 10, Muncie Central is No. 21, 4A No. 1 Elkhart Memorial (35-2) is No. 23, and 3A No. 2 Brebeuf (32-1) is No. 45.

Four different sites will be used for the morning semifinals that begin at 9 a.m. ET, with the winners at each site converging on Worthen Arena for their respective state championship match. Yorktown will host two semifinal matches in Class 4A, Muncie Central will host the 3A matches, Delta is handling the 2A contests, and Worthen Arena will be the site for the Class A semifinalists. 

The Class A state title match begins at 2:30 p.m., with the 2A, 3A, and 4A matches scheduled to begin no earlier than 4:15 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8:10 p.m., respectively.

Of state finals historic note:

Defending state champions in the field (2)
Marquette Catholic, Muncie Burris

Returning state finalists (12, listed alphabetically)
Barr-Reeve, Brebeuf, Brownstown, Elkhart Memorial, Fairfield, Floyd Central, Indianapolis Lutheran, Marquette Catholic, Mishawaka Marian, Muncie Burris, Muncie Central, Southwood

Former state champions in the field (7)
Brebeuf, Center Grove, Marquette Catholic, Mishawaka Marian, Muncie Burris, Muncie Central, Yorktown

2008 state runners-up in the field (4)
Barr-Reeve, Brownstown, Mishawaka Marian, Muncie Central

Consecutive state finals appearances (three of more years)
13: Muncie Burris
11: Marquette Catholic
8: Brownstown
4: Fairfield, Mishawaka Marian
3: Brebeuf, Elkhart Memorial, Floyd Central

State finals droughts broken
33: Wes-Del (1976)
9: Center Grove, Yorktown (2000)

First-time participants (1)
Silver Creek

The state finals schedule:  

STATE FINALS
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Times: All times ET
Admission: $8 per session, $12 all sessions
 
Semifinals
CLASS 4A
Host: Yorktown
Match 1 – #1 Elkhart Memorial (35-2) vs. #3 Floyd Central (35-3). 9a
Match 2 – #4 Center Grove (33-3) vs. #2 Muncie Central (31-4). To follow
 
CLASS 3A
Host: Muncie Central
Match 1 – #4 Mishawaka Marian (33-5) vs. #1 Yorktown (36-1). 9a
Match 2 – #2 Brebeuf (32-1) vs. Silver Creek (27-11). To follow

CLASS 2A
Host: Delta
Match 1 – #6 Fairfield (31-4) vs. #5 Southwood (32-5). 9a
Match 2 – #1 Muncie Burris (38-0) vs. #2 Brownstown (29-4). To follow

CLASS A
Host: Worthen Arena (Ball State University), 2000 West University Avenue, Muncie
Match 1 – #9 Indianapolis Lutheran (20-16) vs. #5 Wes-Del (27-7). 9a
Match 2 – #2 Marquette Catholic (32-6) vs. #1 Barr-Reeve (36-0). To follow

Championships
Host: Worthen Arena

CLASS A
Championship: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2. 2:30p

CLASS 2A
Championship: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2. 4:15p

CLASS 3A
Championship: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2. 6p 

CLASS 4A
Championship: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2. 8:10p