Whips stand poised to make even more Hampshire history

Hampshire sophomore Amy Wehrs stepped to the service line at match point poised to make history.

"I was just thinking, "Get it in. If you miss it, it's a point for them,' " Wehrs said. "I just tried to block out the crowd and focus on the ball. I knew if I got it in, they would do the rest."

"They" are Wehrs' Hampshire volleyball teammates, who fulfilled their season-long quest to play in Friday's Class 2A Final Four at Redbird Arena in Normal when senior middle Jaclyn Clai spiked a shot off the Westmont block out of bounds for the historic winning point in the Whip-Purs' 25-19, 25-8 supersectional victory at the Purple Palace Monday night.

The team bus for Redbird leaves Hampshire at 7 a.m. Thursday morning for a 10:50 a.m. practice.

The Whips (36-3) will face Chicago Christian (34-3), a team with three six-footers along its front line, in the first semifinal Friday at 11:30 a.m.

"We've worked so hard and wanted this so bad," said senior outside hitter Jena Karkos, who pounded 10 kills in Hampshire's first supersectional victory in girls volleyball. "Finally, all that hard work is paying off now that we get to go downstate. No matter what happens, we're in the Final Four. It's finally all coming true."

In just her third season coach Karen Whitehouse has guided Hampshire to its first downstate appearance in the sport, a feat accomplished with a remarkably stable lineup.

For two seasons -- 77 matches total -- the Whips have started the exact same group of players: outside hitters Jena Karkos and Amy Wehrs, right side Kim Kartheiser, middles Amber Ladwig and Jaclyn Clai, libero Jen Kondrat and setter Kara Wehrs.

No illnesses.

No suspensions.

No lineup changes.

Amazingly, no injuries.

This group sent notice it was rounding into a top team last year when the Whips went 26-9-3 before losing to Harvard in a Class A sectional final on its home floor.

With the same lineup back intact, hopes were high this season, especially with the state volleyball tournaments now split into four classes.

"We were pretty confident and it's always been a goal of ours," Clai said of reaching state between congratulatory hugs. "Coming off a good season last year, we were pretty confident. We knew we could get pretty far."

Their stability has allowed deep bonds to form between the girls.

For example, after the floor-mobbing celebration had died down a bit the Whips all gathered on the court to sing Happy Birthday to Kartheiser, who turned 18 on Monday.

Karkos even presented her close friend with a framed collage of pictures, filled with the girls' exploits off the court. At least one volleyball teammate looked to be present in every photo.

"Our team definitely has a good connection," Kartheiser said. "We've played together for a long time. We know how to pick each other up when we're down. We just know. We work well together as a team."

The win follows an upward trend in Hampshire female sports.

Three weeks ago freshman Taylor Ellett became the first female in school history to compete in the state golf meet, and she finished a respectable 21st.

Last year it was the Hampshire girls soccer team that forged new ground by making it to state for the first time.

But the barometer for success was set by the girls basketball program, which made three straight appearances in the Elite Eight from 2002-04, finishing third in 2003 and second in 2004.

Most of this team grew up watching that team play big games on the same Redbird Arena floor they'll play on this Friday.

"When I was younger I looked up to them," Clai said of Amanda Walker and the rest of the basketball-playing Whips. "It'll be cool having younger girls look up to us."

The Hampshire student body loves this team for another reason: final exams, which were scheduled for Thursday and Friday, will now be taken on Thursday and Monday, giving students a few extra days to study for those Friday tests.

Instead, those classmates will see the girls volleyball team take the ultimate test in girls volleyball in the state of Illinois.

If the Whip-Purs follow Whitehouse's lead, this could be one of the most historic weekends in Hamsphire sports history -- one that already has three state championship football banners hanging among all the girls' acoomplishments.

"One of the things we've learned this season is not to settle for good; don't settle for anything less than greatness," Whitehouse said. "Yeah, we're excited, and this is a great accomplishment, but hopefully there's much more we can do from here."

See you in Normal.