Whips are in it to win it
After Thursday morning's practice at Redbird Arena in Normal, Hampshire girls volleyball coach Karen Whitehouse happened to pass by as another coach was being interviewed.
Asked about playing in the Final Four, that coach responded, "It has been amazing to get this far." Then came the ultimate state tournament cliché. "We're just so happy to be here."
Shortly thereafter Whitehouse made sure her Whip-Purs were reading from a different playbook. "You know that's not how I feel, right? We want more don't we?"
The Hampshire girls understood. A true reflection of their competitive coach, they too crave more than a third- or fourth-place finish in their first trip to the state tournament this weekend.
These Whips are in it to win it.
"Getting here for the first time has been very satisfying, but I believe this team has more to accomplish," Whitehouse said. "We're going to keep playing hard and we'll see what we can do."
First up for Hampshire (36-3) is a Class 2A semifinal match against Chicago Christian (34-3) today at 11:30 a.m.
The Knights went undefeated in winning the Private School League, led by sisters Becca (6-foot-1) and Lizzie Kamp (6-0).
Becca, a senior middle hitter, is Chicago Christian's top player and a team leader on and off the court, according to Knights coach Leah Bruskewitz. Becca Kamp leads her team in kills (294) and blocks (66).
Lizzie Kamp, a junior middle, ranks second on the team in kills with 214. No other Knight has more than 100 kills this season, though sophomore outside hitter Kirsten Harms (6-0) is on the brink with 99.
Hampshire, on the other hand, boasts two players with better than 300 kills this season. Sophomore Kara Wehrs (812 assists) has the luxury of setting outside hitters Amy Wehrs (346 kills) and Jena Karkos (333). She also has a pair of 100-kill middles in seniors Amber Ladwig (123) and Jackie Clai (120).
"They wouldn't be here if they weren't a great team," Bruskewitz said of Hampshire. "Specifically, they've got a couple hitters on the outside who are pretty strong. We'll be focusing on stopping their front row attack and making them adjust to what we're doing."
Chicago Christian won a supersectional on Spring Valley Hall's home court by serving aggressively, which never allowed Hall's offense to get on track. But Hampshire has an answer for good serving in libero Jen Kondrat. A two-time Daily Herald All-Area pick, Kondrat is one of the better receivers of serves in the tournament. Defensively, she broke her own school record for digs in her senior season with 525. Karkos and the Wehrs twins have all posted better than 200 digs apiece.
"Our girls usually choose who to pick on," Bruskewitz said. "I give them clues as to what to look for, but I leave it up to them individually to decide where they're serving to on the day of the match. I give them a lot of say."
A victory in the semifinals would advance Hampshire to Saturday's Class 2A title match at 12:45 p.m. A loss would drop the Whips into the consolation match at 11:45 a.m.
The other side of the bracket pits Maroa-Forsyth (34-0) against Breese Central (31-8) today at 12:30 p.m.
Maroa-Forsyth had never advanced past regional play prior to this year, whereas state tournament competition is old hat to Breese Central. The Cougars lost to Hartsburg-Emden in last year's Class A championship match 25-21, 22-25, 23-25, a loss that kept them from attaining back-to-back titles. Breese Central won the 2005 Class A title by sweeping Columbia 25-19, 25-18 for the championship.
Hampshire isn't concerned with anyone else's pedigree. Fortified by four players on the roster who could eventually play Division-I volleyball, the Whip-Purs will take their chances.
"I think we match up well here," Whitehouse said. "We're not going to change much. As long as we stay focused and play our game, we have a chance."