Dodge City, KS

For the 17th time in school history, the Jefferson County North Lady Charger volleyball team stepped onto the floor at the state tournament level. JCN came in as the #7 seed in an incredibly loaded 2A state tournament and was paired up with a tough pool drawing #2 Spearville, #3 Wabaunsee and #6 Belle Plaine. JCN would come up empty in pool play and be eliminated, going 0-3 on Friday night.

#2 Spearville (0-0) vs #7 Jefferson County North (0-0)

Spearville would jump out early and force two early timeouts by coach David Schuler, but the Lancer runs would not be stalled. JCN would drawn within five at 12-17 before Spearville ended the set on an 8-0 run to defeat JCN 25-12. Set two would be more competitive as JCN would stay within 4 points the entire match, fighting back late in set two trailing only 22-23 before Spearville would take the final two points to win 25-22. 

#3 Wabaunsee (1-0 W vs Belle Plaine) vs # Jefferson County North (0-1 L vs Spearville)

Hindsight is always the best sight, but looking back at this particular match, JCN had every chance to steal one from the third seeded team. The two charger teams would keep it close early exchanging mere one point leads until JCN started to pull away. JCN would lead 19-14 before Wabaunsee took their first timeout, what ensued next is where JCN can look back at a learning experience. Follow a few service errors and net violations, Wabaunsee would end the set on a 12-5 run to comeback and steal set one 26-24. In the second set it was much the same early with 4 ties and 3 lead changes, but Wabaunsee would begin to separate from JCN leading 13-10, then extend that to a 21-15 lead before finishing off the set 25-19.

#6 Belle Plaine (0-2 L vs Spearville and Wabaunsee) vs # 7 Jefferson County North (0-2 L vs Spearville and Wabaunsee)

Both teams entered this match knowing that this game would only be for pride as both had been eliminated from bracket play. A competitive start to the match in set one saw JCN battle back from a 4 point deficit to tie the match at 14-14, but a slew of net violations and service errors plagued JCN and Belle Plain would end the set on an 11-6 run to win 25-20. In set two JCN would, similar to set one, battle back from an early deficit to pull within 1 point at 17-18 before Belle Plain pulled away for a second set victory of 25-20.

JCN (32-11) eclipsed 30 wins for the fourth straight year and will return the majority of their state roster. However, two key players will be lost to graduation with Seniors Kynnedi Knudson and Josie Weishaar as well as Senior Emma Tweed. In their prep career these seniors produced an outstanding record of 127-36