T-L Photo/KIM NORTH SHADYSIDE SOPHOMORE Gentry Brown goes up for a kill during Wednesday’s Division IV sectional co-final against St. John Central Academy. The Tigers swept the Irish in three sets.

SHADYSIDE — Whenever a team is coming off a conference championship, there’s always the chance for a letdown. Not Wednesday night.

Shadyside, fresh off its first-ever Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Class 2A title on Saturday, made quick work of St. John Central Academy in its Division IV East District sectional tournament opener by scores of 25-4, 25-14 and 25-16 inside the Tiger Den.

With the 41-minute victory, the top-seeded Tigers improved to an impressive 19-2 after going 24-2 and reaching the district finals. They will host Steubenville Catholic on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Crusaders eliminated Toronto last night, as well, in five sets.

The Irish finished their season at 9-10.

“This group does a good job of kind of knowing what they want to do,” Shadyside head coach Eric Mercer said.

The Tigers came out as focused as ever as they sprinted to a 12-1 lead behind the serving of Kylie Jo Baker. After a timeout by SJCA, Baylee Wach reeled off half-a-dozen consecutive points as the margin increased to 19-2.

With Gentry Brown at the service line, Shadyside closed out the first set on a Baker spike in just 10 minutes.

SJCA came out with some fire to start the second set.

The Irish received four points by Kyla Kull to take a 5-0 advantage and eventually led 9-3 before Mercer called timeout to settle things down.

“I told them we needed to re-focus. You can’t just assume that you are going to win just because you’re (the) number 1 (seed). You have to go out and earn it,” Mercer said of his little speech. “Kudos to St. John for coming out with more energy in the second and third sets to make us work a little bit.”

Following the break in the action, Shadyside went on a 6-0 run to draw even. The two squads were deadlocked at 10, 11 and 12 before the Tigers took control.

Caroline Mercer’s serving gave the hosts a 15-12 lead and ignited a 13-2 run to end the set.

“When we get deeper in the tournament those type of deficits are going to be harder to overcome. You’ve got to be cautious about losing that focus and digging yourself a hole. With every progressive game the competition will be better and better. We’ve always got to be ready to play.”

Baker, Brown, Paige Gorby and Tory Hendershot controlled the net while Mercer and Wach held down the middle and back.

After four ties in the third set — the last at 7 — Shadyside gradually pulled away behind its strong serving and net play.

Brown paced the Tigers with an outstanding 17 kills in 19 attacks. She also added four digs. Mercer chipped in 33 assists and four digs while Gorby added 11 kills and a trio of blocks. Baker finished with six kills and a pair of digs and Wach charted five aces and half-a-dozen digs.

“We’ve got some very talented players, so we spread the ball around and try to keep the opponents defense off balance so they don’t know where we’re going with the ball,” Coach Mercer said.