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CHARLESTON -- The Wheeling Central Maroon Knights charged through the first day of the WVSSAC Class A state volleyball tournament Tuesday, picking up victories over Independence in the state quarterfinals and Charleston Catholic in the state semifinals to set up a winner-take-all championship match against No. 3 James Monroe on Thursday.
The state championship game is set for 12:30 p.m. inside the Charleston Coliseum. Central, the top seed in the tournament, will be playing for the state title for the first time since 1991.
"It’s what we’ve been working towards," Wheeling Central head coach Grace White said. "I mean, the message in these moments, just like OVAC finals, just like these last two games, is it’s a big deal, but don’t make the moment too big. And they’ve done a really nice job of staying humble, staying classy, staying true to who they are. And that’s, I think, what really took us over the edge today.
"We’re losing three seniors. It’s going to be the last time they step on the court for Central volleyball. And they want to honor them by playing hard for them."
Wheeling Central faced No. 5 Charleston Catholic-- who defeated Oak Glen in the quarterfinals-- in a rematch of last year's state semifinals, a victory for Wheeling Central, and Tuesday was the same result, this time in a Maroon Knight sweep, 25-23, 25-20, 25-17.
Chloe Groome set up her teammates to the tune of 34 assists, while Olivia Stephens led the team with 20 digs.
Teagan Peters had a team-high 12 kills, followed by Remy Peters with 10, Morgan Miehle with nine, and Jackie Maxwell with seven.
"It was neck and neck much of the first, second, and even the third set, but I felt like they were on fire from the jump," White, in her second season as head coach at Central, said. "And when we get that kind of momentum going It’s really hard to slow them down. I'm super impressed with the way they played. I mean, just looking at the stats of just our hitters, everyone contributed and everyone contributed big tonight."
Against the Independence Patriots, who came into the state tournament as the No. 8 seed, Wheeling Central pulled off a clean sweep, 25-10, 25-12, 25-9 to advance to the semis.
"The scores we held Independence to, I was very impressed by," White said. "I think the last set we held them under 10. I think that says a lot about our offense, our defense combined, just how they operate, and the efficiency at which they were running today."
Remy Peters led the team in kills with 14. Chloe Groome led the way in assists with 33. Olivia Stephens' 20 digs paced Central's defensive efforts.
Central's standouts went beyond that trio, too.
"Elexis Riley, she’s a defensive specialist, had a phenomenal game in the back row," White said. "I think there is one play where I was sure-- I was like, oh, that ball is going to drop-- and she got it up and we ended up winning that rally.
"Chloe Groom has led our 5-1 offense the entire year, and to do it on this biggest stage, I was very happy with her too."
With their pair of wins, the day was a successful one for the Maroon Knights, who lost in the state semifinals last year to Philip Barbour.
"They’re excited," White said of her team. "This has been the goal since we lost last year in the second round. It’s been the goal to get back, come back as a higher seed, and come back and win another game. So it’s been a lot of excitement. I thought the girls handled their nerves exceptionally well. They looked very comfortable, just within the first two points. But, it’s a big stage and they’re big games, and so they feel it. But I think we’re a little more mature this year after having that experience last year."