Local Sports

JM sweeps Brooke in regional final

MOUNDSVILLE -- The John Marshall Monarchs are headed back to Charleston after capturing the Class AAA Region 1 title over visiting Brooke in a clean sweep, 25-9, 25-19, 25-19.

"I’m just proud of them," John Marshall head coach Chelsea Eikleberry said. "We’ve had some injuries lately. We’ve had to battle through that. Gracen Chavanak and Paislee Babiczuk both have been sitting for a little bit, so they both got to get some action. I’m really proud of Gracen for battling through, putting Paislee in there at the end, trying to rest them and save them.

"I’m proud of the whole team coming together and playing together. We set this goal last year when we lost in that semifinal match in Charleston that we wanted to get back down there this season."

Wednesday inside the John Marshall Fieldhouse was the same matchup and location as last year's regional final-- and the same result too.

"It’s a great feeling to be able to win a tournament like this," Eikleberry said. "It’s a great accomplishment. These girls have worked hard all year. We have an incredibly tough schedule, play several AAA teams, we play several 4A schools in the state, and we do that to get better. Even though we do have a few losses on our record, we had a hard schedule, and I’m just proud of them. They’ve learned that when we make mistakes, we push through it, pick each other up, and we just focus on getting that next point."

"We’ve played this team throughout the years, and they are a very well-coached, very disciplined team," Brooke assistant coach Tommy Diserio said. "Tonight’s outcome obviously wasn’t what we wanted, but we played them well tonight, and that’s an improvement from earlier on in the season. We just told the girls we’re gonna take that into next year and improve on that."

Sarah Naome had 10 kills to lead John Marshall. Cassidy Blake added seven. Isla Urbanek served up five aces, and Sarah Hess piled up 33 assists.

John Marshall came out firing in the first set, leaping out to a 12-2 lead. The set ended on a service error.

Urbanek started the second set off with an emphatic kill, but Brooke kept right on John Marshall's heels, staying within one point for most of the early goings, as late as an 11-10 deficit. The Monarchs were able to create some separation late.

The Bruins found early success in the third set with a 4-0 start, but John Marshall tied the set 6-6 and took a permanent lead on a Blake kill.

"I think some of them had a little bit of nerves tonight, but they worked together," Eikleberry said. "We got good swings in and we had great serves. And if we had a mistake, we just pushed through it and kept playing hard."

John Marshall enters the state tournament with a 24-16 record. Brooke's season comes to a close with an 8-21 record.

"We had our lumps throughout the year," Diserio said. "We play a very tough competitive schedule, but that’s the reason that we’re in the regional finals against John Marshall, because you play a tough schedule. They played well, they progressed throughout the year, and they got better every game."

The Class AAA state volleyball tournament is set for Nov. 11 and Nov. 12 inside the Charleston Coliseum.