Van Buren claims SEISC South title

WAYLAND - In a battle of Warriors, Van Buren and WACO clashed Tuesday, but No. 8 (Class 2A) Van Buren took a 3-0 victory to claim the 2019 Southeast Iowa Super Conference South Division title with a 7-1 record and a 29-4 mark overall. WACO is 21-11, 3-5 and had defeated Class 1A No. 10 New London last week. New London was the last team to defeat Van Buren.

'WACO is a good 1A team, but I don't get too concerned about my kids,” VB coach Matt Zietler said. 'We just come at you with what we've got.”

VB jumped out to a 7-2 lead and slowly stretched the lead until claiming a 25-16 win in the first set.

WACO took control of the second set with a 7-2 start and building the lead to 17-10. An ace from Logan Schmitt at 17-13 seemed to energize the visitors and a kill from Chloe Davidson tied the set at 22.

'We actually have four good hitters but Chloe does not get a lot of opportunities,” Zeitler said. 'I don't think we have a weak spot.”

Davidson and twin Grace Davidson combined on a block for a 25-23 set win.

'We did not handle things very well offensively in the first set,” WACO coach Jay Coble said. 'Set No. 2 was the one we have to win.”

VB rode the momentum to build leads of 3-0, 6-2, 9-3 and 17-7, which is when Coble called his second timeout of the set. At 17-11, Zietler called time and a battle royale ensued between Van Buren's Taryn Scheuermann and WACO's Morgan Graber.

A Graber kill was followed by three consecutive kills from Scheuermann for a 21-12 VB lead. Graber then connected on three straight to force a Zietler timeout at 21-16. An ace by Ellie Miles was followed by consecutive spikes from Graber. An ace from Miles made it 21-20. Scheuermann slammed one down for a 22-20 edge, but Graber connected for the 21st WACO point. An error tied the match, then Graber's spike gave WACO its first lead of Set 3 at 23-22. Scheuermann answered with a kill to tie it, then Chloe Davidson's spike got it to match point and Salena Sayre punched one down for a kill to end it, 25-23.

'I just started working on jumping so that I could hit down on the ball and that makes a big difference,” Scheuermann said. 'I guess it was a mental thing and we wanted to be the conference champions. Last year we were co-champs so it felt really good to be the champions this year. I think our chemistry is great and that's what carries us through in the moments when we tend to get down.”

Graber had nine of her 18 total kills in the third set, thanks to setter Laney Graber (no relation), who had 31 assists.

'Our setter is going to own every school record by the time she leaves,” Coble said. 'Laney was the key as was Elle and her serving. Our defense was stout behind her.

Molly McLaughlin had seven kills and WACO libero Aubri Garnsey had 30 digs.

'I think the key is they shut down our middle, Lona Farrier,” Coble said. 'She only had two kills and she has been averaging a lot more.”

Farrier is 5-foot-10 while VB's middle, Scheuermann, is 6-foot-3.

WACO hosts Highland Tuesday in the first round of the 1A postseason. Van Buren hosts Cardinal Oct. 28.