Now, 10 years on from winning the Illinois High School Association Class 1A State Volleyball championship, the 2016 West Prairie volleyball team was honored Monday prior to the Cyclones varsity match against (Biggsville) West Central.
“It’s unfathomable to me that it’s been 10 years,” said Coach Teri Paul.
The team and their families gathered for a reception, watching the replay of the state title match when West Prairie rallied to defeat Lanark Eastland 26-28, 25-21, 25-21 to finish the season with a final record of 34-5-1.
Between the JV and varsity matches, players, coaches and staff from the 2016 squad were introduced before Paul addressed those in attendance.
Many of the players had children of their own accompany them to the court as they were introduced.
“They always had a lot of success,” said Paul of the team. “But it seemed like we were always (falling) short. Like to Southeastern at the junior high level in the regional, or along the way we’d always come so close.”
In 2015, West Prairie lost to Southeastern in the regional final at Astoria 26-24, 22-25, 25-20.
“They knew they had a lot of talent. I knew they had a lot of talent,” said Paul. “That year (entering 2016), that summer in practice and everything they just came up with a theme of ‘It’s our year.’” “We had a mission statement and a goal statement,” she added. “We decided and they decided how and what it would take to actually make it happen. They were just on a mission not to be denied.”
“They always worked hard,” said Paul of the team. “They were very goal-oriented and accomplished things in practice that would help them succeed in the matches.”
That season, the Cyclones lost to host Payson-Seymour on its senior night 25-19, 25-23, snapping a 14-match unbeaten streak.
“We were kind of rivals always,” said Paul. “They beat us on their court on senior night one week before the regional.”
Paul noted that when some of the players were in seventh grade back in 2013, West Prairie beat Payson-Seymour in an Illinois Elementary School Association Class 7-2A regional final at La Harpe.
The Cyclones eventually reached the IESA Class 7-2A State Finals, finishing in fourth place.
One week after West Prairie lost to Payson-Seymour, the teams met again, this time for a Class 1A Regional title at Meredosia.
The Cyclones lost the first set before rallying for an 18-25, 27-25, 25-20 victory.
“I recall it being the most heated and intense backand- forth match I’ve ever coached,” said Paul.
From there, West Prairie beat Lewistown (25-21, 25-21) and Southeastern (25-22, 25-12) at Bushnell to win the sectional.
The Cyclones defeated Kewanee Wethersfield 25-16, 25-21 at the Peoria Heights supersectional to advance to Redbird Arena.
West Prairie defeated Norris City-Omaha-Enfield 25-17, 25-16 to reach the title match.
“They just had a way of getting the job done,” said Paul. “A lot of times it took three sets. They were slow starters a lot of times.”
“There was a quiet confidence I would say about them,” she added. “They just didn’t rattle very easily. It all fell together.”
Paul noted that the 2016 team provides players of today and in the future a blueprint to achieve success.
“You can accomplish great things if you have certain things to make it happen like work ethic,” said Paul. “‘How do we get there? How do we set a goal to get there? Are we going to do what we say we’re going to do and what is the value in that? Is it worth it to do it?’” “I think they would all say that it was,” she added. “Hopefully, kids today will say the same thing.”
