The Bushnell-Prairie City High School varsity volleyball team closed out the regular season Monday evening by doing something it had not done in its previous 63 matches.
Win. Hosting the program’s “Pink Night” activities for breast cancer awareness, the Spartans also took care of business on the court, defeating the Illinois School for the Deaf (ISD) from Jacksonville 25-14, 25-17.
It was B-PC’s first varsity win in 105 weeks, or 735 days. The last victory for the Spartans came on Oct. 12, 2024 when they defeated North Greene (White Hall) 25-17, 25-18 in tournament action at Beardstown.
ISD slipped to 8-13 with Monday’s loss. After pushing three matches to three sets in recent competition, B-PC won the opening set in a match for the first time all season before completing the sweep in set two.
Stats for the Spartans included the following: Brynlee Beekman – 16 set assists, 3 kills and 2 digs Kendyl McCleery – 3 kills and 4 service aces Justice Klinedinst – 9 kills, 10 digs, 1 service ace and 1 set assist Mylee Chenoweth – 20 digs, 1 kill and 1 service ace Jules Kreps – 14 digs, 1 kill, 1 service ace and 2 set assists Aubrey English – 5 digs and 1 kill Jada Bell – 3 digs Hazel Farwell – 1 kill, 1 block and 1 dig Bailey Joiner – 1 kill and 1 service ace Amelia Carley – 1 dig The Spartans (1-27) will head to Liberty for Illinois High School Association Class 1A Regional that begins Oct. 26.
B-PC, the No. 15 seed, faces No. 2 seed Barry Western (23-5) at 6 p.m. before No. 7 seed Payson-Seymour (14-18) faces No. 10 seed Camp Point Central (7-20).
The following day, No. 3 seed Liberty (24-6) will play No. 14 seed Griggsville-Perry/Meredosia-Chambersburg (2-22) prior to No. 6 Rushville-Industry (18-12) facing No. 11 seed Brown County (10-15) for the third time this season.
The semifinals are slated for Oct. 28 with the title contest scheduled for Oct. 29.
The regional champion advances to sectional play at Concord Triopia that begins Nov. 3. Regional champions from Augusta Southeastern, Greenview and Franklin will join the Liberty winner in battling to reach the Elite Eight.
