Southeastern makes history with fourth straight regional volleyball championship

The Southeastern volleyball team won the Class 1A Havana Regional championship Thursday night, giving the Suns four consecutive regional titles for the first time in program history. | Submitted photo

HAVANA, Ill. — For all of the success the Southeastern volleyball program has enjoyed over the past four decades, there are still certain historic achievements yet to be reached. Thursday night, the Suns eclipsed one of those. For the first time in program history, Southeastern won its fourth consecutive regional championship, dispatching Triopia 25-13, 25-20…

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Stortzum, Bombers serve up backbreaking run to start second set in sweep of Suns

Macomb's Kate Stortzum prepares to serve during Wednesday night's prep volleyball match against Southeastern at The Hangar in Macomb, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

MACOMB, Ill. — Macomb volleyball coach Briana Rexroat didn’t know why, but she had a vision leading up to the Bombers’ heavyweight clash with Southeastern on Wednesday. “For some reason, all day I was envisioning 25-12,” Rexroat said. “I just kept seeing those two numbers.” Nostradamus would have been proud. Rexroat’s vision came true in…

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‘This is only the beginning’: Lady Suns Classic title start of something special for Southeastern

The Southeastern volleyball team celebrates winning the championship of the Lady Suns Classic after capturing two matches in the championship pool on Saturday in Augusta, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

AUGUSTA, Ill. — Amanda Stephens knows the Southeastern volleyball team has bigger fish to fry, but that doesn’t diminish the excitement of winning a tournament on their home floor. “This is only the beginning,” Stephens said. Southeastern went 5-0 and didn’t lose a set en route to a Lady Suns Classic title. The Suns swept…

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Suns unable to stem changing tide late in second set, fall to Comets in Class 1A super-sectional

Southeastern's Kenzie Griswold, right, drives a shot past a Sterling Newman Central Catholic block during Friday's Class 1A Eastland Super-Sectional in Lanark, Ill. | Photo courtesy Earleen Hinton, Shaw Media

LANARK, Ill. — After falling into a deep hole to start Friday night’s Class 1A Eastland Super-Sectional, the Southeastern volleyball team looked like it had recovered and regained control of the match. But the Suns couldn’t fend off a Sterling Newman Central Catholic rally in the second set, and the Class 1A runners-up from a…

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Suns continue to rise to occasion, fight back in third set to win sectional championship

The Southeastern volleyball team won the Class 1A Brimfield Sectional championship with a three-set victory over Hartsburg-Emden on Wednesday night. | Submitted photo

BRIMFIELD, Ill. — The Southeastern volleyball team’s cardiac kids made a comeback. More than one comeback, to be precise.  Down 10 points in the decisive third set Wednesday night, the Suns staged an epic rally to defeat Hartsburg-Emden 25-11, 21-25, 28-26 in the Class 1A Brimfield Sectional final. To Southeastern coach Tim Kerr, his team’s…

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Adam: Through the tears, Kerr appreciates every minute during state tournament run

Southeastern head coach Tim Kerr hugs his daughter, Ani, after the Suns' loss in the Class 1A title match against St. Thomas More on Saturday at Redbird Arena. | PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

NORMAL, Ill. — When asked during Saturday’s post-match press conference how many times Southeastern volleyball coach Tim Kerr had cried, senior Taylor Wagner said, “Too many to count.” “Counting here? Probably 10 at least,” said Tim’s daughter, Ani. Tim is known for getting choked up about just about anything, ranging from college signings, athletic banquets…

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After stealing first set from St. Thomas More, Suns’ season sets with second-place finish

Suns coach Tim Kerr, right, and the Southeastern volleyball team celebrate with their state trophy after Saturday morning's match against St. Thomas More in the Class 1A championship game at the IHSA state volleyball tournament. The Suns fell to St. Thomas More 22-25, 25-18, 25-17. | PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

NORMAL, Ill. — The incomplete team with the imperfect defense nearly pulled off the improbable upset. Tiny Augusta Southeastern, vying to become the school with the smallest enrollment to win the Illinois High School Association Class 1A volleyball state championship, stunned No. 1-ranked Champaign St. Thomas More 25-22 to win the first set Saturday morning…

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Blaze of glory: Stephens, Suns reach first volleyball championship match in school history

Southeastern's Summer Ramsey hugs Taylor Wagner, who raises her fist, as they celebrate their 25-16, 25-23 victory over Springfield Lutheran at the Illinois High School Association Class 1A state volleyball finals in Normal. At right is Abbey McMillen. | iPhotoNews Photo by Clark Brooks

NORMAL, Ill. — Springfield Lutheran volleyball coach Katie McCulley knew what was coming. Her team played Southeastern in the finals of the New Berlin Tournament in September, and she saw first-hand what 5-foot-10 freshman Amanda Stephens could do when the Suns won in two sets. So it didn’t surprise McCulley when Stephens dominated Friday morning’s…

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Suns taking history, community support with them to state volleyball tourney

Members of the Southeastern volleyball team sign a ball before practice Thursday at Redbird Arena in Normal, Ill. Photo courtesy Autumn Schullian

BOWEN, Ill. — The custodians earned their pay Wednesday. Before leaving for Normal to continue preparations for the Class 1A state tournament, the Southeastern volleyball players were treated to a district-wide celebration and sendoff. It started with a morning assembly at the elementary school in Bowen. The students lined the gym to give the Suns…

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No. 5-ranked Southeastern overcomes first set woes, advances to sectional final against No. 4-ranked Hartsburg-Emden

ABINGDON, Ill. — The mantra for most coaches in the postseason is to “play them one game at a time.”  Southeastern coach Tim Kerr kind of thumbed his nose at that thought. After watching his team defeat Princeville 25-27, 25-19, 25-20 on Monday night in the semifinals of the Class 1A Abingdon Sectional, Kerr admitted…

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No messing around: QND strong in all facets, hands Southeastern first loss

Quincy Notre Dame's Abbey Schreacke hits the ball past the block of Southeastern's Amanda Stephens during Tuesday night's volleyball match in Augusta. David Adam

AUGUSTA, Ill. — From the moment her team stepped on the bus Tuesday night, Quincy Notre Dame volleyball coach Courtney Kvitle liked what she saw. “Tonight was the first time I felt like they were on a business trip,” Kvitle said. “They weren’t goofy, they weren’t overly excited, they were just happy. They were here…

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