IESA Headlines

2011 Seventh Grade Volleyball State Tournaments Begin Saturday

For the fifth time in Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) history four champions will be crowned in the Seventh Grade Girls State Volleyball Tournament series. Competition in the Class 1A, Class 2A, Class 3A and Class 4A State Final Tournaments begins Saturday (March 12) and concludes Tuesday (March 15) at four sites.

Class 1A will be played at Auburn Junior High in Divernon. Class 2A will be played at Heyworth Jr./Sr. High School. Assumption Central A & M Junior High School will be the site of Class 3A. Bloomington Junior High School will host Class 4A.

The time schedule for all four tournaments will be the same. Upper bracket quarterfinals and semifinals will be played in the morning. Lower bracket quarterfinals and semifinals will be played beginning Saturday afternoon. The upper bracket quarterfinals are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. The winners meet in the semifinal at 1:00 p.m. The lower bracket quarterfinals are scheduled for 2:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The winners meet in the semifinal at 5:15 p.m. Third place and championship matches will be played Tuesday with the third place match set for 5:30 p.m. and the championship match scheduled for 6:45 p.m.

Any changes in the playing status of each of the four tournaments will be posted on the IESA Web Site at www.iesa.org as each tournament progresses.

The price of admission Saturday is $7.00 for adults and $3.00 for seniors (62 and over) and students (K-8) and is good for all games Saturday. Children younger than kindergarten are admitted free. Fans attending the games Saturday will receive a wristband that is to be worn all day and will be used for entry into that respective state final site only throughout the day. It will not be honored at any other 7th grade state final site. The price of admission for the third place and championship game session Thursday will be $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for seniors and students (K-8). Children younger than kindergarten again are admitted free.

IESA girls volleyball began in 1976. There was one-class competition from 1976-84, and in 1985 the state series was divided into Class A and Class AA by school size. From 1989-2006, there were two classes state series for both seventh grade and eighth grade. Beginning in 2007, the seventh and eighth grade series have four classes each.

Complete pairings for each state final, plus the FanZone, can be found at www.iesa.org. Click on the Volleyball link at the top of the IESA Web Site Home Page.

Here is a look at each of the four 2011 Seventh Grade State Final Tournaments:

Class 1A @ Auburn JH @ Divernon

Unbeatens Chrisman Scottland and Cissna Park along with last year's fourth place finisher Lovejoy headline a Class 1A field that may produce one surprising result after another.

Hartsburg-Emden (20-3) meets unbeaten Chrisman Scottland (22-0) in the first quarterfinal match at 10:00 a.m. Hartsburg-Emden will be making their fourth appearance in this tournament. They won back-to-back state championships in 2007 and 2008. This will be the first appearance by Chrisman Scottland. Bartonville Monroe (10-10) faces Lovejoy (12-2) in the second match at 11:15 a.m. The winners of these matches meet in the first semifinal match at 1:00 p.m. Bartonville Monroe and Lovejoy are making their second straight appearance in this year's tournament.

Jacksonville Our Saviour (14-8) battles Saunemin (21-1) in the third quarterfinal match at 2:15 p.m. Jacksonville Our Saviour won a three game set against a tough Pleasant Hill team in the sectional championship. Saunemin only has one loss on the season and they are making their first appearance in this tournament. Cissna Park (21-0) plays West Salem (15-3) at 3:30 p.m. Cissna Park is making their first appearance in this tournament and West Salem finished as runner-up in 2007. The winners of these matches meet in the second semifinal match at 5:15 p.m.

Class 2A @ Heyworth Jr./Sr. High School

Six of the eight teams in the Class 2A field have won 20 matches this year, Liberty (21-2), Stewardson-Strasburg (20-1), Decatur Our Lady of Lourdes (22-3), Lewistown Central (23-0), Grant Park (21-3), and Bloomington Holy Trinity (21-4).

Liberty (21-2) plays Paris Crestwood (9-7) in the first quarterfinal match at 10:00 a.m. This is the first Class 7-2A appearance for Liberty. Paris Crestwood played in the 2007 Class 7-2A tournament and finished fourth place. Stewardson-Strasburg (20-1) battles Decatur Our Lady of Lourdes (22-3) at 11:15 a.m. This will be the first appearance for both of these teams in the Class 7-2A tournament. Decatur Our Lady of Lourdes did participate in the 2009 Class 7-1A tournament and finished third place. The winners of these matches meet in the first semifinal match at 1:00 p.m.

Lewistown Central (19-6) meets Bunker Hill Wolf Ridge (17-5) in the third quarterfinal match at 2:15 p.m. This is the fifth straight appearance by Lewistown Central in Class 7-2A. They are also the defending state champions. Bunker Hill Wolf Ridge went the distance with Raymond Lincolnwood in the sectional championship to secure their spot at state. Grant Park (21-3) squares off against Bloomington Holy Trinity (21-4) at 3:30 p.m. Bloomington Holy Trinity and Grant Park have both previously competed in the Class 7-2A tournament. Both are still looking for their first win in this tournament. The winners of these two matches meet in the second semifinal match at 5:15 p.m.

Class 3A @ Assumption Central A @ M JHS

It's a free-for-all for the Class 3A championship features three teams that played in this tournament last year.

Staunton (16-4) meets Mackinaw Dee-Mack (15-5) in the first quarterfinal match at 10:00 a.m. This game will feature a rematch of last year's semifinals. Mackinaw Dee-Mack won that match last year and Staunton will be looking for revenge this year. Dunlap Valley MS (11-9) battles Pleasant Plains (21-2) at 11:15 a.m. Pleasant Plains finished in second place last year at this tournament. The winners of these two matches play in the first semifinal at 1:00 p.m. Dunlap Valley MS will be making their first appearance in Class 7-3A against last year's runner-up, Pleasant Plains.

Marshall JHS (20-1) plays Peru Parkside (22-1) in quarterfinal number three at 2:15 p.m. This will be the first time Marshall JHS has competed in this tournament. They will take Peru Parkside who finished in third place two years ago. The match between Herscher Limestone (20-2) and Paxton-Buckley-Loda (16-4) follows at 3:30 p.m. Both of these teams won their sectional championships in two games. This will be the first trip to the Class 7-3A tournament for both of these teams. The winners of these two matches play in the second semifinal at 5:15 p.m. The third place and title matches will be played Tuesday (March 15) at 5:30 and 6:45 p.m., respectively.

Class 4A @ Bloomington JHS

Four of the eight Class 4A finalists return from last year. All of the eight finalists have won 17 or more of their matches. This year's 4A state tournament championship is wide open.

Champaign Edison (22-2) meets Homer Glen Homer (22-2-1) in the first quarterfinal match at 10:00 a.m. Homer Glen Homer had three straight appearances in this tournament from 2007-2009. They will try to advance to the semifinals when the face first time participant Champaign Edison. Edwardsville Liberty (23-2) plays Lansing Memorial (19-2) in the second match at 11:15 a.m. The winners of these two matches play the first semifinal at 1:00 p.m. Edwardsville Liberty was the runner-up in the 2010 Class 7-4A tournament. Lansing Memorial defeated a tough Chicago Heights Washington squad in the sectional championship to secure a spot at state.

Rochester (22-2) battles Frankfort Summit Hill (17-4-2) in quarterfinal match No. 3 at 2:15 p.m. This will be the fourth straight appearance for Frankfort Summit Hill. Rochester finished this tournament last year with third place honors.

Then Bloomington JHS (21-1) and Shorewood Troy (17-3) square off at 3:30 p.m. Bloomington JHS won the 2008 Class 7-4A state championship and they are looking to win it again this year. Shorewood Troy is making their first appearance in the Class 7-4A tournament. The winners of these two matches play in the second semifinal at 5:15 p.m.