Newman Catholic on verge of historical title
WAUSAU – Mariah Whalen has celebrated a WIAA girls volleyball state title with her teammates on the Resch Center floor in each of past three seasons.
Whalen will have a chance to hold another gold trophy this weekend to complete a remarkable prep career and help the Cardinals to a historic fourth title.
No other Division 4 team has won more than three straight championships in the state tournament history. The Cardinals begin tournament play with a state semifinal matchup against Seneca at 10 a.m. Friday.
“We feel very fortunate that we are one of the four teams left in the state all the people who worked hard before us and helped build our program to what it is today,” Newman Catholic coach Betty Lange said during Monday's practice. “We have a great opportunity and the skill to do it. The players have worked hard and have the tools. It’s just a matter if they have the fight, the drive and the will to win (this weekend) when it comes down to it.”
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Whalen is the lone player who has started for the Cardinals over the last four seasons and helped the team to an overall record of 141-16 in that span. With two wins this weekend, the Cardinals would join Waupun as the only program in the state to win four consecutive state titles.
Waupun won five straight championships in Division 2 from 2001-05.
“That would be awesome (to win a fourth straight title),” Whalen said. “It would represent a lot of hard work by all the girls and the people who have been here before us. It would mean a lot to everybody.”
Whalen, a University of Wisconsin commit, leads the Cardinals with 634 kills this fall and has 2,684 kills since the start of her freshman season. Junior Riley Vaughn has 399 kills along with a team-high 312 digs and 598 assists for a Cardinals team that is making a ninth state appearance overall, and eighth in the past nine seasons.
The Cardinals face a Seneca team that is making a seventh tournament appearance overall, but first since 1998. Freshman McKenna Greene leads Seneca with 250 kills and junior Haley Wall has 212.
Junior setter Emily Garfoot has 393 assist for a Seneca team which has won eight straight matches and 12 of its last 15 overall. Clayton and Randolph meet in the other Division 4 semifinal and Newman Catholic has beat Clayton in the state tournament twice in the past three years, including in the 2013 title game.
Newman Catholic was the top-ranked team in Division 4 in the final Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association state rankings and Randolph and Clayton were ranked third and fourth, respectively Seneca was not ranked in the final state poll
"We don't know much about (Seneca), but you can't take anyone for granted," Lange said. "We know we have to go in and play very good volleyball."
The Cardinals have done that throughout this playoff run.
Newman Catholic has not lost a set in the postseason this fall and lost just eight sets in 23 matches since the start of the WIAA 2013 postseason overall. The Cardinals have won nine straight matches and 11 of the past 13 going into Friday.
"We try and walk into every practice with a focused attitude, so I think it transitions into the game," said Newman Catholic senior libero Breck Wcisel, who has 499 digs this fall and is averaging 2.1 digs per set.
The Cardinals will try and maintain that mental approach this weekend.
"I think (the key is) just staying focused and just knowing what we are working toward and what's at stake is going to be really important."
Tim Johnson: 715-845-0731, or timothy.johnson@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter @timmyjo11
NEWMAN CATHOLIC (32-7) VS.
SENECA (26-9)
What: WIAA Division 4 volleyball state semifinal
When: 10 a.m., Friday
Where: Resch Center, Green Bay
Tickets: $8 per session