By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
JANESVILLE – For the first time since 2005, a high school volleyball team from the city of Burlington will not advance to the WIAA state tournament.
Westosha Central and Hilbert made sure of that Saturday night.
In a Division 1 sectional final at Janesville Craig High School, Burlington let a 1-1 tie slip away, losing the third and fourth games in a 25-16, 21-25, 25-16, 26-24 defeat.
The Westosha Central Falcons move on to Thursday’s state meet, where they will battle Muskego.
This marks the first time since 2008 that Burlington hasn’t made it to state. Central advances to state for the first time since 2007.
Central came out firing in the first game and won with ease. But the Demons, proud two-time defending state champions, didn’t go away. They stormed back with a 25-21 win in game two, capped off by a powerful Quinn Spieker kill.
But that ended up being the Demons’ lone bright spot.
After losing game three and never really being in it, Burlington got down, 17-10, in game four. Burlington’s large stable of loyal fans were speechless. The student section was lifeless.
But after a timeout, Burlington got hot, firing off a 14-5 run which forced a Central timeout.
A bad bounce here and a Central block there, and somehow the Falcons came back with the next four points to win the game.
Central students rushed the Craig gym floor and mobbed coach Charlie Berg and his players, as the Demons wrapped arms around each other for one last huddle before some sobbed and stared at the ground in defeat.
Burlington had nothing to be ashamed of, however. Thirty-three wins, being ranked in the state’s top 10 all season with only one senior and overcoming key injuries to two starters yet making it to the sectional final.
It was a good year.
“They made plays at the end, and we didn’t,” said Burlington coach Dan Lynch after the game. “We struggled with ball control in our losses. But it was a great season. We had no bad losses. Every loss was to a top-five team. Our girls play a lot of volleyball. They play hard, and they love the game.”
Junior Robyn Robers said volleyball is an emotional game, and all it took was a couple points to spark the comeback in game four.
“We played our hearts out,” she said. “Everybody played phenomenally. We had our ups and downs, but we should walk out of here with a smile.”
Spieker paced the girls with 20 kills, and Ali Rueter added 11. Rueter’s powerful spikes helped spark the girls in game two, and Spieker was consistent throughout the match.
Also, Burlington put on a dig clinic, totaling 66 for the match. Teagan Taylor led with 16, Spieker added 15 and Robers had 12.
Rueter tallied 24 assists, and Emma Fettig contributed 16.
Division 4 Sectional Final
(1) Hilbert def. Catholic Central, 25-17, 25-22, 25-23
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