By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The 2022 chapter of the Webb City-Carl Junction volleyball epoch belongs to the Red and Blue.
Webb City made it a season sweep over their conference and local rivals on Tuesday night, earning a second straight district championship in the process.
The Lady Cardinals beat Carl Junction 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-12) in the Class 4 District 6 Tournament finals at Willard High School.
“We came in on the bus ride here, everyone was fired up and we all had chills,” said Webb City senior Brenda Lawrence. “We were like, ‘This is it. We’re going to do it. We’re going places.’ We all have the same drive right now. It’s very beneficial.”
Postseason volleyball battles are becoming common for these two Central Ozark Conference schools.
Webb City and Carl Junction have now played in districts every year since 2018. Four of those meetings have occurred in the district title match.
Webb City pulled off a 3-2 upset over Carl Junction in last year’s finals.
“It is easier to play against people that you see a lot,” said Webb City coach Rhonda Lawrence. “When you don’t know what’s coming, you have to adjust on the fly and make the changes then. Going against (Carl Junction) again, we knew what was coming at us. These kids have played against each other since they were little.”
In two prior meetings this season, Webb City beat Carl Junction 3-0 and 2-0.
“Carl Junction is always a tough team, and I knew they were going to bring it even harder this time,” Rhonda Lawrence said. “It’s hard to beat somebody three times, but we were fired up to try to do that.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE MATCH
Webb City will host Helias Catholic (29-6-3 overall) in the Class 4 quarterfinals this Saturday, Oct. 29. Helias, after dropping the first two sets, rallied to beat Jefferson City 3-2 in its district title match on Tuesday night.
The Crusaders will hit the road this Saturday to face a Webb City squad that has never hosted a state playoff match in volleyball.
“I’m super stoked,” Rhonda Lawrence. “It’ll be beautiful at home. We’ll be packing the dome for sure.”
With a win Saturday, the Lady Cardinals can make more history. Webb City will be seeking its first final four berth in program history.
“This season has been incredible,” Brenda Lawrence said. “A lot different from years past. We’re just playing really strong right now. We all turn in and we’re all ready to play for each other. It’s for each other. That’s our purpose.”
Webb City controlled Tuesday’s trilogy match from start to finish. The Lady Cardinals were first to hit 15, then 20, in all three sets.
The Lady Cardinals, despite their past success against Carl Junction, were a team ready to erase any lingering doubts.
“All along this week, people were saying, ‘It’s the third time you’re playing (Carl Junction). It’s going to be hard to come back and win,” Brenda Lawrence said. “We had that in our minds coming into tonight. It was almost easier (to prepare) for playing them again. We knew we were going to have to fight for it and they’d want it just as bad as we did.”
Brenda Lawrence and Aubree Lassiter led Webb City (31-4-2 overall) with nine kills apiece. Freshman Jaeli Rutledge added seven kills.
Balance and versatility has been Webb City’s trademark this season.
“That’s what I love about this team: We’re so multi-talented, multi-faceted, from where we can attack and where we can switch blockers,” Rhonda Lawrence said. “It just makes us hard to defend and shut down.”
Said Brenda Lawrence: “We’re not just one hitter. We have four or five girls out there who can hit. All of us contribute.”
Junior Kylie Scott led Carl Junction with eight kills. Senior Destiny Buerge added seven kills.
The Lady Bulldogs conclude their season at 22-11-2 overall, surpassing the 20-win mark for the third straight season.
