I was at the RA Facility in Marshall to witness two of the best section volleyball matches I have ever seen.

I have been struggling to find the right words to describe what I witnessed. I don’t know what to say! Canby, Minneota and RTR volleyball teams are so full of talented girls that love to play volleyball. You just knew that when they played each other it was going to go five sets!

Thursdays section matchup was Canby and Minneota! Canby jumped out 2 sets to none and had all the momentum. Then the defending state champion Vikings fought back and took the next 3 sets to win 3-2! Canby had an amazing season playing mostly sophomores! After the match I was exhausted from broadcasting. I’m glad Morgan Hennen helped me broadcast. Minneota moved on to play again in the section championship match Saturday.

Saturday night was a night to remember! The gym was packed and Abbey Hennen and I were excited to broadcast the match that everyone will always remember. RTR won in 5 sets, winning the 5th set 17-15! This is the first time RTR will be making a trip to state in volleyball. We sit next to Coach Fruin and the Minneota bench and you feel like you are part of the team. Having a front row seat is the best! What a match it was, the excitement, the crowd, student sections and both teams played like it was for the Olympic gold medal! Both teams are so athletic it’s fun to watch what they can do.

My heart hurt for Hayley and the Vikings after the match. It was a tough loss. I’ve gone to state with them for like 5 or 6 years in a row. Going to be different this week not going to the Xcel Energy Center.

I remember a few other volleyball matches that I have had the chance to broadcast over my 30 years. Maccray and Minneota a few years ago. Maccray and Dawson-Boyd a number of years ago in Montevideo. Now I can’t decide which is my most exciting and best volleyball match ever. Last Saturday RTR and Minneota or TMB and Minneota about 4 or 5 years ago for the section championship. TMB had a veteran team and Minneota was young and the Vikings won in 5 sets when Morgan Kockelman set Lydia Sussner for the kill to win it! Dang that was a volleyball match. I’ve been blessed to witness a lot of good volleyball over the years.

Brian Jeremiason is an excellent photographer and covers Minneota sports I’m sharing his photos so you can see the emotion and intensity of the girls.