November 9, 2013
Barr-Reeve Finally Breaks Through for State Championship
Barr-Reeve made its own history in defeating Lafayette Central Catholic, 3-1, in the IHSAA Class A Volleyball state championship match at Worthen Arena in Muncie.
The second-ranked Vikings (38-2) took the first two games of the match before finishing off the No. 6 Knights in the fourth for a 25-17, 25-22, 19-25, 25-21 victory to become the first Barr-Reeve team to win a state championship.
Their title finally arrived after the school settled for the runner-up spot three times in 1998, 2001 and 2008. It was the Vikings' fifth appearance in the volleyball state finals.
Barr-Reeve, a school of 213 students in Daviess County in southwestern Indiana, scored on 50% of their attempts for the match including a 61% mark in the opening game. Central Catholic staved off elimination winning Game 3 hitting 57% and forcing 12 Barr-Reeve hitting errors.
Hania Sisco lead the Vikings with 19 kills for a .286 hitting percentage while Tiara Kenny converted on 10 kills. Jenna Knepp, the mental attitude award winner, assisted on 36 of those and Hannah Bullock dug out 26 attempts on defense. Cameron Onken had 18 kills and Emily Denhart 13 for Lafayette Central Catholic.
It was Barr-Reeve's fourth win over a top six opponent in their last five matches under coach Amber DoCoursey. Central Catholic, which was making its fourth appearance including the 2010 state championship under coach Brad McCarter, finished 28-11.
Barr-Reeve's Jenna Knepp Named Mental Attitude Award Winner
At the conclusion of the state finals, the IHSAA Executive Committee named Jenna Knepp of Barr-Reeve High School as the winner of the Class A Mental Attitude Award.
The Vikings captain led her team to its first state finals appearance since 2009. She was named to the ICGSA
(Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association) Class 1A First Team for her efforts on the court this season.
Knepp is ranked eighth in her senior class and has been a member of the honor roll each year. She has participated in mission trips to Juarez, Mexico, and Guatemala, and is a Daviess County Community Foundation youth council member. The multi-sport athlete has been a four year member of the Viking basketball and softball teams.
She is the daughter of Devon and Lori Knepp of Montgomery.
Each year the IHSAA Executive Committee selects a senior player who was nominated by her principal and coach and was determined to have best demonstrated mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. The Committee presented $1,000 to Barr-Reeve High School's general scholarship fund in the name of Jenna Knepp.