Michigan City Marquette def. Bloomfield 15-13, 15-10.

Cowan def. Loogootee 15-5, 15-11.

Championship -- Michigan City Marquette def. Cowan 15-7, 7-15, 15-8.

Bremen def. Centerville 15-6, 15-12.

Muncie Burris def. Union County 15-13, 15-9.

Championship -- Muncie Burris def. Bremen 17-15, 15-3.

Yorktown def. Mishawaka Marian 15-13, 15-8.

Indianapolis Cathedral def. Mitchell 15-3, 15-3.

Championship – Yorktown def. Indianapolis Cathedral 15-12, 4-15, 15-12.

Center Grove def. Penn 15-11, 15-12.

Muncie Central def. Fort Wayne Snider 15-12, 15-11.

Championship – Center Grove def. Muncie Central 17-19, 15-12, 16-14.

Top-ranked Michigan City Marquette took control early, survived a second-game loss and bounced back to score a 15-7, 7-15, 15-8 victory over Cowan to win its second consecutive IHSAA Class A state championship. The Blazers also defeated Cowan in the 1999 state championship match, winning 15-9, 15-13.

The 84-minute match was punctuated by long points and momentum swings. In the decisive third game, Cowan (28-10) held early leads before Michigan City Marquette (36-3) went on a roll to take a 12-7 edge and gain control.

The champions were directed by first-year coach Jim Dove and finished the season 38-2. Over the past two seasons they compiled a 78-2 record. Fourth-ranked Cowan, coached by Chuck Wallen, was 27-11 this season and 55-21 during the past two seasons.

The Blazers were led by sophomore Kelly Cochran's 21 kills, while sophomore Casey Goth led Cowan with 22.

Michigan City Marquette earned its spot in the championship match by ousting Bloomfield 15-13, 15-10 in the Class A semifinals Saturday morning at Westfield High School. Cowan ousted Loogootee 15-5, 15-11.

Meredith Burns, a senior at Michigan City Marquette High School, was named the 2000 recipient of the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award in Class A Volleyball.

Burns has been key performer on Marquette’s volleyball team for four years, and also is a three-year participant in basketball and softball.

Academically, Burns ranks fifth in a class of 61 students and is a member of the National Honor Society. She is active in a wide range of extracurricular activities. She plans to attend the University of Notre Dame and major in pre-medicine.

Farm Bureau Insurance, corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 check to Marquette High School in the name of Burns.

Officials: Jill Davis, Ken Cobb, Rick Golichowski.

Line Judges: Ed Alldredge, Rita Pickering, Jan Schlegelmilch, Cary Schnick.

Muncie Burris successfully defended its Class 2A state championship and won its 12^th IHSAA volleyball state title overall with a 17-15, 15-3 victory over Bremen. The victorious Owls finished 33-6.

Muncie Burris cruised to an 11-5 lead in the first game only to see Bremen storm back to tie the game at 12. Bremen forged to a 14-13 lead and was serving to win the first game. Muncie Burris dug in to gain a 15-15 tie and went on to a 17-15 first-game triumph. The Owls led throughout the second game.

Sophomore outside attacker Amanda McCormick paced Muncie Burris with 14 kills and senior Kristen Perkins added eight. Junior Ashley Bell served three aces for the Owls. For Bremen, senior Andrea Gramm contributed seven kills.

Bremen, ranked seventh in the coaches association poll, was making its first state finals appearance. The Lions, coached by Beth Huppert, finished 27-6.

In semifinals action earlier in the day at Noblesville, No. 2-ranked (2A) Muncie Burris advanced 15-13, 15-9 over Union County while Bremen downed Centerville 15-6, 15-12.

Other state championship years for Muncie Burris were 1982, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1997 in the single-class format. The Owls have won the Class 2A state title four straight years. All of the titles have come under the direction of coach Steve Shondell.

Kristin Perkins, a senior at Muncie Burris High School, was named the 2000 recipient of the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award in Class 2A Volleyball.

Perkins was an outside attacker for the state champion Owls. She had 163 kills this season coming into the state finals and added eight in the state championship match. Perkins is a three-year letter winner in volleyball and in tennis.

Academically she ranks No. 1 in her senior class of 43 students and has been named a National Merit semifinalist. She is involved in several leadership roles in her school, including four years as class secretary. Perkins has narrowed her college choice to Yale, Princeton and Chicago, and plans to major in urban and regional studies.

Farm Bureau Insurance, corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 check to Muncie Burris High School in the name of Perkins.

Officials: Joyce Roberts, Julie Johnson, Fred Scheub.

Line Judges: Pam Brake, Jan Butcher, Jim Lough, Ron Stevens.

Yorktown captured its first volleyball state title with an upset of defending state champion Indianapolis Cathedral 15-12, 4-15, 15-12.

Coached by Kenna Jones, the Tigers finished 36-2 with a nine-match winning streak. Their only losses were to New Castle and Delta. They posted regular-season victories over eventual state finalists Cowan (Class A), Muncie Burris (2A), Union County (2A) and Muncie Central (4A).

After a 6-6 tie in the third game, Yorktown surged to a 12-8 lead. Indianapolis Cathedral came back to tie at 12, but Yorktown moved to a 14-12 lead on its next serve. On its third opportunity at match point, the Tigers prevailed for the victory.

Senior Stephanie Keller led the Tigers with 13 kills in 31 attempts, while senior Stacie Baldwin contributed 36 assists.

It is the third IHSAA title overall for Yorktown and the first since capturing girls golf in 1976. The Tigers also won the IHSAA boys golf title in 1975.

Indianapolis Cathedral completed the season 36-3 and the Irish were 80-8 during the past two seasons. They were coached by Jean Kesterson.

Leading the Irish was senior Allyne Rebholz with 17 kills in 31 attempts. Senior Lauren Holbrook contributed 27 assists.

Yorktown advanced into the final match with a 15-13, 15-8 defeat of 1999 runner-up Mishawaka Marian in the semifinals. Indianapolis Cathedral took a 15-3, 15-3 decision from Mitchell in the other semifinal match.

Stephanie Keller, a senior at Yorktown High School, was named the 2000 recipient of the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award in Class 3A Volleyball.

Keller is a four-year letter winner in volleyball and has received a full scholarship to play the sport at Ball State University where she plans to major in education. She also is a three-year letter winner in basketball.

Academically Keller ranks No. 2 in her senior class of 144 students. She also is active in several school extracurricular activities, including the National Honor Society in which she serves as president of the Yorktown High School chapter. She is a four-year member of the student council.

Farm Bureau Insurance, corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 check to Yorktown High School in Keller’s name.

Officials: Don Reynolds, Linda Payton, Charles Smoljan.

Line Judges: Susan Erickson, Carol Gilbert, Richard Panning, Anne Pape.

Top-ranked Center Grove outlasted three-time defending Class 4A state champion Muncie Central 17-19, 15-12, 16-14 to win its first volleyball state title.

The Trojans, making their second consecutive appearance in the state finals, fell to the Bearcats in two games in last year's state semifinals. Muncie Central was making its fourth straight appearance in the title match.

Coached by Deb McClurg, the Trojans recovered from a 14-7 deficit in the final game to win their ninth straight match. Overall, they closed the season at 38-2.

Center Grove was led by senior Jennifer Gandolph's 22 kills. Senior Courtney Hedrick added 13 and sophomore Ashley Buckingham 12 while senior Kerri Byrum contributed 44 assists. Senior Lisa Griffith posted 15 kills for Muncie Central and sophomore Joselyn Johnson had 14.

In semifinal action, Center Grove ousted Penn, 15-11, 15-12 and Muncie Central advanced past Fort Wayne Snider, 15-12, 15-11.

Third-ranked Muncie Central, coached by Dave Shondell, finished with a 33-6 record.

Lisa Griffith, a senior at Muncie Central High School, was named the 2000 recipient of the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award in Class 4A Volleyball.

She is a four-year volleyball letter winner and played in the IHSAA Volleyball State Finals four times. She was a three-year starter and serves as captain of this year’s team. She also is a three-year letter winner in girls swimming.

Griffith is ranked No. 1 academically in a senior class of 279 students. She is a member of the National Honor Society and has served a vice president of her class.

Her college choice is undecided, but she plans to major in science toward a career goal of optometry.

Farm Bureau Insurance, corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 check to Muncie Central High School in Griffith’s name.

Officials: Deb Glass, Dennis Aldridge, Julie Gilliland-Featheringill.

Line Judges: Greg Carswell, Dawn Hedge, Donna Herrell, Greg Roth.