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Roncalli sweeps its way to repeat 3A state title
INDIANAPOLIS - A year ago, Roncalli turned in a dream season en route to the Class 3A state championship. An undefeated record (35-0) punctuated a title that came after near-misses the previous few years.
This time, the Royals made it back and needed to dig a bit deeper to defend its championship.
And, perhaps, used a little luck from a shiny blazer.
The Royals (33-5) fell behind Fort Wayne Dwenger in all three sets of the title match, but rallied impressively in each to score a 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-19) triumph.
The state title is Roncalli’s fifth in program history and the Royals are now 5-0 all-time in championship matches.
IHSAA Class 3A State Championship
Roncalli def. Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-19)
“We had some fresh new faces this year and a lot more pieces to coach up,” coach Christina Erazmus said. “We said we can win with grit. That’s Roncalli volleyball.”
It couldn’t have hurt that Erazmus showed up to the sidelines wearing a silver-sequinned blazer she was relying on for some good fortune.
“It was my aunt’s jacket,” Erazmus said. “She wore it to her 70th birthday party and I asked her if we make it back to the state finals if I could wear it. I wear blazers a lot when I coach, but this one is definitely the shiniest.”
There weren’t a lot of shining moments with the way Roncalli started each set.
In the first, the Royals found themselves down 11-7 and 19-15 before finishing on a 10-3 run.
In set two, the Saints (22-9) took leads of 7-2 and 10-5 and still held a 16-15 lead before Roncalli again finished on a 10-3 spurt.
“After the second set,” Erazmus said, “I told the girls we’ve fought our way back twice and let’s not do it again.”
Well, they did it again, this time falling behind, 9-5 in set three.
The Royals, however, began their rally a little earlier by taking an 11-10 lead and never trailing again.
“In this atmosphere, I feel the girls just started (each set) a bit shaky,” Erazmus said. “Each time, we settled in and became much more aggressive at the net.”
“We wanted to get out of here in three sets,” Roncalli senior Lydia Stahley said. “When we were down, we focused on rallying and getting the next point.”
Stahley had a large hand in that as she led all hitters with 19 kills and a stellar .441 hitting percentage.
In that final set, Roncalli built a 19-14 lead only to see Dwenger rally within 20-19. The Royals, however, scored the final five points to clinch the match.
Set point came off a hit by senior Lily Jones, who added 12 kills in the match. Freshman Norah Bell had the last of her 40 assists on that point.
“I congratulate Roncalli,” first-year Dwenger coach Dan Boren said. “They earned it and proved why they were here again.
“We were excited to be here and we probably just played too loose when we got leads,” Boren continued. “That led to errors that built up over the course of each set.”
Nicolette Watercutter led Dwenger with 15 kills.
Dwenger had previously won a state title in 2020.
Class 3A State Championship Records
Total Team Blocks: 9.5 by Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger
Block Assists: 7 by Braelynn Hodgman, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger
Total Individual Blocks: 7 by Braelynn Hodgman, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger
Reagan Turk of Roncalli named Mental Attitude Award recipient
Following the match, Reagan Turk of Roncalli High School was announced as the recipient of the Mental Attitude Award by the IHSAA Executive Committee.
Reagan is an exceptional multi-sport athlete, participating in basketball, track & field, and volleyball in all four of her years as a Royal. She has earned All-County, All-Region, All-Conference, and All-State honors on the volleyball court!
She is a member of Roncalli’s Champions Together program, Athletic Leadership Ministry, National Honor Society, and is a CYO volunteer.
She is the daughter of Tony and Erin Turk of Indianapolis, IN and plans to pursue studies in Business at West Virginia University while playing volleyball for the Mountaineers.
The Mental Attitude Award is annually presented to a senior nominated by her principal and coach, and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability during her four years of high school.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, a proud corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Roncalli High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Reagan Turk.
IHSAA’s Champion of Education Award, presented by Ivy Tech Community College
This award recognizes teachers and faculty who go above and beyond to challenge students to reach their full potential. As an organization that emphasizes keeping education at the forefront of high school athletics, the IHSAA is proud to shine a light on two honorees in this year’s class. On behalf of Ivy Tech Community College, presenting sponsors of the IHSAA Champion of Education Award, the IHSAA will award $250 to the classroom of each recipient.
Dr. Shelia McGarry teaches Philosophy and English at Bishop Dwenger High School, where her challenging curriculum is matched by her ability to help students become sharper, more thoughtful thinkers. Her students consistently praise her for pushing them to grow both academically and intellectually. Outside the classroom, Dr. McGarry can be found cheering at nearly every Bishop Dwenger Volleyball match, no matter the distance. She is a truly dedicated and supportive presence within the school community!
Angie Toner teaches Pre-Calculus, Algebra, and Statistics at Roncalli High School. Her deep commitment to both the school and her students is evident in everything she does. Widely trusted as a mentor by students and colleagues alike, Angie consistently offers guidance, encouragement, and steady support. Her impact on the Roncalli community is truly lasting and deeply felt by all who know her!
