BY JIM MISUNAS

jmisunas@gbtribune.com

DODGE CITY – The Central Plains’ Oiler Magic worked again. The 11-loss Oilers rolled through five matches unbeaten to beat Lebo for the second time, 26-24, 25-23 to secure back-to-back 1A state volleyball championships.

Oiler standout Kassidy Nixon blasted the match-winning point against the Wolves. Earlier, the Oilers (32-11) had to fight through a pair of hard-fought three-set matches. Nixon led the Oilers' crisp hitting with 87 winners and a .400 hitting percentage in five matches. Libero Callie Zink played at the top of her game with 74 digs and 81 serves received. 

Oilers competing were 1 Anna Thielen, 2 Mollie Steiner, 5 Kassidy Nixon, 6 Riley Thompson, 8 Addyson Ogle, 11 Ryenne Cunningham, 13 Lexi Oeser, 14 Shaylah Kempke, 18 Kashlin Beck, 24 Melissa Donecker, 26 Krystal Weeks and 41 Callie Zink.

Riley Thompson delivered 109 assists. Ryenne Cunningham had 27 winners and 45 digs. Lexi Oeser contributed 27 winners and 13 ace serves. Shaylah Kempke delivered 15 winners.

"The girls showed great mental toughness. Winning back-to-back titles really validates the level of our players," said Oiler coach Lisa Crites. "I credit our schedule, which makes all the difference in the world." 

The difference in the championship match was subtle, a couple of key blocks and splendid back row defense by Callie Zink, Callie Steiner and Ryenne Cunningham. 

"Our back row was strong and the girls delivered some key blocks, which Lebo maybe hadn't seen too much," said Crites.

The Oilers were forced to play a pair of three-set matches. Central Plains defeated Central Prairie League rival St. John, 23-25, 25-12, 25-15; and outlasted Lebo, 21-25, 25-21, 25-17 in the first meeting. The Oilers defeated Pratt Skyline 25-16, 25-17 and downed St. John again 25-22, 25-19 in the 1A semifinals. 

"We're not the best morning team and we usually have to work to get our game going," Crites said. "I wasn't concerned because this team started slowly before. We stay in the present and don't look ahead. They are tough mentally and they are fighters."

St. John (22-21) defeated Skyline (23-11), 25-23, 19-25, 25-22 for third place. In pool play, Skyline defeated St. John, 25-23, 21-25, 27-25; and Lebo downed St. John, 25-14, 25-15.

Nixon returned from an injury in a 1A quarterfinal showdown against Central Prairie League rival Victoria, which split four matches against the Oilers.

"Lexi came back sharp. We played amazing volleyball when we beat Victoria. They deserved to be at state tournament," she said. "Victoria was right there with Lebo. Both have two great hitters and strong back rows."

Crites knew the Oilers off-season work would pay dividends.  

"Pat Stiles helps run our fantastic weight training class," Crites said. "When we started our summer work, our chemistry clicked immediately. All that hard work with agility and conditioning paid off. We knew they'd be hurdles. We wanted to play our best volleyball at the end."

1A DIV. 1 STATE DODGE CITY 

CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains (32-11) def. Lebo (32-5), 26-24, 25-23; THIRD—St. John (22-21) def. Skyline (23-11), 25-23, 19-25, 25-22; SEMIFINALS—Central Plains def. St. John, 25-22, 25-19; Lebo def. Skyline, 25-17, 25-18

POOL PLAY—Lebo def. Skyline, 25-22, 25-21; Central Plains def. St. John, 23-25, 25-12, 25-15; Central Plains def. Lebo, 21-25, 25-21, 25-17; Skyline def. St. John, 25-23, 21-25, 27-25; Lebo def. St. John, 25-14, 25-15; Central Plains def. Skyline, 25-16, 25-17

1A DIV. 2 STATE EMPORIA 

CHAMPIONSHIP—Hanover (34-6) def. Attica (31-8), 25-18, 25-19; THIRD-- Central Christian (22-11) def. Wheatland (24-20), 25-23, 25-18; SEMIFINALS—Hanover def. Wheatland, 25-12, 25-16; Attica def. Central Christian, 25-15, 25-23

POOL PLAY—Hanover def. Attica, 25-18, 25-15; Hutchinson Central Christian def. Wheatland, 25-22, 24-26, 25-20; Hanover def. Central Christian, 25-23, 21-25, 25-14; Attica def. Wheatland, 17-25, 25-20, 25-20; Hanover def. Wheatland, 25-16, 25-13; Attica def. Central Christian, 25-16, 27-25

2A STATE DODGE CITY 

CHAMPIONSHIP—Olathe Heritage (30-8) def. Smith Center (36-8), 25-21, 25-14; THIRD—Wabaunsee (28-14) def. Hillsboro (28-7), 25-22, 25-23; SEMIFINALS—Olathe Heritage def. Wabaunsee, 25-10, 25-10; Smith Center def. Hillsboro, 25-22, 25-19 

POOL PLAY—Smith Center def. Hillsboro, 25-18, 25-21; Olathe Heritage def. Wabaunsee, 25-10, 25-15; Olathe Heritage def. Hillsboro, 25-16, 25-21; Smith Center def. Wabaunsee, 25-23, 25-8; Hillsboro def. Wabaunsee, 25-18, 25-7; Olathe Heritage def. Smith Center, 25-23, 21-25, 25-21

3A STATE HUTCHINSON 

CHAMPIONSHIP—Sabetha (41-1) def. Smoky Valley (34-4), 25-19, 25-27, 25-23; THIRD—West Franklin (34-5) def. Goodland (34-10), 25-23, 25-22; SEMIFINALS—Sabetha def. Goodland, 25-13, 25-21; Smoky Valley def. West Franklin, 23-25, 25-23, 25-21 

POOL PLAY—Sabetha def. Smoky Valley, 25-23, 25-16; West Franklin def. Goodland, 25-18, 25-19; Sabetha def. West Franklin, 25-2, 25-18; Smoky Valley def. Goodland, 25-21, 22-25, 25-20; Sabetha def. Goodland, 25-17, 25-18; Smoky Valley def. West Franklin, 25-20, 25-20

4A STATE HUTCHINSON 

CHAMPIONSHIP—SM Miege (22-11) def. Andale (37-4), 25-23, 25-15; THIRD—Ottawa (25-16) def. McPherson (34-7), 9-25, 25-12, 25-21;  SEMIFINALS—SM Miege def. Ottawa, 25-21, 25-10; Andale def. McPherson, 25-17, 25-13 

POOL PLAY—Andale def. McPherson, 25-23, 25-15;  SM Miege def. Ottawa, 25-17, 25-19; Andale def. Ottawa, 25-15, 25-18; SM Miege def. McPherson, 25-18, 25-14; SM Miege def. Andale, 25-18, 25-23; McPherson def. Ottawa, 24-26, 25-21, 25-14

5A STATE SALINA

CHAMPIONSHIP—St. Thomas Aquinas (29-2) def. Lansing (28-4), 25-13, 26-24; THIRD—Wichita Carroll (28-3) def. Maize South (29-11), 25-17, 25-7; SEMIFINALS--Aquinas def. Maize South, 25-8, 25-9; Wichita Carroll, 25-22, 25-23

POOL PLAY—Wichita Carroll def. Lansing, 25-22, 25-23; St. Thomas Aquinas def. Maize South, 25-12, 25-15; St. Thomas Aquinas def. Lansing, 20-25, 25-20, 25-23; Wichita Carroll def. Maize South, 25-12, 25-17; Lansing def. Maize South,25-22, 28-26; St. Thomas Aquinas def. Wichita Carroll, 25-22, 25-19 

6A STATE SALINA 

CHAMPIONSHIP—Blue Valley West (27-7) def. Olathe NW (29-3), 25-21, 25-17; THIRD—Washburn Rural def. Garden City, 25-14, 25-14; SEMIFINALS—Blue Valley West def. Garden City, 25-9, 25-14; Olathe NW def. Washburn Rural, 18-25, 25-11, 25-20

POOL PLAY—Washburn Rural def. Olathe Northwest, 26-24, 14-25, 25-18; Blue Valley West def. Garden City, 25-23, 25-17; Blue Valley West def. Olathe NW, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22; Washburn Rural def. Garden City, 25-12, 25-12; Olathe Northwest def. Garden City, 25-15, 25-16; Blue Valley West def. Washburn Rural, 25-21, 25-18