Bethlehem Academy and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Volleyball at State

The Faribault Bethlehem Academy Cardinals and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Buccaneers were seeded first and third in the State Class A volleyball tournament.

The Cardinals are No. 1 and the defending state champions and will face Cook County in their first match Thursday afternoon at 1PM.

The Waterville-Elysian-Buccaneers are the No. 3 seed and play Ada-Borup in their first state match at 3PM on the same court at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

No. 2 seed Tracy-Milroy-Balaton plays Sebeka at 3PM and No. 4 seed Heritage Christian Academy meets No. 5 seed Verndale at 1PM.

That means the Cardinals and Buccaneers could face each other in the state title match or the third-place match on Saturday.

The Cardinals swept Mabel-Canton for the Section 1 title Saturday in Rochester while the Buccaneers looked very focused in their sweep of Mayer Lutheran.

Waterville-Elysian-Morristown head coach Crystal Lamont credits her eight seniors' focus with the success they've enjoyed this season.

This may be the Buccaneers first trip to the state tournament but it's not assistant coach Ken Trnka's.

Trnka was with Bethlehem Academy for a number of their runs at state.

It would be incredible to see the two Gopher Conference foes in the title match.

Waterville-Elysian-Morristown has the opportunity to do something not many teams get to accomplish. They have the chance to avenge all their losses this season.

The Buccaneers have just three losses. Their first loss came on September 22 when they were swept by Bethlehem Academy in Faribault.

Their other losses were to Mayer Lutheran, the team they defeated in the Section final Saturday night 25-19, 25-11, 25-20, and Tracy-Milroy-Balaton.

The Buccaneers' first opponent at state is no stranger to state tournaments. They've had multiple visits to volleyball and girls basketball tournaments over the past decade.

The Cougars are 25-6 and have four seniors. They are 4-1 in five set affairs and defeated Fosston in the Section final in five sets.

The Cardinals received a tough draw in the first round. The Cook County Vikings are unbeaten and weren't even rated in the final volleyball coaches poll. You think they might be a little motivated when they take the sport court at the X on Thursday?

They did appear in the others receiving votes category, but at 25-0 they would really open some eyes if they defeated the top-ranked Cardinals.

KDHL Radio 920 AM will carry the Bethlehem Academy and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown matches on Thursday.