Cardinals Are Champions Again In More Ways Than One

For the third time in the past four years and the 7th time in their history the Faribault Bethlehem Academy Cardinals are the Champions of volleyball in Class A.  The Cardinals swept the Panthers of Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 25-15, 25-21, 25-20  and finished a complete sweep of all their State Tournament opponents.  It should be noted the Cardinals defeated Class 2A State Champion Stewartville during the regular season and beat Class 3a runner-up Eagan at a tournament.  I'm sure a state title was the goal for the ladies when the season began.  Bethlehem Academy didn't make it to state last season after losing Payton Schultz for the year with a torn ACL.  Halfway into this season Schultz suffered a broken elbow and rehabbed her tail off to not just get on the floor, as Head Coach Franz Boelter had hoped, but to contribute in a big way to the Cardinal Championship and rightfully earn All-Tournament Team status with teammates Payton Nutter and Lauren Mathews.  I remember watching Payton Schultz as a little girl at my church, always glowing with a smile.  The family decided to go to another church, but the smile has always been there.  The great General and former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower is quoted as saying, "Pessimism never won any battle."  I am a big believer that attitude is huge in anything in life including healing.  Schultz was proof of that.  Coach Boelter told me she never said "why me" or pouted, always showed up for practice and cheered on her teammates when she couldn't play.  After playing sparingly in each set on the opening day of the State Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Schultz was definitely the glue her team needed in the Semi-Final match.  The back row was struggling and Coach Boelter said he asked Schultz during practice earlier in the morning how she felt and what she thought she could do.  She said there was no pain and I think I can play in the back row if needed.  So in the second set, Schultz entered the back row and made perfect pass after perfect pass and never came out the rest of the way.  Going up to block with her broken left elbow arm dangling on the side so it wouldn't take any brunt of a hit.  She made an amazing sliding dig in that match and also took a direct smoker kill attempt and made a nice pass.  How could this not lift her teammates?  I know if I were on that floor I would've said to myself "If she can do this with about an arm and a half, I can certainly do it with both mine."  All the while there was that smile I remember from church when she was just a little girl.  When Payton went down with that injury last season Lauren Mathews played the back row regularly and sort of learned on the job.  She turned into a very good passer to go along with her excellent blocking and hitting skills.  Sophmore Payton Nutter just amazes me with her volleyball sense on the floor. I believe she can literally do it all on the volleyball court.  I know she loves to hit the ball and is so efficient at it, but I enjoy watching her setting skills.  Great hands make a great setter along with anticipation and volleyball smarts.  She has the whole package.  Libero Shanna Matejcek and Middle Hitter Mikayla Grossman didn't make the All Tournament team, but they just may be the unsung stars of this State Championship squad.  The back row struggled in game two of the semis in part because Shanna turned an ankle in the first set and was smarting.  Any setter will tell you they can't do their job without a accurate pass coming from the back row and Matejcek did it time after time over the last couple seasons. Grossman was a blocking machine at the tournament. The Cardinals are losing a lot to graduation, but don't worry they'll be fine.  Nutter is just a Sophmore along with Shelby Meyer and Keely Skluzacek who really stepped up their play in the Sections and at State and Freshman Mary Campbell was very efficient at the net also.  Juniors Maddie Strodtman and Hannah Robb really aided this team in becoming more diverse.  Our State Farm Insurance Faribault players of the Championship match were the Seniors.  Coach Boelter always says they set the tone for the team and repeatedly told us this season how much he enjoyed these young women.  Not just because of their volleyball skills, but because they are genuinely good people. In addition to Mathews, Schultz, Grossman and Matejcek they include Maddie Fetters, Sara Kohl and Teddy Campbell.  I don't know about you, but I always root for good people.  Even if they had not secured the State Championship Trophy they certainly would've been champions in my eyes! Way to go ladies, thanks for the memories!