(11-6-21) On the heels of marathon matches to decide the Class 1A and 2A state titles, Brebeuf and Bellmont decided to join the party in the Class 3A championship match.

After spotting Brebeuf Jesuit a 2-0 lead, Bellmont rallied to tie it and held a four-point lead early in set five. When it was over, Brebeuf held on for the win when senior Maddie Siegel converted her 11th kill of the match, giving coach Kat Haugh’s squad a thrilling, 3-2 win (25-19, 25-22, 22-25, 23-25, 15-13).

As a result, Brebeuf not only claimed its fifth state title in girls volleyball, it also made it back to the top after a runner-up finish in 2020.

Perhaps more impressive is the title capped a stretch for the school in which its athletic program claimed three state championships in an eight-day span – a feat never before accomplished by any school in IHSAA history. Last weekend, Brebeuf won both the boys cross country and boys Class 2A soccer titles.

This title appeared as though it would be the easiest to achieve, as Brebeuf held a 16-1 lead in set one and went on to the two-set lead, but perhaps turned into the hardest.

Bellmont (30-6) warmed up in set three as sophomore Delaney Lawson and senior Meg Saalfrank turned up the heat on the front line and as they recorded 19 and 16 kills, respectively.

In set five, Bellmont stormed out to a 7-3 lead, only to see Brebeuf (32-3) storm back to tie it at 7-7. A seesaw battle followed until Brebeuf broke from an 11-11 deadlock to close with a 4-2 spurt.

Sydney Robinson led the Brebeuf attack with a match-high 27 kills.
Bellmont was seeking its third state title under coach Craig Krull, but finished runner-up for the second time in three seasons.

Following the match, Paige Busick of Bellmont High School was announced as the recipient of the mental attitude award by the IHSAA Executive Committee.

Paige ranks seventh in her senior class, is a two-year member of the National Honor Society, and a four-year member of the Early College program at Bellmont. She is one of four representatives from her school with the Drug Free Adams County campaign and will also become a four-year letterwinner with the Bellmont softball team in the spring.

She is the daughter of Rod and Sandy Busick of Decatur, IN and plans to study to become a Physician’s Assistant at Ball State University where she will also play volleyball for the Cardinals.

The mental attitude award is annually presented to a senior, who is 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 corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Bellmont High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Paige Busick.

Advertisement