Genoa-Kingston, Richmond-Burton Reach Volleyball Final

Genoa-Kingston and Richmond-Burton advanced to the Class 2A sectional final on Tuesday night. The two teams defeated their respective semifinal opponents to set up a matchup for the title on Thursday.

The No. 2 seeded Genoa-Kingston Cogs defeated the No. 1 seeded Winnebago Indians 25-23 and 25-17. The Cogs, who hold a 29-9 record, scored 10 straight points in the first set to take control. They limited errors at the net to secure their first sectional final appearance since the 2022 state championship season.

Presley Meyer, a senior setter for Genoa-Kingston, noted that the team stayed calm despite the high stakes. Meyer said the players trusted their passing and hitting abilities to put the ball down. The Cogs will face the top-seeded Richmond-Burton Rockets at 6 p.m. Thursday. The Rockets, who are 36-2, beat the No. 2 Riverdale Rams 25-15 and 25-17 in the other semifinal.

Richmond-Burton struggled early in the first set against Riverdale but extended their lead to 18-12. Dani Hopp recorded three kills during a six-point run for the Rockets. Hopp finished the match with 16 kills and five digs. Coach Eric Schulze said the team used early nerves as momentum to play cleaner volleyball.

The Rockets dominated the second set, building a 16-6 lead after back-to-back kills by Mia Furlan. Riverdale, which took third in Class 2A last year, could not close the gap. Richmond-Burton is seeking its first sectional title since finishing second in Class 3A in 2012. The team has won at least 30 games and a regional title each of the last three seasons.

Genoa-Kingston and Richmond-Burton met on Sept. 8 in Genoa, where the Rockets won 25-17 and 25-14. The Cogs also avenged a recent loss to Winnebago on Sept. 24. Coach Taylor Spellman said the team corrected unforced errors from previous matches. Meyer noted that the team improved its serving and blocking since the earlier loss to the Indians.

In the first set against Winnebago, the Indians led 8-2 before G-K coach Taylor Spellman called a timeout. Addison Langton served the next six points for Genoa-Kingston. The Cogs tied the set at 22 on a Meyer kill and took the lead on a Meyer block. Bria Botterman blocked the final point of the set.

The second set started close with Winnebago leading 12-9, but Genoa-Kingston scored the next 10 points. The Indians pulled within 19-14 but failed to close the distance. Spellman said he expects opponents to come back when his team holds a lead. The winner of Thursday's match will advance to the Class 2A Mendota Supersectional to face either IC Catholic or Westmont.