Class 1A: LeMars Gehlen backing up vow that 2013 would be better

CEDAR RAPIDS – Like all the non-champions after last year's state tournament, the LeMars Gehlen volleyball team left Cedar Rapids with a bitter taste in its mouth.

The Jays went into the 2012 tournament making their fourth straight trip and hoping to avenge a state final loss in 2011. But a first-round exit last year had the team thinking about 2013 before the girls were even home from the tournament.

'We actually, on the way home, talked with the juniors and underclassmen and they kind of committed on the way back to LeMars that this year was going to be different,' said Gehlen Coach Mike Meyer, after his team advanced to the semifinals past Stanton, 25-15, 25-18, 20-25, 25-22. 'That was the start of it.'

The ending of it has yet to be written, but the Jays got off on the right foot against the Viqueens.

Unlike some other experienced teams thus far in the tournament, Gehlen came out looking comfortable and collected.

'You do see that some, where other teams come down here that were high seeds that dropped first games,' Meyer said. 'It's hard to measure how much impact the experience plays. It certainly can't hurt.'

The Jays didn't just get to cruise straight to the semifinals.

Stanton's experience at state showed as well, and the Viqueens made Gehlen work for it in the final two sets. Stanton avoided the sweep by winning the third set, 25-20, and pushed Gehlen to the brink before falling in the decisive fourth set, 25-22.

'Sometimes you've just got to maintain your focus, and that's something we've struggled with a lot this year at different times,' Meyer said. 'It kind of showed in Game 3, where it didn't look like we were doing anything well.

'At least down the stretch of Game 4 we took care of business when we had to.'

Senior hitter Baily Wiltgen pointed to how the Jays began the third set as the culprit for the team's performance.

Being able to jump on opponents and control the scoring and flow opens up many more opportunities, she said.

'We started out really strong in the first two games, and the next two we kind of started out really slow, and that really hurt us,' Wiltgen said. 'So if we start out the game good, we'll be good all the way through."

Wiltgen echoed her coach by saying the team isn't happy with simply making the show.

The oh-so-familiar chase for a state championship that countless teams share has to begin with that first step, and Meyer said he was happy his team made it.

'Down here you just want to play the next night,' Meyer said. 'Our goal as a team all year was to get to state, but then get one more game in. We did better than we did a year ago, and it's always good to take that next step.'

Gehlen will play Holy Trinity on Thursday at 6 p.m.