Jackson volleyball ousts Cor Jesu away, seals sixth straight district crown

Chalk one more up for Jackson volleyball: Tuesday’s sweeping victory over Cor Jesu in St. Louis made it six consecutive district titles for the Indians.

With hardware on the line is where Jackson (33-6) has thrived most of this season, and behind a big push late, the Indians made sure that a district plaque wouldn’t elude them this fall.

It took a four-set affair, dropping the second set but eventually locking down the third and fourth sets to claim the crown over the hosting Chargers (20-10), No. 6 made its way back to Jackson — the 33rd win of the season.

“This was by far the hardest district we've ever had to win,” Jackson coach Dave Mirly said. “It's an incredible feeling, especially this year.

“This group of seniors is so special; they’ve just bought in so much. It's been so fun to coach them.”

Katy St. John led the way with 16 kills for the Indians, with Avery Brune’s 11, Lauren Dorey’s nine and Kateryna Elefson’s eight pacing her.

Amery Winston chipped on eight digs to lead Jackson, while Madison Uelsmann and Ava Wessell adding on five each.

Dorey and Wessell both put up double-digit assists, while Dorey’s three blocks led the charge defensively.

Further extending on Jackson’s program-record win total for the year, it’s been nothing short of a year to remember as it made for the fourth tournament championship of the year for these Indians.

Not just that, but Tuesday’s win also made for the 16th consecutive victory for Jackson, last having lost Sept. 28 — over a month ago.

“Our thing this year is to seize the moment,” Mirly said. “We talked a lot this summer and all season long about how we're not looking ahead to anything.

“We have goals and expectations, but more than that, we're just going to live in the moment.”

That they did, as the Indians broke out of a second-set lull and powered their way to their sixth district crown in as many years against a tough Chargers squad.

The district title made it four titles in four years for the Indians’ deep senior class, with Allie Aufdenberg, Lynn-Avery Crowley, Halle Ponder, Katy St. John, Madison Uelsmann, Amery Winston and Kathryn Wondel completing their district tenures as Indians.

Setting up a quarterfinal date with a familiar face in Lafayette in Wildwood. The two sides have matched up three times in the past two years.

That includes the past two postseasons, falling at Lafayette’s hands both times as the Indians search for their first final four berth in program history.

In both of those years, the Lancers have gone on to win the state championship. Between 2011 and 2016, Lafayette won six consecutive state championships.

In total, the Lancers tout eight state championships, two runner-up finishes and a third-place trophy in their incredible program’s lifespan, and Jackson’s no stranger to that buzzsaw of a team.

Nevertheless, after going 0-8 in sets against Lafayette in those three matchups since 2022, there’s an air of positivity as the Indians head into a third consecutive quarterfinal matchup.

This season, Lafayette’s record sits at 29-5 entering the quarterfinal stage, which includes three losses against Missourian squads.

One of those losses came in a sweeping loss to a solid but not particularly enticing Parkway West squad, which was then undone after the Lancers swept the ’Horns right back in district play.

If anything, this Lafayette squad is far from invincible, with a familiar Eureka squad taking a set off the Lancers as they similarly claimed their district title rights Tuesday night.

It’ll take a heck of a battle out of this Jackson squad, but there’s a lot going in the right direction for these girls as they seek out the 34th win of the season and a program-first spot in the state final four at the Show Me Center.

“They’re going to make unbelievable plays,” Mirly said of Lafayette. “They’re gonna make plays that we haven’t seen all season.

“But as soon as they make those plays, we're going to shake it off and we're going to try and win the next moment, because that's what this group's all about.”