Centralia Panther Volleyball team - 2017 Wabaunsee Invite Champs (photo courtesy of Larry Glatczak)

High School volleyball season started on Saturday for a quartet of area teams as they competed in the Wabaunsee Invitational with eight total teams in action. Centralia, Oskaloosa, Axtell and McLouth all opened their volleyball campaign competing in the tournament. 

The Centralia Panthers opened the season in a strong fashion by winning the Wabaunsee Invitational for the fourth straight year going 5-0 on the day. Oskaloosa registered a 2-3 day finishing sixth, while Axtell and McLouth finished seventh and eighth, respectively posting 1-4 and 0-5 records in action. 

Action got rolling with pool play at the Wabaunsee Invitational. In Pool B Centralia went 3-0 with straight set wins over Osage City, McLouth and Wabaunsee claiming the top spot in the pool. Osage City took second in the pool, while Wabaunsee and McLouth finished third and fourth in the pool. In Pool A it was Mission Valley going perfect on the court to win the pool, while Rock Creek took second in the pool and Oskaloosa and Axtell finished third and fourth in the pool based on the Bears head-to-head win over the Eagles. 

In the Semifinals Centralia took down Rock Creek in straight sets, while Mission Valley needed three sets to beat Osage City. While in the Consolation Semifinals it was Wabaunsee topping Axtell in a tight two-set battle and Oskaloosa beat McLouth in straight sets. 

The final matches of the day had some of the best competition between the teams. In the Championship showdown Centralia took the tournament title beating Mission Valley in straight sets. Third place went to Osage City who beat Rock Creek in three sets, while Wabaunsee topped Oskaloos in straight sets in the fifth place match and Axtell won in two-sets over McLouth in the seventh place match. 

2017 Wabaunsee Volleyball Invitational Results 
Pool A: Mission Valley def. Oskaloosa 25-16, 25-22
                                     def. Axtell 25-21, 25-15
                                     def. Rock Creek 25-14, 18-25, 28-26
Rock Creek def. Axtell 25-10, 26-24
                    def. Oskaloosa 27-25, 17-25, 25-17
Oskaloosa def. Axtell 17-25, 25-19, 25-22

Pool B: Centralia def. Osage City 25-22, 25-15
                             def. McLouth 25-10, 25-4
                             def. Wabaunsee 25-14, 25-20
Osage City def. Wabaunsee 25-18, 25-23
                   def. McLouth 25-7, 25-13
Wabaunsee def. McLouth 25-19, 25-12

Consolation Semifinals: Wabaunsee def. Axtell 25-23, 27-25
Oskaloosa def. McLouth 25-16, 25-13

Championship Semifinals: Mission Valley def. Osage City 22-25, 25-15, 25-23
Centralia def. Rock Creek 25-12, 25-14

Seventh Place: Axtell def. McLouth 25-17, 25-18
Fifth Place: Wabaunsee def. Oskaloosa 25-21, 25-8
Third Place: Osage City def. Rock Creek 25-21, 20-25, 25-18
First Place: Centralia def. Mission Valley 25-19, 25-17