LINN — The Lady Wildcats continued their historic volleyball season Thursday night, sweeping Brentwood 25-17, 25-14, 25-9 before an enthusiastic home crowd to capture the program’s first Class 2 sectional championship and advance to the state quarterfinals.

Coming just two days after winning their first-ever district championship, the Lady Wildcats improved to 25-5-1 and moved within one victory of the Final Four, adding another milestone to a season that has already exceeded anything previously accomplished by the program.

For head coach Megan Russell, Thursday’s victory was as much a celebration of the community’s support as it was another demonstration of her team’s determination. “First off, how about that crowd?!” Russell said. “Pretty amazing community and school turnout and support.”

Russell was equally impressed with the way her players handled the pressure of another postseason contest. “I am extremely proud of this group and the way they continue to compete,” she said. “Earning a clean sweep in the sectional round against Brentwood and punching our ticket to the quarterfinals is an-other huge accomplishment for this program. The girls came out focused, played with confidence, and took care of business.”

Linn established control in the opening set and became increasingly dominant as the match progressed, limiting Brentwood to 14 points in the second set and just nine in the third.

Kylie Goans powered the offensive attack with 14 kills, followed by Carley Brandt with five. Nevaeh Ames, Ali Russell, and Nicole Grellner contributed three kills apiece as the Lady Wildcats used a combination of power and strategic placement to keep Brentwood’s defense guessing.

Brandt also led Linn’s blocking effort with three blocks, followed by Jorja Kempker with two and Ames with one. At the service line, Russell delivered five aces, while Grellner added two and Goans and Lexy Strong contributed one each.

The balanced effort reflected a team that has developed an instinctive understanding of one another’s abilities, something the players credit to years of competing together.

For senior Grellner, the sectional championship represented the culmination of a journey that began long before high school. “It’s incredible,” she said. “We have worked so hard this season, and it’s just been waiting for this moment since I was my freshman year.”

Grellner noted that several players have been teammates since elementary school, giving the group years to develop friendships and learn how to work together. “We’ve been playing together since we were probably in third grade,” she noted. “We built this relationship and skills together. That is just an incredible feeling, and I’m glad we can make it this far together and make history for Linn here.”

Russell agreed that the team’s success has come from building on that familiarity rather than making wholesale changes. “I don’t think we had to make big adjustments,” Russell said. “I think it just finally clicked. Like finally, we all just started working together, and we worked so hard this year. We deserve it.”

That familiarity became evident as Thursday’s match progressed. Although Brentwood presented a new opponent, the Lady Wildcats quickly began recognizing attacking tendencies and positioning themselves to counter them. “I think that at the start we didn’t really know what they were going to come out with,” said senior Ali Russell. “But I think during that second set we knew.”

She explained that Linn began anticipating when Brentwood’s outside hitter would attack down the line, when its setter would attempt a dump, and how its middle hitter approached the ball.

Those adjustments, combined with an effective scouting report and strong communication, helped Linn maintain control while limiting Brentwood’s opportunities to establish any sustained momentum.

The Lady Wildcats also demonstrated their offensive versatility, mixing hard attacks with carefully placed shots to exploit openings in the defense.

Kylie Goans, whose 14 kills led the team, said the chemistry developed over several seasons has translated directly into Linn’s performance. “I think really just like the relationships we built these past years,” she said. “It’s really like translating to the court, and we really just know how to play as a team.”

She added that the players draw considerable energy from their teammates’ hustle and success, particularly emphatic blocks and powerful attacks.

That sentiment was shared by the seniors, several of whom immediately identified blocks as the plays that generate the greatest excitement on the floor. “I love a good block,” said Jorja Kempker. “I mean, I love a kill from Kylie. She’s definitely our power hitter over there.”

Kempker added that unexpected plays, including a bump kill or a well-placed dump, can generate some of the loudest reactions from the crowd.

For Goans, those moments help reinforce the team’s confidence, but maintaining the right mentality after mistakes has been equally important.

“Just knowing that we got the next ball,” Goans said when asked how the players avoid allowing a lost point to affect their performance. “The next ball is ours, and just having that mindset and the right mind-set of it’s just one point at a time. Just get the next ball.”

That approach has helped Linn navigate an increasingly demanding postseason, including a hard-fought district championship victory over Fatima earlier in the week.

The district final presented a considerably greater challenge than Thursday’s sectional, but the players believe their ability to handle difficult situations has grown alongside their experience.

Senior Carley Brandt pointed to the fact that Linn returned its entire group from last season, allowing the players another year to strengthen their relationships and communication. “I think it was the year we had with each other because last year we didn’t lose any seniors, and then we came to this year with all of us back,” she said. “I feel like we had that year to get our connection together.”

Grellner agreed, saying, “Our communication has gone through the roof, and we’re just really good play-ing together with a lot of experience.”

The chemistry extends beyond the court, with the seniors describing a group of close friends who genuinely enjoy spending time together. “I think just the group of girls we had was amazing,” Brandt said. “We work together so hard, and not even just on the court, off the court. Like when we see each other in school, it’s always happy to see each other, happy to be here.”

The players were equally appreciative of the families and community members who have supported them throughout the season, especially the large student section that helped create an energetic atmosphere Thursday.

“They’re constantly uplifting us the entire game, and without them, it’d be a little bit of a challenge,” Kempker said.

Ali Russell emphasized the relationships among the players and their families. “We are best friends, and we have the best group of parents that all support us,” she added. “We are so incredibly lucky.”

That support has helped make a remarkable season even more meaningful for Linn’s five seniors — Russell, Grellner, Brandt, Kempker, and Emma Rieke — who have now helped the Lady Wildcats secure conference, district, and sectional championships.

“I know we’ve sealed our legacy here,” Brandt said. “Just having that moment where we know we won conference, we know we won district, sectionals, and everything. I think that really just helps us relive that we’re proud to be a Wildcat, and we know we made our moment here.”

The Lady Wildcats traveled to Liberty (Mountain View) for Saturday’s Class 2 state quarterfinal. That story appears in this edition.

On Thursday, Goans said she expected the same intensity, preparation, and confidence to carry into the next round. “I think that same energy, that same work, and that same mindset is going to continue the rest of our season,” she said.

Coach Russell said the team understands the significance of the opportunity but has no intention of be-coming complacent. “We know what is at stake, and we understand how special this opportunity is, but we also know we aren’t done yet,” she added. “We have worked hard all season to put ourselves in this position, and this team isn’t ready for the journey to end.”

While acknowledging the unprecedented accomplishments already secured, Russell believes her players remain motivated by the opportunity to accomplish even more. “We’ve already accomplished things this program has never accomplished before, but we didn’t work this hard just to be satisfied with what we’ve done,” Russell said. “We’re not done making history, and this group is hungry for more.”