Jay County atop ACAC

The Patriots sent their seniors off with a sweep. And, thanks to a little help from an Adams County rival, stepped into a tie for first place in the conference standings.
Jay County High School’s volleyball team fought off a spirited Southern Wells squad to finish Tuesday’s senior-night match in three games, 25-18, 25-17, 30-28.
The Patriots’ victory combined with Class 2A No. 6 Adams Central’s 25-14, 19-25, 25-17, 25-16 win Tuesday over Leo to put the three teams in a three-way tie for first place in the Allen County Athletic Conference at 5-1. JCHS defeated Adams Central earlier this season, and its lone conference loss came against Leo.
If all three teams finish at 6-1 they would share the conference round-robin title. The conference tournament is slated for next week as the Patriots play Southern Wells again in the opening round with a semifinal rematch against Leo looming.
“That’s exciting,” JCHS coach Fred Medler said this morning. “That will turn the lights back on a little bit. We were wanting a chance to play them again, but that just adds a whole new aspect.”
The final game of the Patriots’ win Tuesday over Southern Wells (7-15, 0-6 ACAC) came down to the wire as the teams went back and forth throughout.
Jay County pulled ahead 24-23 with a chance to end the match in regulation, but a service error on the next point forged another tie.
Each team fought off two more game-point opportunities, with Allison Blevins of the Raiders notching a kill to even the score at 28.
Southern Wells sent a free ball wide left on the next point, and then Patriot sophomore Abby Barcus slammed home her match-high 14th kill of the evening to complete the win.
“They just picked up their game on the other side,” said Medler following the win. “They got fired up early in the game.
“We were just kind of letting us play and get it figured out and see if we would compete. And we did.”
After leading for just one point in the opening two games, Southern Wells coach Lynn Blevins was happy with the way his team continued to fight.
“Jay County’s a great team. We knew that coming into this,” he said. “We just told them to try to match their enthusiasm. Most generally … we start out fast and then slow down a little bit. Tonight it was kind of opposite. …
“They just kept pushing. I’m really proud of them.”
The Abbys — Wendel and Barcus — took turns leading the Patriot attack, with former notching consecutive kills early in the opening game and added two more back-to-back to give JCHS a 23-17 lead. She finished the game with an ace, and totaled nine service points, including four aces, nine digs, six kills and two blocks in the match.
Then Barcus took over, recording eight kills in the second game and then finding her groove again late in the third. She had nine points to go along with her team-high kill total.
Kylie Osborne added 13 points, seven digs and six kills, and Lizzy Schoenlein put up 26 assists.
Jay County’s three seniors — Bre McIntire, Emily Westgerdes and Michelle Wellman — were all in the starting lineup, with McIntire recording five points and two aces. Westgerdes had a pair of kills, and Wellman finished with one point, one dig and one assist.
“We played the seniors … and I thought they played well,” said Medler. “They played hard.
“As far as honest to goodness leadership from a group of seniors, we couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Savannah Deakyne paced Southern Wells with five kills and five digs, and Megan Fiechter had 18 assists and five digs. Blevins also finished with five kills.
Junior varsity
Alli Campbell turned in a dominant service game to lead the Patriots to a 25-11, 25-17 victory over Southern Wells.
Campbell racked up 16 service points, including nine aces. She also posted a team-high six assists.
Emilie Walter added six points and four kills, and Audrey Shreve had five digs. Kaelyn Weaver, Chloe Trissel and Katie Beougher each notched three kills.
Walter totaled 12 points and five aces a night earlier in Jay County’s 25-5, 25-23 win over the Winchester Golden Falcons. Campbell finished with 14 assists and 10 points, and Trissel and Weaver added four kills apiece.