Henry Clay sweep of Tates Creek clinches boys volleyball regional’s top seed
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Henry Clay secured the Region 7 top seed with a 3-0 win at Tates Creek.
- Henry Clay has an 11-11 overall record but ranks as the No. 5 team in the state.
- Region 7 sends both champion and runner-up to the KHSAA state tournament.
Henry Clay took a big step toward defending its Region 7 boys volleyball championship on Wednesday by securing the top seed in next week’s tournament with a 3-0 win at Tates Creek.
The Blue Devils (11-11, 6-1), ranked No. 5 in the state according to the latest Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association poll, know it will be difficult to repeat their state runner-up performance from a year ago during the sport’s first postseason under KHSAA sanctioning.
Four of the KVCA’s top 10 teams are from Region 7 with Henry Clay joined by No. 6 Lafayette, No. 9. Western Hills and No. 10. Paul Laurence Dunbar. Western Hills beat Henry Clay 3-1 (24-26, 25-23, 25-22, 25-22) earlier this month.
“It’s harder now. Everyone is very close. Everyone’s beating each other,” Henry Clay coach Luke Grupe said. “Everyone has raised their game, definitely, at all levels.”
Grupe lined up a difficult schedule for his team this season. Henry Clay’s 11 losses include No. 1 St. Xavier, No. 2 Trinity (Louisville), No. 3 Ryle, No. 7 West Jessamine and two to No. 4 DeSales.
Those losses paid dividends Wednesday in a 25-19, 25-16, 25-21 win over the Commodores (15-5, 7-3).
“We learned never to give up. You know, after those losses, it was really hard to keep going,” said 6-7 senior outside hitter Gray Millar. “Last year, having a great record, we were used to winning everything, and then having all those losses kind of hurt our morale. But we came back harder every time. We learned that we just can’t stop going. We had to keep going. All the time.”
Henry Clay trailed briefly in the first set against Tates Creek Wednesday, going behind 14-11 in the first set. It went on to win the set 25-19 and controlled the match the rest of the way, despite Tates Creek’s spirited resistance in the third set.
“I think our team came in knowing that, knowing what had to be done, and we came in, and we brought the energy, and we kept winning” Millar said.
The Blue Devils lost starting outside hitter Estaban Velasco-Urbina to injury recently and had counted on sophomore Cameron Garrett to step up and fill the role.
“He did an awesome job tonight. Definitely, in that third set, he took a lot more aggressive swings,” Grupe said.
Boys high school volleyball expanded from 59 teams last season to 69 this year. The smaller overall field means both the region champion and runner-up make the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s state tournament.
The Region 7 tournament begins on Monday at Franklin County High School in Frankfort, which recently completed an auxilliary gym that allows it to host all four first round games. It continues with semis on Wednesday and the final on Friday.
In the state tournament last season, Henry Clay had to rematch with region runner-up Lafayette in the quarterfinals, which Henry Clay got to host in the initial state tournament format.
This year’s state bracket will begin with first round games on the region champions’ home courts but the quarterfinals, semifinals and final will all be held May 15 and 16, at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester, the same site and format used by the girls in the fall.
Unfortunately for Region 7, however, its finalists must face their counterparts from Region 5, who will almost certainly be undefeated No. 1 St. Xavier and No. 2 Trinity. Besides Trinity, no Kentucky team has taken a set off St. X.
Regardless of the road ahead, Grupe believes his team will be ready to compete.
“It’s taking care of our side (that’s key),” Grupe said. “I know we’ve got the hitters. I know we can be aggressive. It’s just the serve and receive-of-serve. If we keep pushing that aspect, we’ll be fine.”
Region 7 Boys Volleyball Tournament
At Franklin County High School, Frankfort. Games listed in bracket order.
Monday’s first round
1. Henry Clay (11-11) vs. 8. Bryan Station (1-9), 5:30 p.m. (main gym).
4. Western Hills (13-5) vs. 5. Paul Laurence Dunbar (11-8), 5:30 p.m. (aux gym).
3. Lafayette (11-8) vs. 6. Frederick Douglass (13-9), 7 p.m. (main gym)
2. Tates Creek (15-5) vs. 7. Franklin County (9-12), 7 p.m. (aux gym).
Wednesday’s semifinals
Henry Clay-Bryan Station winner vs. Western Hills-Dunbar winner, 5:30 p.m.
Franklin County-Tates Creek winner vs. Douglass-Lafayette winner, 7 p.m.
Friday’s final
Championship game, 6 p.m.
