Streator volleyball captured regional title 25 years ago

Most high school coaches will tell you that regardless of the previous season's accomplishments, or the returning or incoming players, it's truly hard to predict what a new season will bring and what goals can be achieved.

That certainly was the case for the 1995-96 Streator High School volleyball team and head coach Dave Timmerman as he began his 19th year on the bench.

"We had a ton of talent going into that season, but for me it was kind of like, 'What am I going to do with it?' " he said.

The Lady Bulldogs were 15-16 the previous season and lost six seniors to graduation, but behind eight letterwinners, the team produced the best record (22-11) since 1983, including capturing its own Class AA regional championship – after a straight-sets victory over top-seed Washington – 25 years ago Monday.

"I think winning the regional on our home floor against Washington, who had beat us the year before, together made it that much more special," said outside hitter Jori Cooper, who just started her 16th year at Heyworth High School teaching health and physical education and coaching track, in addition to being an IHSA volleyball official for 20 years.

Streator opened the season with a three-set loss at Pontiac, then went 3-0 to win its own invitational. It went 5-5 combined at tournaments at Crystal Lake and Kankakee Bishop McNamara. Over the next eight matches, the Lady Bulldogs went 4-4 before defeating area powerhouse Mendota for the first time in 15 seasons. They closed out regular season with victories over Dixon, Sterling and Marquette and finished North Central Illinois Conference play at 8-3 after going 2-9 the previous season.

"I remember back then the sets were only to 15, and it wasn't rally scoring, so you had to earn points on your own serve, but as far as certain matches go, I don't remember who won or made the winning point," said Tonya [Thorp] Scherer, who has been the varsity volleyball coach at Earlville since 2000 and teaches sixth- through eighth-grade math. "I do know Coach Timmerman made us work hard and focus in practices, but we also had fun, too. Most of us seniors were on the same team that made it to the IESA Elite 8 in eighth grade and played together since sixth grade.

"On the bus rides to road matches, Coach Timmerman would give the freshmen quizzes. They had to know the [NCIC] teams, their mascots and school colors. It's funny that most of my memories are more off the court than on it."

In the regional, Streator opened with a 7-15, 15-6, 15-1 win over Metamora, then after a slow start, it defeated Washington 7-15, 15-3, 15-4 in the title match. The Lady Bulldogs jumped to a 7-0 start in the deciding set and, on match point, Kristi Teegardin and Stephanie [Nangle] Farr double-blocked Washington's star hitter Beth Hern for a sideout and winning point.

"I actually don't remember specifics from the regional championship, but who I do remember is Beth Hern," said Farr, now a preschool teacher for Headstart in Hannibal, Missouri, who went on to play at Lincoln Christian (College) University, was a four-time All-American, has her number retired and is in the school's athletic hall of fame. "[Hern] was at least 6-foot-2, and she was amazing. She was definitely intimidating.

"For me, what was cool about the accomplishments that season was the fact that almost all of the seniors had played together since seventh grade at Northlawn, and Dave was our coach in junior high, too. I think us having that consistent coach over the years made a big difference. He was my favorite coach ever."

Timmerman said the biggest key and goal that night was to take Hern out of the game and wear her down.

"We served and tipped to her every chance we had in that first set, and she played all the way around the rotation," said Timmerman, who now resides in Watertown, Wisconsin. "Then in the second set, she wasn't playing back row, and we camped her when she was in front, so I think we accomplished our goal.

"We lost that first set, but like we did in the semifinals against Metamora, the girls stepped up when they needed to. They were like, 'Yes, we lost the first set, but we are doing what we're supposed to do. Now we just have to do it better.' "

The following week at the Bloomington Sectional, the season ended with a 15-12, 16-14 loss to Champaign Centennial.

"I had come from Lostant when the school deactivated but had played on teams that went to IESA state my sixth-, seventh- and eight-grade years," Cooper said. "I was the outsider so to speak, but from Day 1 my 'new' teammates welcomed me with open arms and made me feel part of everything. I was pulled up from the JV team the previous year as a sophomore, so I feel that helped build even better relationships for me as a junior with the senior group."

Team members: Seniors – Stephanie (Nangle) Farr, Kristi Teegardin, Tonya (Thorp) Scherer, Shannon Rowland, Angela Sprowl, Shannon Reaska, Kelli Berta. Juniors – Jori Cooper, Emily Morgan, Dawn Durdan, Corey Simons, Amber Porter and Megan Bengtson.