After falling in the state semifinals in each of the last two seasons, Cissna Park went into CEFCU Arena in Normal this weekend on a mission.

Led by a senior class that has helped put together one of the state’s best runs over the last four years, the Timberwolves swept their way through Friday’s semifinal and were dominant in Saturday morning’s IHSA Class 1A State Championship match against Stockton, winning 25-11, 25-14 to claim the first-place trophy that had eluded them in those last two trips to state.

For the first time in program history, the Timberwolves are state champions. It’s the first girls state title the school’s won, and first IHSA title of any kind, as the Timberwolves’ other state championship came as a co-op with Milford for the 2018 Illinois 8-Man Football Association title.

“This is just so surreal,” senior Addison Lucht said. “This group, we’ve been so tight together since we’ve been playing, since fourth grade. We’ve always had a special bond.”

The bond was certainly evident in the opening set Saturday.

After the two teams went back and forth a bit early in the set, Cissna Park seized control with a commanding 14-1 run that closed out the set. That would carry on into the second, a set which the Timberwolves never trailed and went on to win by 11 points.

“Being here three years in a row and with that semifinal game under our belt, we were able to come in really loose and have the right mindset,” Lucht said. “We were just able to take control and go on that big run in the first set and keep that same momentum going into the second set.”

The Cissna Park attack was nearly untouchable all match despite facing a Stockton team that had four players with 40 or more blocks on the season, led by 6-foot-2 middle Taylor Haas’ 125 blocks and Emma Eisfeller’s 73.

The Timberwolves had 29 kills and hit .397 as a group. They were led by Lucht’s 11 kills, Josie Neukomm’s 10 and Sophie Duis’ five. Mady Marcott had 15 assists to Ella Schulter’s 10.

But in order to become state champions, the Timberwolves also found a way to hold a formidable Stockton attack to only 13 kills in the match. The Blackhawks hit just 0.34 as a team.

Sophie Duis had three total blocks for Cissna Park while Marina Day and Ava Henrichs had two apiece.

The Timberwolves’ blockers also got their hands of plenty more Blackhawk attacks, allowing the back row to effectively distribute the ball and get the offense moving in the right direction.

“We’ve been working in practice on blocking and being there, and pushing over the net” Henrichs said. “Being able to visualize myself pushing over the net and being there, it just felt so good when I saw the ball go back over the net.”

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Volleyball: Cissna Park vs. Stockton, Class 1A State championship Cissna Park players rush the floor as the Timberwolves secured a victory in two sets, 25-11, 25-14, over Stockton in the IHSA Class 1A State championship on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Lucht led the team with 12 digs and Kendyl Neukomm added seven.

While the back row played well behind the blockers, the Timberwolves had a large number of fans at CEFCU Arena behind them all weekend.

Despite being the smallest school in the 1A final four, they had biggest and loudest cheering section in Normal on Saturday morning.

“It was unbelievable to think we had that many people in CEFCU Arena today,” Josie Neukomm said. “It really helps us push for every point and really drives us to be as competitive as we are with them behind us and backing us up.”

While the win is perhaps a little bittersweet for the senior class that includes Lucht, Duis, Josie Neukomm, Faith Bohlmann, Macy Sinn, Emma Malabehar, Addison Tipsord, Faith Kaeb and Lauryn Hamrick, Duis said there is no way they’d rather have the season end.

“We’ve had so much fun together, we have such good memories and are such a fun group,” Duis said. “Doing it with people that love so much and you’re with hours and hours a week just makes it really special.”

This senior class has certainly made its mark in their time at Cissna Park.

Over the last four years, the Timberwolves have gone a combined 143-17 (40-1 this season), won three consecutive regional and sectional titles and made three straight appearances at state.

Now they have won it all.

Josh Landon, who has been the head coach of the program since 2006 and led the team to five state appearances, said it is hard to put into words just how much this group has accomplished.

“It’s just remarkable what can happen when people put their minds together for one goal,” he said. “They sacrificed their individual success for the team, and that’s what makes them a remarkable team. Forty wins, state champs. Girls, what a way to go out.”