Consistency is key for Washburn Rural volleyball as postseason begins

TOPEKA — Expectations are high for Washburn Rural volleyball. They always are under 30-year head coach Kevin Bordewick, but this year the Junior Blues have been through it all. They have won some big games, injuries hampered the team and they lost some matches that they should have won.

The regular season was the regular season, and now it’s a clean slate for Washburn Rural as they secured the No. 1 seed in the Class 6A West Sub-State bracket. They finished the season with a 28-6 record, but there are always areas to improve according to Bordewick, who achieved career win 1,076 this season ranking second best in Kansas history.

“We have to learn how mentally tough you have to be and there is no plays off. All those things that coaches talk about, we have to do a better job at,” Bordewick said.

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Four of Washburn Rural’s six losses have come in their final 10 matches. High level volleyball was played throughout the final month of action as the Junior Blues lost to Seaman twice and to Shawnee Heights. They did pick up big wins over St. James Academy and Wichita North, who is No. 2 in Class 6A West.

“I think we have gotten sharper in every aspect of the game,” Bordewick said. “We just have to be more consistently good. Against Blue Valley West in the second set, we allowed them to go on a six point run. That’s stuff that we have talked about and it’s got to be shut down.”

Stopping opposing runs and starting their own is a way that Washburn Rural can attack the postseason. They have the players to do it with outside hitter Layla Collins, who is committed to play volleyball at Washburn. Collins picked up her 750 career kill a few weeks ago, too. Kate Hinck, Washburn soccer commit, continues to shine in the libero position while junior Dayne Shriver has played well in multiple different positions.

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The team isn’t just this trio. Bordewick prides himself on having a versatile roster with different players playing multiple positions. The Junior Blues have reached the Class 6A State Tournament in seven straight years using this philosophy of unselfishness.

“I know this team’s true happiness and joy is for each other,” Bordewick said. “It’s all about how we do and how we perform. That’s where their real memories come from and it’s all a process.”

The postseason begins for Washburn Rural volleyball on Saturday. They host the Sub-State Tournament with the winner advancing to the state tournament. The No. 1 Junior Blues take on No. 16 Liberal (4-29) in the first round. No. 8 Topeka High (16-18) and No. 9 Lawerence Free State (13-17) round out the four-team bracket.

“I don’t think there’s any secret to it, you just have to go out there and be better than the other team,” Bordewick said. “It’s really not making great plays. It’s about making consistently good plays.”

Liam Keating covers high school sports for The Topeka Capital-Journal. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@ g annett.co m

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Consistency is key for Washburn Rural volleyball as postseason begins