Whispers in the hallways of the soon aproaching volleyball championships were always present. The happiness of being able to attend and the desire of others to join them. In a school so divided, the idea of something so miniscule brought us together. The Sailors of Waterloo, Iowa as the volleyball state champions? It had happened before, why not again?

Only a year before, the hearts and minds of the same students and participants were heavy with dissapointment as the title was given to another team. Anger and disbelief at the idea that they were not the champions. This year? Well, this year they wouldn't let it happen again.

As the semi finals were kicked off, the stand were full. Their classmates who were still in school huddled around iPads, computers, television, anything they could to watch the spectacle in front of them. The Sailors had won the first two games, but the trailblazers still had a chance.

Breathlessly and drenched in sweat and desire, the Sailors took the court yet again. They were determined. They refused to let Beckman Catholic beat them again. As they got in their positions, both the amaxing Avery Kroll and the invincible Anna Sinnot in the front row, they would win.

The score: 27-28. The Sailors was in the lead. One point is all it would take. This winning and loosing, back and forth, on again off again pattern would end here and they would advance. All it took was one spike. A slam of the ball over the net into the other teams arms. Kroll wound up advanced and SLAM...

The ball rolled away from where it had been forced to the ground. The Trailblazers were visbily defeated but not just in their sport, their hearts. They numbly walked to the other team and limply shook their hands. For them it was over but they still smiled for the cameras as they posed with their 5th place trophy.

On the other side of the net, the stands were shook with the voices and stomps of the sailor fans. The players were crying and jumping and screaming. This was it, they were advancing. Two more days and the Champion title was theirs. The Sailors were going to the next round of State Volleyball.