DAYTON–Independence’s bid for its first state title and a perfect season ended on Saturday with a 3-0 loss to Liberty-Benton in the Division III state championship match at Nutter Arena.
The Blue Devils, who finished the year 28-1, dug a deep hole in the first set and never recovered against the bigger Eagles, who closed out the year with a 30-0 record.
Liberty-Benton opened the first set with a 15-2 run and held off the Blue Devils to win, 25-18. The Eagles won the second and third sets, 25-21 and 25-17, to close out their second state title, both coming at the expense of Independence. The Eagles won a five-set match in the 2019 championship game.
The matchup between the Eagles and Blue Devils was the first time two undefeated teams met in a state championship match since 2009.
Karis Willow and Izzy Granger both recorded 15 kills in the win.
Seniors Callie Prokopius and Hanna Wilson both finished the match with 10 kills to lead the Blue Devils. Classmates Abby Avila posted a team-high 32 assists and Macy McNamara contributed with 18 digs.
That group of four Independence seniors closed out their careers with 103 wins, four conference titles, four sectional titles, four district titles, four regional championships, and four state runner-up finishes.
They also kept alive Independence’s streak of 116 straight Chagrin Valley Conference wins.
Avila etched her name into the OHSAA state tournament record back in 2019 when she recorded a state tournament-best 59 assists in a five-set loss to Liberty-Benton. She closed out her career with 283 assists in eight state Final Four matches.
