Before Saturday night's match between the Bismarck and Century Patriots, the Patriots and Grand Forks Red River were tied atop the all-time championship standings in Class A volleyball with eight state titles apiece.
Less than half an hour before Bismarck and Century did battle on the same floor for the Class A state championship, West Fargo wrapped up their tournament run with a 3-1 victory over Fargo Shanley in the third-place game.
Northern Cass was not going to be denied.
There’s no defending a state title if a team doesn’t get back to the championship game.
On Thursday, Century took a little time to settle in to the new courts at the Bismarck Event Center. On Friday, it looked like the Patriots had played there for years.
Emily Stonecipher, one of Bismarck's four All-West Region volleyball players, saw this coming.
A tweaked ankle wasn't going to keep Kenadi Renner off the court.
A tweaked ankle wasn't going to keep Kenadi Renner off the court.
An unfamiliar opponent, an unfamiliar arena … but in the end, it turned into a familiar postseason result for the Century Patriots.
 Fargo Shanley proved Thursday that it wasn’t how fast you started, but how fast you finished in the first round of the state Class A volleyball tournament at the Bismarck Event Center.
Senior Emma Lucas had a game-high 16 kills and junior Halle Crockett had nine kills, three aces and two blocks as No. 1 Northern Cass took care of business against Garrison, 25-16, 25-9, 25-10, in opening round action of the state Class B tournament on Thursday.
If the first 10 points of the match had been any indication how the rest would go, No. 2 Linton-Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock would have been in for a fight.
The West Fargo Packers put their best foot forward on the opening day of the state Class A volleyball tournament.
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Bismarck High has been the only team to beat Century this season.
Garrison thought last season might be its time to finally get to the state volleyball tournament.
It's been a long time since Bismarck hosted a state volleyball tournament.
Century swept Bismarck 25-17, 25-21, 25-18 in the championship match of the West Region volleyball tournament on Saturday in Watford City.
The postseason arrived early for Shiloh Christian and Grant County.
West Region volleyball teams haven’t had a lot of success in knocking off the perennial power Century Patriots in recent years.
It wasn't always clean, nor was it the easiest win, but St. Mary's earned a split of its season series with Mandan by sweeping the Braves 3-0 on Tuesday evening.
Rematch season has begun in West Region volleyball, and second-ranked Bismarck faced its season-opening opponent Mandan in Karlgaard Gymnasium on Tuesday.
On Tuesday night, Tricia Sorensen had a luxury she had been without since Aug. 28.
Facing the Century Patriots in volleyball on any night is a daunting task.
The Legacy Sabers volleyball team is hitting its stride.
Streak? What streak?