By RANDY GONZALES

rgonzales@dailynews.net

The prep volleyball teams from Weskan and Hoxie can look ahead to next season with optimism after making this year's Class 1A State Championships.

Their teams did not make it out of pool play on Friday at Gross Memorial Coliseum, but Coyote coach Shelly Cox and Indian coach Christy Juenemann think this year's state experience will help next season, when their teams have most of their players returning.

In the Class 2A State Championships at GMC, No. 1 seed and top-ranked Oberlin (39-1) went 3-0 to make Saturday's semifinals, against Lebo (37-5). Moundridge (34-9) and Blue Rapids-Valley Heights (34-10) were in the other semifinal.

Weskan and Hoxie hope to be back at state next year.

"Just a good season," Cox said. "It's always good to end in Hays, Kansas."

"They were an extremely young team, a rebuilding year," Juenemann said. "This was one of our goals, get to state."

Both teams went 0-3 in pool play.

Hutchinson-Central Christian defeated Hoxie, 25-15, 25-16; Frankfort needed three games to beat Hoxie, 12-25, 25-21, 25-16; Pratt-Skyline was a 25-20, 25-23 winner over Hoxie.

LeRoy-Southern Coffey County was extended to three games by Weskan, 25-17, 20-25, 25-23; Centralia defeated Weskan, 25-22, 25-18; St. John beat Weskan, 25-18, 25-6.

Saturday's semifinals were Central Christian (42-2) against Centralia (40-6) and Frankfort (33-8) against defending champion St. John (35-8).

Losing the first match in three games was tough on the Coyotes, Cox said.

"Three close ones," she said. "Really should have put them away."

By the time the Coyotes played St. John, the team was emotionally drained, and it scored just six points in Game 2.

"You let down," Cox said. "We didn't have a lot of emotion, that last one."

Cox returns five starters off this year's 33-13 Weskan team.

"I think they will just continue to get better," Cox said.

Juenemann's squad came up just short against Frankfort and led Pratt-Skyline in the second game before losing.

"You always think, 'We almost had them,' " Juenemann said. "But the position we're in now, need to step back and say, 'Wow!' "

Juenemann was proud of her team's effort.

"We came out there and played well today, we didn't play like a normal No. 8 seed," Juenemann said. "I'm extremely proud of how we played today.

"I told them not to be disappointed at all," she added.

Juenemann, who just completed her first year as head coach at Hoxie, already is looking ahead to next season. Hoxie (21-18) lost just one senior.

"I'm already thinking about what I can do to make them better," Juenemann said.

Oberlin defeated Salina-Sacred Heart, 25-12, 25-22, then needed three games to beat Valley Heights before ending pool play with a 25-21, 25-13 win over Spearville.

"Coming out and dominating like they did was important for the girls," Oberlin coach Sherri Ruf said. "I was pretty confident they would come out and play well."

One thing Ruf wasn't so sure about was the health of senior middle hitter Adrienne Pauls, who sprained an ankle in practice on Thursday, but played Friday.

"We got her (ankle) wrapped," Ruf said, adding she was looking for something to treat the ankle with between matches.

"That's why everybody is looking for ice," Ruf said.

At Salina, No. 3 seed and third-ranked Phillipsburg advanced to Saturday's semifinals of the Class 3A State Championships after going 2-1 in Friday's pool play at the Bicentennial Center.

Phillipsburg needed three games to edge Hillsboro, 23-25, 25-20, 25-22, then beat Eureka, 25-11, 25-14 before losing to Wichita Collegiate, 25-23, 25-15.

In the semifinals, top-ranked Wichita Collegiate (38-1) was up against Southwestern Heights (43-2) and Phillipsburg (39-3) had Central Heights (39-4).