The Center Grove volleyball team is back in the state finals for the first time since winning the Class 4A title in 2000.

The Trojans’ reward? A date against Muncie Central in what is basically a home match for the always-powerful Bearcats.

The schools will meet Saturday morning at Yorktown High School near Muncie, with the winner advancing to the 4A state title match against the Floyd Central-Elkhart Memorial winner Saturday night at Ball State’s Worthen Arena.

“They probably will have a little bit of a home-court (advantage),” said Trojans coach Deb McClurg, a 1979 graduate of Wes-Del High School near Muncie, "but we’ve had a great following with our fans. I would be surprised if a lot didn’t show up on Saturday morning.’’

Center Grove also is the only team in the 4A field that did not play in last year’s state finals, won by Cathedral. Warren Central eliminated the Irish in the sectional level this year.

“That’s a little bit of an advantage (the other teams) have,” McClurg said, "but we’ve been at different venues (and) travel to Illinois. We do the best we can to prepare kids for the tournament.

“My thing with our kids is they have to expect that the unexpected will happen. You have to expect the crowd to be loud. Someone will get stuffed or have a bad game. Someone else has to pick it up.”

Working in the Trojans’ favor is the fact they’re an experienced bunch with a roster that includes eight seniors. McClurg has called this one of her most athletic teams in 16 years at the school.

Plus, she’s heartened by how sophomores Mackenzie Kitchel and Emma Cullom stepped up while some seniors coped with sickness and injuries.

If the Trojans make a few less mistakes than the opposition, McClurg would take her chances.

“Absolutely,” she said. “It will come down to serving and passing. You look at these four teams, (and) I don’t think anyone has lost more than four games. There isn’t a whole lot separating us.”

Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s quest to advance to the first team state finals in school history ended agonizingly close in the 1A South Decatur Regional last Saturday night.

The Lancers (29-7) lost to No. 9 Lutheran 25-27, 25-19, 25-19, 27-29, 15-8.

“The only thing I was nervous about when we started out that fifth game was that we were in one our weakest rotations and they got the first serve,” said Edinburgh coach Tina Bottorff.

“What Lutheran did was very smart. They saw the court and saw where to take it to us. They had been there before. Our kids were running on emotion, and as a coach you know emotions only take it so far.”

After some initial sadness, Bottorff realized the special quality of the night.

“It was unbelievable community support,” said Bottorff, in her fourth season at Edinburgh. “It was absolutely amazing. I’ve been coaching a long time, but I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The future looks bright for the Lancers, who lose just two senior starters: Courtney Dragoo and Emilee Owens.

“We’re extremely young,” Bottorff said. “We’re losing two of our incredible seniors, but I think the girls have learned and they know their hard work paid off.”