Before Saturday’s Class 3A state championship match against Normal U-High, Nazareth senior right-side hitter Jane Manecke stormed onto Doug Collins Court.

With her hands held up high, Manecke led the Roadrunners by raising her hands up in the air for the pregame warmups amid a chorus of boos from the large Pioneers student section.

Throughout the season, the Roadrunners have battled the odds only to shock the state volleyball world by landing a spot in the coveted state final game on the last day of the volleyball season.

As the Cinderella of the four-class state weekend, the Roadrunners, who finished 3-31 last season, were intent on adding one more magical performance to their season. The state title match was the last place many in the program expected to be in 2025, especially with

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