Staley tops Central to claim Class 1 District 16 boys volleyball championship
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) – The Coliseum at Central High School was the site of a busy week of postseason action, hosting the 2025 MSHSAA Class 1 District 16 Boys Volleyball Tournament.
Five teams made up the bracket, including two newcomers to the sport in Benton and Lafayette. The two rivals squared off in the opening round, where the Cardinals swept the Fighting Irish in three sets by scores of 25-23, 25-14, 25-16 to advance.
Lafayette’s season came to an end at 6-13-2, earning wins over Winnetonka, Paseo Academy, Central (Kansas City) twice, and a pair of forfeit victories. Benton moved on to face top-seeded Staley in the semifinal round.
The Falcons, looking to reach sectionals for the second consecutive season, left no doubt. They swept the Cardinals 25-12, 25-22, 25-9, eliminating Benton and finishing the Cardinals' season at 10-7-3.
“These boys have fought every day,” Benton assistant coach Dalton Lawrence said. “We've been in the gym always wanting to get better, always wanting to learn, and coming together as a team, playing their hearts out, it just made it really easy for us to coach.”
Central, the tournament’s two-seed, earned a bye into the semifinal along with Northland Christian. The two teams had battled to five sets during the regular season, but this time, the Indians asserted control. Central swept the Trailblazers 26-24, 25-16, 25-23 to punch its ticket to the championship.
“I'm proud of my guys. I mean, where we have come from 14, 15 months ago, I couldn't be more proud of a group of guys,” Central head coach Dan McCamy said. “Just the growth in all facets of our game, I think, has just been tremendous. I think the desire and want, and commitment out of these boys is second to none.”
That set up a Friday night showdown between Central and Staley for the district crown. The Falcons had won both previous meetings this year in straight sets, but the Indians came into the match looking to flip the script and capture their first set victory against their district rival.
Central battled in the opening frame, but Staley held on to take the first set 25-21.
“You know, volleyball, sometimes it just comes down to a point here, a point there, and kind of just staying in rhythm and keeping the momentum,” McCamy said. “We had some momentum shifts in the game on our side and on their side, and just trying to survive those swings.”
The Indians responded with a strong showing in the second. Catching the Falcons out of rhythm, a rare sight for a Ken Corum-coached squad, Central capitalized to even the match with a 25-20 set win.
However, Staley showed out in the final two sets. The Falcons regained control and closed out the championship with 25-19 and 25-17 victories, claiming the district title and securing a spot in the Class 1 state tournament.
Despite the loss, the Indians closed the season on a high note with a 22-13 record and marked improvement from the program’s inaugural year.
“I'm going to miss those four seniors. They meant a lot to us, and what we've done over the last couple of years, but I'm proud of each and every one of those kids, fighting like heck to stay in a game that was a very competitive game,” McCamy said. “I felt like we gave it our all, but like I said, I don't want to dwell on negatives. I'm super proud of my guys. I'm really happy with the 22-13 record. I mean, I think we showed a lot of resilience and really, I can't be more proud of a group of guys.”
