ST. PETERS — Francis Howell Central senior Chase Williams couldn’t wait to take the court on Friday.
The Spartans setter had plenty of motivation as he and his teammates took on district rival Francis Howell North in the boys volleyball Class 1 District 6 championship match at Fort Zumwalt East.
“This is probably the most anticipated I’ve ever been for a volleyball game,” Williams said. “I was thinking about it all day. I went into it thinking, you know, if it’s 1-v-6, if it’s me versus them, I’m coming out on top. I’m not losing district finals my senior year.”
Williams was true to his word, running the Howell Central offense to near perfection in a 25-22, 25-12, 25-16 win.
Howell Central (30-3-2), the state runner-up last season, will play Pattonville (11-13-1) in sectionals.
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Jason Campbell ripped 16 kills and Gavin Schlatter and Ethyn Durham each had seven for the Spartans. Williams finished with 30 assists, while Braden Harton led a lock-down back row defensive effort.
“We’ve been preparing all week,” Howell Central coach Steve Le said. “We had a good game plan coming in, and they executed pretty well.”
Samuel Fitzsimmons and Joshua Windsor each had nine kills and Luke Hollinger had 23 assists for Howell North (18-8).
“I think mentally clawing our way back so close (in the first set) and then losing it hurts mentally,” Howell North coach Robin Yuede said. “They’re a seasoned team. They’re a great team. If I got to lose to someone, it might as well be them.”
Howell Central won both regular season matches but needed a dramatic reverse sweep to pull out the second meeting. The Spartans saved the drama this time.
After taking the first two sets, Howell Central’s block set the tone early in the third set as the Spartans jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Campbell, Levi Brimm and Durham each had stuffs in the frame.
“I like getting blocks because I don’t get a whole lot of them,” Campbell said. “So, whenever I do, it really turns me up.”
Campbell’s sixth kill of the set brought up championship point and a Knights’ hitting error ended the 68-minute match.
“Our passing was on point today,” Williams said. “Just running the middle just slightly off the net, giving them space to swing away, working in our right side from time to time, and then really working in those back row options … really went well tonight on offense.”
Yuede said the future is bright for the Knights with a strong group returning.
“These guys just love the game, and so they work hard,” Yuede said. “You know, we’re not the tallest, we’re not the strongest, we don’t have, you know, an entire team that plays club ball, but these guys work hard every day.”
Spartans start strong
Kills by Durham and Campbell helped give the Spartans a 21-17 lead in a tightly-played first set. A Williams ace brought up set point and a Schlatter laser clinched the opener for Howell Central.
Campbell and Schlatter each had five kills and Josh Hadden put down three aces for the Spartans in the first set.
“We thought it would be a good game,” Campbell said. “They definitely showed out. But, I mean, we turned up, we played how we play.”
Adkerson is aces
Howell Central took control of the second set with an 11-0 run sparked by Trent Adkerson’s aggressive serves. When he wasn’t putting down his two aces, Adkerson flustered Howell North’s serve receive leading to several hitting errors as the Spartans jumped out to a 15-3 lead.
“He’s got a great deep float serve,” Le said of Adkerson. “He serves way back, so there’s that extra time and the extra movement that you get.”
Campbell put down five kills and a Harton ace helped Howell Central take a 2-0 lead.
Playoff picture
Howell Central will travel to Pattonville in sectionals on Tuesday, May 20. The Pirates, who were the No. 3 seed in District 5, upset top-seeded Ladue in the championship match on Thursday.
The Spartans swept the Pirates on March 29.
“If the kids do what they did today, we should be OK,” Le said. “I mean, they played with great energy, they had great serving, great blocking. I always tell the kids that with blocking, passing and serving, if you win two out of the three, usually you win the game.”
Francis Howell Central def. Francis Howell North 25-22, 25-12, 25-16
Francis Howell Central players celebrate as the ball fall to give them a three set seep and the victory during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans junior opposite hitter Trent Adkerson (5) looks up as he visualizes where he is going to toss the ball before starting his jump serve during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central players celebrate with the championship plaque during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central players celebrate with the championship plaque during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell North Knights junior setter Luke Hollinger (6) and Francis Howell Central Spartans junior outside hitter Gavin Schlatter (10) battle at the net over the ball during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central players celebrate as the ball fall to give them a three set seep and the victory during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans senior setter Chase Williams (13) sets the ball for a teammate during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central players celebrate a point off the attack hit by Francis Howell Central Spartans senior middle blocker Ethyn Durham (19) during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans junior outside hitter Jason Campbell (6) hits against the blocking of Francis Howell North Knights sophomore middle hitter Noah Rowland (7) and Francis Howell North Knights senior right side hitter Weston Peck (11) during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell North Knights junior middle hitter Boston Party Winchester (16) tips the ball over the block attempt of Francis Howell Central Spartans senior middle blocker Ethyn Durham (19) during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans junior opposite hitter Connor Steinbruegge (21) hits the ball off the blocking of Francis Howell North Knights senior outside hitter Joshua Windsor (24) and out of bounds for a point during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans freshman setter Josh Hadden (17), Francis Howell Central Spartans junior libero Braden Harton (4) and Francis Howell Central Spartans junior opposite hitter Trent Adkerson (5) watch the ball fall out of bounds off a serve for a point for their team during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell North Knights junior setter Luke Hollinger (6) sets the ball for a teammate during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans senior setter Chase Williams (13) sets the ball for Francis Howell Central Spartans junior middle blocker Levi Brimm (7) during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans junior opposite hitter Trent Adkerson (5) gets low to receive the ball and make a bump pass during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans senior setter Chase Williams (13) brings the set back away from the net due to the blocking by Francis Howell North players at the net during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans junior opposite hitter Connor Steinbruegge (21) and Francis Howell Central Spartans junior middle blocker Levi Brimm (7) put up a defense at the net during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell North Knights junior setter Luke Hollinger (6) starts a back set during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans freshman setter Josh Hadden (17) starts his serve during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell North Knights sophomore defensive specialist Danny Shi (12) dives and gets his hand under the ball to keep it alive during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans junior outside hitter Gavin Schlatter (10) hits through the blocking of Francis Howell North Knights junior middle hitter Boston Party Winchester (16) and Francis Howell North Knights junior setter Luke Hollinger (6) during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans senior setter Chase Williams (13) and Francis Howell Central Spartans senior middle blocker Ethyn Durham (19) block the attack hit during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell North Knights junior setter Luke Hollinger (6) tries to block the attack hit of Francis Howell Central Spartans junior outside hitter Gavin Schlatter (10) during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans junior outside hitter Gavin Schlatter (10) hits off the blocking of Francis Howell North Knights junior setter Luke Hollinger (6) and Francis Howell North Knights sophomore middle hitter Noah Rowland (7) during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell North Knights senior outside hitter Joshua Windsor (24) tries to tip the ball over the blocking of Francis Howell Central Spartans junior opposite hitter Connor Steinbruegge (21) during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell North Knights junior setter Luke Hollinger (6) and Francis Howell North Knights sophomore middle hitter Noah Rowland (7) try to block the attack hit during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans junior outside hitter Jason Campbell (6) hits past the blocking of Francis Howell North Knights senior right side hitter Weston Peck (11) during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
Francis Howell Central Spartans junior outside hitter Jason Campbell (6) has his attack hit blocked by Francis Howell North Knights junior middle hitter Boston Party Winchester (16) and Francis Howell North Knights senior right side hitter Weston Peck (11) during the District 6 Championship match held on Friday May 16, 2025 at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters.
