Since 1997, the Lake Mills volleyball team has qualified for the regional finals 10 times and gone on to state in 2001, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

The Bulldogs aim to build on that success with the start of the postseason against West Fork in the Class 2A Region 5 quarterfinals at 7 p.m. today at home.

Here’s a Q&A with Bulldogs coach Jim Boehmer:

After racking up a 44-3 record this year, how much confidence does your team have headed into the postseason?

We feel we are 0-0 right now. We believe in ourselves and our training, but we all know we have to show up each night. We have a tough regional road with Clarion-Goldfield (22-11) and Grundy Center (26-9) beyond West Fork (11-15). When the year started, many thought Clarion-Goldfield would be favored in our area. Each year Grundy Center is a favorite, so we know we have to play our best to advance each night. Right now, we are focused on winning tonight and matching the school record for wins in a season at 45. Small goals along the way to help us reach the big goal of advancing to the final eight in the state.

Do you think the win at the Algona Tournament was a good way to end the regular season and give you some momentum for regionals?

That Algona tournament was one of the best in the state of Iowa that weekend, and for us to come out of there 6-0 gave us a lot of confidence. We had a tough week leading up to that day, so it was nice to see that hard work and focus pay off. Beating the (Class) 3A and 4A schools to win that tournament was a proud moment for me as a coach. Seeing the girls defeat three rated 3A and 4A schools and also 3A-Sheldon who has been a state tournament team the last few years was great. It proved we can compete with some of the best in the state. We always say we feel we can compete in those bigger classes, so it was nice to see the girls step up and prove it.

How do you think the Class 2A Region 5 bracket turned out? It’s not seeded, is it?

They do not formally seed it, but the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union seems to get the top eight schools separated into eight different regionals. We were not done any favors, but in Class 2A, I don’t know if that’s possible. 2A is so tough. The top third of the state is filled with the top programs in the state in Dike, Western Christian, Sumner-Fredericksburg, Grundy Center, Wapsie Valley, and some other top programs. It is what it is. It’s our goal that when pairings come out they don’t want to see Lake Mills in their bracket. This is what we know: we have been to six straight regional finals and have three state tournament appearances in that run. We feel we can control our own destiny, so let’s dream big and put in the work needed to make that dream possible. If we reach it, great! If we don’t, well then at least we know we did all we could, and we will have no regrets.

The last time you played West Fork was a 3-0 win on Oct. 26, 2012?

That is correct. That was a regional match as well. They run a different style of offense than we have seen. They also have some athletes with some height. I think we have to expect some different things from them. We can’t panic in situations that get uncomfortable. We will just need to adjust and play our game along the way. We do feel we have to stay aggressive to score, and that is what we have to do to Clarion and Grundy Center, if we get to them both, to keep them out of system. If we don’t do that we won’t advance, and we understand that.

Lake Mills, West Fork

Conference North Iowa, Corn Bowl

Record 44-3, 11-15

Class 2A ranking No. 12, NR

Sets 118, 76

Longest streak 18 straight wins, 3 straight wins

Kills 1,304; 589

Kill efficiency 0.242, 0.162

Kills per set 11.05, 7.75

Serving efficiency 0.959, 0.939

Ace serves 278, 134

 

Other games in Class 2A Region 5 at 7 p.m. Tuesday:
• West Marshall (11-23) at No. 7 Grundy Center (26-9)

• South Hamilton (14-11) vs. Collins-Maxwell/Baxter (10-12) at Jewell

• Belmond-Klemme (16-15) at Clarion Goldfield (22-11)