Sports Spotlight: Century’s volleyball team

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - When you think of high school dynasties, the Century volleyball team is one of the first to come to mind. The Patriots swept Jamestown to become the West Region Champion for the 10th consecutive season.

“The girls were ready,” says head coach Jamie Zastoupil. “They were locked in and they were excited. We told them ‘You have an opportunity to become a part of this legacy, to become part of this tradition, and why not try to take it?’ So, it was exciting for them to be a part of and I thought they really put things together well and showed good Century volleyball.”

Only twice in the past 18 years has the Century’s volleyball team failed to play in the state title game. The team has not missed a tournament since 2010 and it has nine state title trophies.

“I just think that our coaches have done a great job training our girls through the past too and getting them ready to play in that late-night game,” says senior outside-hitter Eden Fridley. “And also, just what we’re expected of. We show up in the gym every day and we work really hard to maintain that goal.”

“I think it speaks to how hard we’ve worked over the years and how our legacy has been built and we continue to build on it every single year,” Holland Fitterer adds. “We know the athletes that have paved the way before us and we want to work just as hard as them to try to succeed in the same ways they did.”

Century’s volleyball program is certainly one to be admired. Kids grow up seeing the success and dreaming of suiting up for the Patriots one day. It speaks volumes for the lasting culture that has been built.

“You know, I’m living that now. I’ve got a 5th-grade daughter myself, and her and all of her friends are always talking about Century volleyball and they want to come and play here, to be able to do this,” Zastoupil says. “But the base of any good program is going to be that foundation and that developmental time, and I think that we have that here. I think our coaches and our athletes are buying in and doing a great job with it.”

“Being a senior, it’s our job to leave something, make a mark. And I just hope that the girls carry on what we do in this last week and bring it next season,” says Fridley. “We have a lot of returners and our junior class is huge, so taking what we leave and starting it up again and carrying the same culture we’ve had for years.”

The Patriots begin their 37th state tournament journey tomorrow when they take on Fargo Davies.

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