By Tim Lilley
The Message editor
The team of Diocese of Evansville priests prevailed against teams of diocesan seminarians and members of the Savio group to claim the title at the 2023 Cleric Cup Volleyball Tournament, hosted July 15 by Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Haubstadt. Games were played in the Haubstadt High School gymnasium, located a couple of blocks from the Sts. Peter and Paul Campus.
The third annual tournament featured round-robin action involving all three teams playing each other, with the two teams with the best records squaring off for the championship. In the opening contest, the Savio guys bested the priests 25-22. Team Savio then defeated the team of seminarians 25-19.
The seminarians dropped their next contest to the priests, who prevailed 25-18. As a result a rematch for the championship pitted Savio against the priests. The Savio guys, who trailed as much as 23-15 late in the contest, mounted a late comeback to pull within two points before ultimately falling short. Team Priests won the championship by a final score of 25-21.
The priests have claimed the cup in two of the three tournaments, winning in 2021 and this year, but dropping the Cup to a team from the Father Deydier House of Discernment in 2022. This year, house residents were members of Team Seminarians.
Deacon Caleb Scherzinger, who is assigned to Sts. Peter and Paul Parish this summer, organized the tournament. He thanked everyone who helped out, especially members of Knights of Columbus Council #2215 of Haubstadt, who grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, and staffed the concession stand with other volunteers.
