WINFIELD - The year was 1978.Disco dominated the airwaves, "Grease" grossed gazillions at the box office and Jimmy Carter occupied the Oval Office.And locally, it was the last time the Warrenton volleyball team won a conference championship.Until Tuesday.The Warriors overcame a first set setback against a pumped up Winfield squad celebrating its senior night and rallied for a 21-25, 25-14, 25-21 victory. The triumph clinched the GAC North crown outright for Warrenton, which finished 7-1 in league play, and ended a 40-year conference title draught.“It’s really exciting,” Warrior senior outside hitter Allison Tonioli said. “I honestly thought we wouldn’t do it after we lost in the first set, but we were able to come together and push through.”The Warriors have been pushing through adversity all season. They lost key cog and senior middle Megan Gross in a fatal car accident on Sept. 17 and have since dedicated the season to their beloved teammate. They struggled initially on the court without her before recently finding a groove, rattling off 11 wins in their last 12 games.“These girls could have packed it in after losing someone of Megan’s caliber and I wouldn’t have blamed them if they did,” Warrenton Head Coach Randy Kindschuh said. “But this shows what these girls are made of. I’m happy for them, I’m happy for the school and I’m happy for the community. Forty years is a longtime between conference championships.”Winfield (9-11-1) proved a worthy adversary for Warrenton Tuesday. Momentum swayed back and forth throughout, especially in the deciding set, which saw the visiting Warriors knot the score at 18 and take control for good on a clutch bock from junior middle Miranda Nelson.“That was a good game to watch,” Kindschuh said. “There were plays being made from both sides. We were pounding the ball and they were digging it up. They were pounding the ball and we were digging it up. (Taylor Gentemann) was putting kills down for Winfield and Allison Tonioli was doing that for us.”Looking for that little extra something to separate itself from Winfield, Warrenton leaned on its bread and butter.“It came down to our serve and that’s been our game plan from day one – serve and pass,” Kindschuh said. “We want to serve tough and I think our serve really got Winfield out of their system and got us some points.”Allyssa Evrard led the charge with a team-high eight service points. Macey Ransom had seven, Tonioli six and Allie Gerrard five. The fearsome foursome also combined for six aces.Tonioli produced a game-high 16 kills, Morgan Frye also hit double-digits with 10 and Ransom’s five kills all seemed to come at critical junctures.Warrenton’s blocking game was also on point as well and that hasn’t always been the case this year. Nelson, Tonioli and Jazzy McCuskey all had two blocks apiece.The Warriors (24-6-2) celebrated their senior night and wrapped up their regular with a 25-23, 25-23 straight-set win against Sullivan Thursday. Alyssa Bruce had four service aces, Evrard 22 assists, Tonioli 14 kills and Nelson two blocks.Warrenton hopes its conference championship isn’t the only new milestone it reaches in 2018. Kindschuh’s squad opens postseason play versus No. 3 Holt (17-12) in the Class 4, District 7 Tournament at Timberland Monday. Warrenton, which has never won a district, is the sixth seed in the seven seed tourney.“With 24 wins, that’s a slap in the face,” KIndschuh said. “ I think we should’ve been seeded no lower than four. We’re going in with a little bit of a chip on our shoulder and it’s kind of David vs. Goliath for us, but I think we can play with Holt.”WARRENTON versus the Gateway Athletic Conference in 2018

• Aug. 30 - vs. St. Charles West -Won: 25-17, 25-10 (1-0)
• Sept. 6 - vs. Orchard Farm - Won: 25-13, 25-21 (2-0)
• Sept. 13 - at St. Charles - Won: 25-18, 25-23 (3-0)
• Sept. 25 - at St. Charles West - Won: 25-22, 25-14 (4-0)
• Sept. 27 - at Orchard Farm - Lost: 22-25, 25-20, 20-25 (4-1)
• Oct. 9 - vs. St. Charles - Won: 25-10, 25-16 (5-1)
• Oct. 10 - vs. Winfield - Won: 22-25, 26-24, 25-18 (6-1)
• Oct. 16 - at Winfield - Won: 21-25, 25-14, 25-21 (7-1)

TOP OF THE GAC NORTH - The Warrenton Warriors volleyball team won a conference title for the first time since 1978 on Tuesday. Pictured are (front row, from left) Macey Ransom, Kate Kilpatrick, Allyssa Evrard, Amber Glazebrook, Tiffany Meine and Alyssa Bruce. In back are Coach Karly Hughes, Kassidy Haller, Ashley Pullen, Morgan Frye, Allison Tonioli, Miranda Nelson, Allie Gerrard, Jazzy McCuskey, Coach Randy Kindschuh and Coach Ceile Cassidy. 

CELEBRATION - The Warriors celebrate winning their first conference championship in 40 years after knocking off Winfield in three sets. 

IN THE AIR - Warrenton's Allyssa Evrard goes for an assist during Tuesday's three-set win at Winfield. 

MAKING A PLAY - Warrenton's Jazzy McCuskey (4) and Allison Tonioli (5) attempt to block a shot during Warrenton's three-set win over Winfield Tuesday. 

Warrenton's morgan Frye finishes off a kill during Tuesday's three-set win at Winfield. Warrenton clinched the GAC North championship outright with the victory.