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If the ad is under 12 lines it will be charged the minimum rate of $162. Obituaries including more than 40 lines will receive a 7.5% discount per line. On a second run date, receive a 20% discount off both the first and second placement. Place three obituaries and the third placement will be free of charge. Each photo published is $125 per day. For example: 2 photos in the paper on 2 days would be 4 photo charges at $500. Deadlines: Please follow deadline times to ensure your obituary is published on the day requested. Hours Deadline (no exceptions) Ad Photos MEMORIAM (NON-OBITUARY) REQUEST Unlike an obituary, Memoriam submissions are remembrances of a loved one who has passed. The rates for a memoriam differ from obituaries. Please call or email us for more memoriam information Please call 651-228-5280 for more information. HOURS: Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM (CLOSED WEEKENDS and HOLIDAYS) Please submit your memoriam ad to memoriams@pioneerpress.com or call 651-228-5280. Cecilia Klien assumed a state tournament appearance was likely not in the stars for her high school volleyball career. Not at Cretin-Derham Hall. When she showed up on campus in 2022, the Raiders were fresh off a 1-24 campaign. The year prior to that, they were 0-10. Klien didn’t know much about the program at the time, but she did hear things to the tune of, “Oh, we lose a lot.” Great. But that was pre-Klein. Pre-Taylor Williams, pre-Caroline Banks and Megan Buri. It was also pre-coach Erin Horn. The Gophers alum took over the volleyball program that year, when the current seniors were just freshmen. “It was a rough first couple years,” Horn noted. It’s sensational now. Cretin-Derham Hall reached this year’s Class 3A state semifinals, which it dropped in straight sets to powerhouse Marshall (32-2). The top-seeded Tigers, last year’s state runners-up, will meet Benilde-St. Margaret’s in Saturday’s state final at 6:30 p.m. in St. Paul. Tigers coach Dan Westby had high praise for the Raiders, noting the talent that was evident in film in preparation for the match. How far the Raiders (27-4) have come. “It’s been awesome. It’s so fun,” Horn said of the program’s ascent. “I just told the girls in the locker room, ‘Keep your heads high.’ We had nothing to lose. We came out, we battled, we were scrappy, we fought for every point, we weren’t just gonna lay over and die, even when we were down.” Horn noted she’s excited for the young kids who watched this week’s action and thought, “That can be me in a few years.” That type of example wasn’t evident for the players of the past. Junior middle blocker Leila Colvin noted she was hardly aware of high school volleyball before coming to Cretin-Derham Hall. “I didn’t know about the state tournament, I didn’t know we even played five sets,” she said. “I really had no idea.” Now, there’s a reason for young kids to follow along. Williams’ younger sister is an avid fan. She was in attendance Friday, sporting purple and yellow face paint. Cretin-Derham Hall volleyball is one of her favorite topics of discussion. “There’s a huge growth and a movement in volleyball in St. Paul,” Horn said. The Raiders are at least partially to thank. Not only have they won at a high level — the state tournament trips in 2024 and 2025 represent the program’s first since 2011 — but they engage the youth. Colvin’s favorite moments are tossing out bags of candy, high-fiving and taking photos with kids at matches. Horn has a holistic program philosophy in which the varsity engages frequently with underclassmen through joint-practices and buddy programs. Success at the top funnels down, building a base for a brighter future. “We’re only on the ground level right now, and I feel like the next few years, it’s only going to keep growing,” Klien said. “The next years are going to be so much fun to watch because of the impact the girls on this team and the senior class have left.”
