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Flyers claim second state title with five-set victory over unbeaten Monarchs

Roger Merriam, Watertown Public Opinion
·5 min read

RAPID CITY — Second-seeded and second-rated Chester Area ended a year-long wait by getting even with top-seeded and top-rated Warner in the state Class B volleyball championship.

The Flyers (33-2) won a championship rematch against the Monarchs with a 3-2 (20-25, 25-23, 25-17, 18-25, 15-13) victory.

It was a classic battle between two of the state's best volleyball programs. Warner was shooting for a third-straight State B title (and ninth overall) and saw its bid for perfect season (39-1) fall short in the loss.

Chester (33-2) won its second overall State B title and first since 2015.

"I though the girls stayed gritty," Chester coach Jean O'Hara said. "I thought they played with a lot of heart and resolve."

Chester Area defeated two-time champion Warner 3-1 to win the state Class B volleyball championship on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023 in the Summit Arena at The Monument in Rapid City.
Chester Area defeated two-time champion Warner 3-1 to win the state Class B volleyball championship on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023 in the Summit Arena at The Monument in Rapid City.

The Flyers finished with 68 kills in the match, including 18 from Jacy Wolf, 15 from Emmerson Eppard, 14 from Addison Bates and 12 from Lily VanHal. VanHal also produced 39 assists, eight digs and four block assists; Wolf 17 assists and 14 digs; Emery Larson 21 digs; Bates one solo and four block assists; Katelynn Huntimer 10 digs and Gracie Huntimer three aces.

Twins Lauren and Kyra Marcuson tallied 18 and 11 kills, respectively, for Warner, which had lost three sets all season before Saturday. Lauren Marcuson added three aces and 17 digs and Kyra Marcuson nine digs.

Ava Nilsson finished with 44 assists, 28 digs and one solo and six block assists; Kyleigh Schopp added 14 kills and eight block assists; MaKenna Leidholt, six kills and five block assists; and Courtney Bjorgaard 11 digs.

All-Tournament Team

The South Dakota Volleyball Coaches Association's all-tournament team included VanHal, Wolf and Larson of Chester Area; Schopp and Nilsson of Warner; Kailee Frank of Burke; Gracie Haug and Emerson Carter of Castlewood; Daniela Lee of Colman-Egan; Kailynn Dorris of Wolsey-Wessington; Addison Melius of Faulkton Area; and Maia Achen of Gayville-Volin.

Saturday's Other Matches

Third Place (Burke 3, Castlewood 0) — Burke (33-5) nailed down third place by pulling away late for a 25-22, 25-23, 25-20 victory. Kailee Frank finished with 11 kills and 15 digs, Emmie Hausmann 14 kills, Paige Bull eight kills and one solo and four block assists, Bridget Eliason 12 assists, Ava Sargent 18 assists and Elle Johnson 13 digs.

Gracie Haug made 33 assists, Presley Knecht 16 kills and 11 digs, Emerson Carter 10 kills and one solo and three block assists, Cassidy Kirwan eight kills and Kailyn Larson eight digs (22-10).

More: No. 2 Chester, No. 4 Burke move into semifinals with first-round victories

Fifth Place (Colman-Egan 3, Wolsey-Wessington 2) — Colman-Egan (30-6) rallied for a 22-25, 20-25, 25-12, 25-20, 15-11 win by getting 20 kills from Brynlee Landis, 15 kills and two solo and eight block assists from Daniela Lee, 25 assists from Laney Mousel, 21 assists and 14 digs from Kaylee Voelker and 17 digs from Presley Luze.

Kendall Uttecht tallied 32 assists and 21 digs for Wolsey-Wessington (30-6). Tatum Luze contributed 12 kills, Samara Clemente 17 kills and one solo and three block assists, Kailynn Dorris 22 kills, Payton Kemnitz 19 assists and Shae Uttecht 18 digs.

Seventh Place (Faulkton Area 3, Gayville-Volin 0) — Faulkton Area closed out a 25-11 season with a 25-21, 25-15, 25-15 win. Addison Melius notched 13 kills and 13 digs, Carley Cotton 13 kills and 17 digs, Micah Martinmaas 14 assists, Tegan Baloun 16 assists, Anna Aesoph 15 digs and Kelli Stoecker two solo and four block assists for Faulkton.

Gayville-Volin (25-14) was led by Maia Achen, seven kills; Paisley Dikmmer, six kills; Keeley Larson, 18 assists; Taylor Hoxeng, 18 digs; Julie Westrum, 15 digs; and Ayla Dimmer, 13 digs.

Warner's Courtney Bjorgaard makes a dig during a Class B semifinal match against Burke in the state high school volleyball tournament on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 in the Summit Arena at The Monument in Rapid City.
Warner's Courtney Bjorgaard makes a dig during a Class B semifinal match against Burke in the state high school volleyball tournament on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 in the Summit Arena at The Monument in Rapid City.

Friday's Semifinals

No. 1 Warner clinched a berth in the title match with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-22 and 25-11) win over Burke. In the other semifinal, No. 2 Chester turned back Castlewood 3-0 (25-13, 25-20 and 25-21) to set up a rematch of last year's state championship.

Sisters Kyra (14 kills) and Lauren Marcuson (nine kills and 11 digs) powered Warner. Ava Nilsson chipped in with 33 assists and two solo and two block assists, Kyleigh Schopp six kills and one solo and four block assists and Courtney Bjorgaard 13 digs.

More: Six-time defending champion Sioux Falls Christian favored again in Class A

Leaders for Burke were Emmie Hausman, six kills; Kyrie Matucha, nine digs; Elle Johnson, seven digs; Ava Sargent, 10 assists; and Paige Bull one solo and three block assists.

Lily VanHal's 11 kills, 31 assists and six aces led the way for Chester. Jacy Wolf contributed 12 kills, Addison Bates 11 and Emmerson Eppard 10. Emerson Larson chipped in with 17 digs.

Leaders for Castlewood included Gracie Haug with 20 assists and eight digs, Emerson Carter 10 kills, two solo blocks and one block assists, Presley Knecht 12 kills and Kylie Wittnebel seven digs.

Castlewood's Gracie Haug reaches to keep the ball alive as teammate Cassidy Kirwan watches during a semifinal match against Chester in the state Class B volleyball tournament on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 in the Summit Arena at The Monument in Rapid City.
Castlewood's Gracie Haug reaches to keep the ball alive as teammate Cassidy Kirwan watches during a semifinal match against Chester in the state Class B volleyball tournament on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 in the Summit Arena at The Monument in Rapid City.

Consolation Semifinals

Wolsey-Wessington and Colman-Egan each posted wins on Friday afternoon. Wolsey-Wessington defeated Gayville-Volin 3-1 (27-29, 25-12, 25-20, 25-21) and Colman-Egan rallied for a 3-2 (12-25, 18-25, 25-10, 25-23, 19-17 win over Faulkton Area.

Samara Clemente made 10 kills and two solo and four block assists, Kailynn Dorris 24 kills, Kendal Uttecht 27 assists, Katy Kemnitz 22 assists and 20 digs, Lainey Uttecht 40 digs and Shae Uttecht 18 digs for Wolsey-Wessington.

Maia Achen had 24 kills, two aces and 19 digs, Keeley Larson 34 assists and 21 digs and Jolie Westrum 25 digs for Gayville-Volin.

Brynlee Landis (21 kills and 24 digs), Daniela Lee (13 kills and 32 digs) and Kaylee Voelker (29 assists and 16 digs), Lanie Mousel (17 assists) and Presley Luze (28 digs) for Colman-Egan.

Faulkton Area received 21 kills and 19 digs from Carley Cotton, 22 kills and 18 digs from Addison Melius and 27 assists and 17 digs from Tegan Baloun. Micah Martinmaas added 22 assists and Anna Aesoph 14 digs.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Class B highlights from final two days of state volleyball tourney