State volleyball: SF Christian, Warner get chance to repeat; O'Gorman denied

Two of the three defending champions made it back to title matches with semifinal victories on Friday in the 2022 South Dakota State High School Volleyball Tournament.

Top-seeded Sioux Falls Christian gained a shot as its sixth-straight and 12th Class A title in 16 years with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-7, 25-15) semifinal win over Elk-Point Jefferson and top-seeded Warner earned the chance to repeat in Class B with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-11) win over Wolsey-Wessington.

The story was much different in Class AA with two-time defending champion and second-seeded Sioux Falls O'Gorman falling 3-1 (21-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-23) to third-seeded Harrisburg and top-seeded Sioux Falls Washington losing 3-2 (25-23, 12-25, 25-22, 20-25, 15-7) to fourth-seeded Sioux Falls Jefferson.

Harrisburg and Jefferson will meet at 7 p.m. Saturday in the AA final. Sioux Falls Christian faces third-seeded Elkton-Lake Benton in Class A and Warner takes on third-seeded Chester Area in Class B title matches also set for 7 p.m.

Here's a breakdown of Friday's matches by class:

CLASS AA

The Harrisburg-Jefferson matchup isn't a complete surprise. They have been pretty much in the top four all season along with Washington and O'Gorman.

Jefferson, a second-year high school, has compiled a 25-6 record that before Friday included an 0-4 record against the top three teams including two to Washington. The Cavaliers and Warriors went back and fourth before Jefferson took over in the fifth set with strong play from 6-foot senior middle hitter Madison Paulsen and 5-7 junior outside hitter Ella Kvernmo.

"We hadn't been able to beat the top three teams all year, but we hadn't played to our full potential against them and they didn't know that," said Paulsen, who finished with 12 kills and four block assists.

Kvernmo contributed 12 kills and 16 digs and junior setter Presly Pastian 37 assists and 18 digs for coach Beth Donnelly's squad.

Washington (26-5) got big matches from Joslyn Richardson (25 kills, 14 digs), Carlie Beckstrand (15 kills) and Macie Malchow (42 assists, 10 digs).

The Cavaliers have a shot at the new school's first-ever state volleyball title a week after the school's football team won its first state Class 11AAA championship.

"After the football team won, they were telling us it was our turn. I told them that we'd do it for them," said Paulsen. "We're just going to go out there and do what we can."

If Jefferson is going to win, it will have to beat the hottest team in the class. Harrisburg ended the season rated No. 1 in the final polls and Friday's win was the Tigers' 15th in a row.

The streak included a 3-0 regular-season win over the Knights, who took the opening set in the rematch before Harrisburg recovered.

"We knew they would come back and have a lot of energy and fight," said Harrisburg 6-1 senior Morrisen Samuels, who tallied 11 kills and 17 digs. "We just stuck to our game plan from the original time, watched more film on them and came prepared."

It wasn't easy. All four sets were close. In the end, Harrisburg earned the chance to play for its first state championship since 2017.

"We just have to go home, get a good night of sleep and focus on our first contact tomorrow," said Samuels. "That's how we're going to win.

O'Gorman (26-5) was led by seniors Bergen Reilly, 19 kills and 13 digs; Brooke Harvison, 36 assists and 13 digs; and Brogan Beck, 13 kills, two solo blocks and five block assists.

In the consolation semifinals, Pierre outlasted Rapid City Stevens 3-2 (25-21, 25-21, 19-25, 22-25, 15-9) and Sioux Falls Lincoln also posted a 3-2 (25-23, 14-25, 25-22, 19-25 and 15-11 win over Huron.

Ayvrie Kaiser notched 15 kills and 13 digs and Reese Terwilliger 15 kills, one solo block and seven block assists for Pierre (16-6). Macey Wathen contributed 17 kills and 12 digs and Carsyn Mettler 13 kills, 27 assists and 24 digs for Stevens (23-13).

Nyareal Kutey's 14 kills, one solo block and five block assists and Samantha Zeeck's 36 assists and 12 digs paced Lincoln (21-11). Heaven Gainey tallied 18 kills and 17 digs, Brynn Gose 15 kills, Bryn Huber 45 digs and Hamtyn Heinz 42 assists, 13 digs and five aces for Huron (19-11).

Saturday: Rapid City Stevens vs. Huron, seventh place, 11:30 a.m.; Pierre vs. Sioux Falls Lincoln, fifth place, 1:15 p.m.; Washington vs. O'Gorman, third place, 5 p.m.; Harrisburg vs. Jefferson, championship, 7 p.m.

CLASS A

Perennial power Sioux Falls Christian didn't open the door for an eighth-seeded Elk Point-Jefferson team that had knocked off top-seeded Wagner in Thursday's first round.

The Chargers (32-5) took care of business with 12 kills and eight digs from Ellie Lems, 10 and 11 from Peyton Poppema and 10 and 12 from Sidney Oostra. Addisen Barber chipped in 32 assists and Tayler Byl one solo block and five block assists.

"We came out with a lot of energy and played well," said Lems, a 6-0 senior middle hitter. "Our team is just really fun to play with and we've had a blast this season."

Elk Point-Jefferson (25-10) was led by Sophia Giorgio's 16 assists and 12 digs and Josie Curry's six kills.

In the second semifinal, Elkton-Lake Benton (32-3) continued to make the most of its second-straight trip to state, the only two in history, by sweeping Miller 3-0 (25-22, 25-9 and 25-21). The Elks won the consolation championship in 2021 and will play for the bigger title on Saturday.

Rachael Krog produced 11 kills and 17 digs, Kailyn Drietz 10 kills and Tevan Erickson 29 assists, 14 digs, one solo block and five block assists for the Elks.

"We're all so excited to be here and the fact that we get to play in a state championship, especially my senior year ... oh my gosh! Flabbergasted is the word I would use," said Krog, a 5-10 outside hitter.

The Rustlers, who fell to 33-3, got 12 kills from Ally Mullaney, 21 digs from Jolie Palmer and 25 assists and 10 digs from Tyra Gates.

Krog and the Elks don't seem fazed that they are underdogs against Sioux Falls Christian.

"We got 'em. We got 'em, "said Krog. "We're going to play our game and we're going to show them."

In the consolation semifinals, Dakota Valley swept Wagner (25-17, 25-11, 25-17) and Platte-Geddes beat Belle Fourche 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-20).

Dakota Valley (27-8) got 11 kills and 10 digs from Claire Munch, 11 kills from Jorja Van Den Hul and 35 assists from Logan Miller. Emma Yost tallied six kills and Macy Koupal 19 assists and 11 digs for Wagner (31-5).

Karly VanDerWerff's 20 kills and 12 digs and Avery DeVries' 36 assists sparked Platte-Geddes (32-7). Mataya Ward produced 10 kills and Lily McCarty 22 assists for Belle Fourche (27-8).

Saturday: Wagner vs. Belle Fourche, seventh place, 11:30 a.m.; Dakota Valley vs. Platte-Geddes, fifth place, 1:15 p.m.; Elk Point-Jefferson vs. Miller, third place, 5 p.m.; Sioux Falls Christian vs. Elkton-Lake Benton, championship, 7 p.m.

CLASS B

Warner doesn't have the recent dominance that Sioux Falls Christian has shown, but the Monarchs have had a dominant Class B program for the more than two decades. They improved to 36-2 by making quick work of Wolsey-Wessington (29-5) in Friday's first semifinal.

The Monarchs again had plenty of contributors, including Ava Nilsson (32 assists, 10 digs), Kyra Marcuson (13 kills), Courtney Bjorgaard (11 digs) and Kamryn Anderson (five kills, eight digs and three block assists).

Anderson and her sister Kendyl and Marcuson and her sister Lauren are each sets of twins for Warner.

"We try our hardest to make it to the championship every year," said 5-10 middle hitter Kamryn Anderson. "We just go out there and play our hearts out."

The loss ended Wolsey-Wessington's hopes to win a state title in its first state volleyball tournament. Lainey Uttecht notched 15 digs, Leah Williams six kills and 6-4 senior Mallory Miller six kills, one solo block and three block assists for the Warbirds.

The second semifinal was tightly contested between Chester Area (28-5) and Burke (32-5). After losing the first set 26-24, the Flyers rebounded to win the final three 25-19, 27-25 and 25-22.

Seniors Serena Larson (four kills, six digs and three block assists) and Kaylor Geraets (25 digs) are two of the veterans on a team with a number of young stars including freshman Lily VanHal (23 kills, 20 assists, 13 digs and three aces), eighth-grader Jacy Wolf (11 kills), junior Addison Bates (11 kills) and freshman Emery Larson (21 digs).

"I was a sophomore when I first played at state," said Serena Larson, a 5-7 hitter. "It's been great to grow with these girls and to watch them grow up as the season has went along."

Kailee Frank collected 18 kills and 27 digs, Emmie Hausmann 11 kills and Addisyn Indahl 14 kills, 10 assists and 27 digs for Burke.

Chester Area, also a strong Class B program, won its only state championship in 2015.

"We're really coming from behind, said Serena Larson. "I don't think a lot of people expected us to get here so we're just playing for everything we can."

In Friday's consolation finals, Northwestern downed Freeman 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-15) and Castlewood defeated Colman-Egan 3-1 (25-18, 17-25, 27-25, 25-178) for its first state-tournament volleyball win in 25 years.

Ella Haven made 25 kills, 12 digs, four aces, one solo block and three block assists and Brooklinn Halverson 33 assists, eight digs and four aces for Northwestern (28-9). Kate Miller made nine kills and Ashlin Jacobsen 27 digs for Freeman (21-11).

Castlewood (23-8) was led by Emerson Carter with 12 kills, one solo block and three assists; Mackenzie Everson 17 kills and 23 digs; Gracie Haug 38 assists and 22 digs; and Maddie Horn 10 kills and seven digs. Berkley Groos had 10 kills and 22 digs and Lanie Mousel 25 assists for Colman-Egan (23-11).

Saturday: Freeman vs. Colman-Egan, seventh place, 11:30 a.m.; Northwestern vs. Castlewood, fifth place, 1:15 p.m.; Wolsey-Wessington vs. Burke, third place, 5 p.m.; Warner vs. Chester Area, championship, 7 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: South Dakota state volleyball tournament semifinals results, scores