roger merriam, watertown public opinion
·7 min read
The South Dakota High School volleyball season kicked off this week with Tuesday and Thursday matches.
Here's some highlights from area matches that we're reported.
Thursday
Aberdeen Roncalli 3, Redfield 0 — Roncalli won 25-19, 25-18 and 25-18. Maddie Huber tallied 20 assists, McKenna O'Keefe 11 kills, Rylee Voeller 10 digs and Ava Hanson eight digs, four kills and one solo and three block assists. Hayden Gall recorded 14 assists, Cecilia Suchor six kills and Charli Jungwirth and Kendyl Siebrecht eight digs each for Redfield.
Warner 3, Aberdeen Christian 0 — Warner won 25-21, 25-13 and 25-18, getting 17 kills from Kyleigh Schopp, nine kills from MaKenna Leidholt, 16 assists from Reagan Ward, 15 assists from Libby Scepaniak, 11 digs from Haleigh Holt and 10 digs from Jordyn Jensen. Payton Skarin made four kills and four solo blocks, Sawyer Schwan six assists, Brynn Powell nine digs and Ari Johnson two solo and three block assits for AC.
Wilmot 3, Waverly-South Shore 0 — The Wolves won 25-17, 25-17 and 25-12 with Jada Cameron notching 15 digs, six aces and five kills; Arianna Hart 10 digs; Addison Heinje nine digs and three solo blocks; and Reese Rudebusch nine digs.
Great Plains Lutheran 3, Florence-Henry 0 — The Panthers won 25-18, 25-21 and 25-13 with Abby Kjenstad (11 kills and 12 digs), Madeline Prahl (four aces and 12 assists), Kaitlyn Rawerts (14 assists), Jolie Lien (20 digs), Esta Cameron (six kills) and Kaylie Carlson (five kills) leading the way. Roean Raymer (seven kills and one solo and four block assists) and Rebecca Fleming (four kills and three block assists) paced FH.
Leola-Frederick Area 3, Waubay-Summit 0 — The host Titans won 25-9, 25-19 and 25-21 with 12 assists from Zoe Kempf, four aces and eight digs from Kalyce Achen, eight digs and three kills from Kaitlyn Mueller and five assists from Zoe Cox. JoZee Snyder made six assists and Mackenzie Zubke three kills for WS.
Northwestern 3, Wolsey-Wessington 0 — Northwestern prevailed 25-21, 25-21 and 27-21. The Wildcat leaders included Mikaela Schmitt with four aces; Ashley Haven three aces, 12 kills, 15 digs and one solo and three block assists; Ella Boekelheide, 24 assists and 13 digs; Anna Brumfield, 11 kills; and Tara Blachford, 14 digs.
Sioux Valley 3, Clark-Willow Lake 1 — The Cossacks won 26-24, 25-18, 24-26 and 25-21 and were led by Kaedyn Sapp, seven aces, eight kills and 14 digs; Adison Renkly, six aces and 17 kills; Sunny Hesby, 13 assists; Michaela Gerasch, 12 assists; Emma Gorvin, 14 digs; and Caitlin Russell, 10 digs. Shay Michalski tallied three aces and 12 kills, Zoe Nichols four aces, Hannah Heiman eight kills, Avery Lee 29 digs and Kate Larson 27 digs for CWL.
Hamlin 3, Groton Area 1 — The Chargers won 25-17, 25-22, 21-25 and 25-22 with three aces and 32 assists from Izzy Steffensen; three aces, seven kills and 18 digs from Addie Steffensen; 15 kills and 24 digs from Addie Neuendorf; and 11 kills and 14 digs from Jo Steffensen. Liz Fliehs had 16 assists and 12 digs, Chesney Weber nine assists and seven kills, Jerica Locke 26 digs and Lalia Roberts15 digs for GA.
Milbank 3, Sisseton 0 — The Bulldogs won 25-22, 25-14 and 25-22. Leaders included Isabella Anderson with 10 kills and 21 digs, Addison Pauli 13 kills, Siera Wenzl eight kills and 14 digs, Addison Krause 20 assists, Rylee Scoular five aces and 11 assists and Ella Sandvig 35 digs.
Deubrook Area 3, De Smet 2 — The Dolphins won 25-11, 22-25, 25-20, 13-25 and 15-13 with Matte Bauman recording 29 assists, Zoey Molengraaf three aces and nine kills, Kylee Johnson eight kills and eight digs and Carly Engelstad eight digs. Mirra Beck had four aces and 10 kills; Hazel Luethmers three aces, 23 kills, five blocks and 11 digs; Megan Dylla 41 assists and seven digs; and Brooke Jennings five kills and 10 digs for De Smet.
Other Scores — Aberdeen Central def. Rapid City Stevens 3-1 (29-27, 18-25, 25-19 and 25-18), Britton-Hecla def. Tiospa Zina 3-1 (25-15, 25-19, 21-25 and 25-20), Webster Area def. Deuel 3-0 (25-11, 25-23 and 25-19) and Potter County def. North Central 3-0 (25-14, 15-21 and 25-22).
More: Many of the top northeastern South Dakota volleyball teams expecting good seasons in 2024
Tuesday
Watertown 3, Pierre 0 — Arrows won 25-11, 25-14 and 25-16 with two aces and 11 digs from Kynslee Johnson, three aces and 29 assists from Grace Corey, 10 kills from Anna Hirtz, nine kills and 15 digs from Emery Thury, seven kills from Reese Munger, eight digs from Natalie Pearson and seven kills and 3 solo and 2 block assists from Madisyn Grimsrud.
Brookings 3, Aberdeen Central 2 — Brookings won 23-25, 25-23, 19-25, 25-22 and 15-10. Aberdeen Central leaders were Lauryn Burckhard, 20 kills and 13 digs; Kamdyn Borge, 12 kills and 12 digs; Kenadi Withers, 11 kills; Alivia Miller, 41 assists and 15 digs; and Abigail DeVries, 24 digs.
Dell Rapids St. Mary 3, Estelline-Hendricks 1 — DRSM won 28-26, 25-22, 25-27 and 25-16. Presley Bury had five aces, eight assits, six kills, nine digs and four blocks for EH. Allie Duenwald added 12 digs.
Northwestern 3, Roncalli 1 — NW won 21-25, 25-17, 25-21 and 25-18 with 18 kills from Ashley Haven, 41 assists and 19 digs from Ella Boekelheide, 17 digs and nine kills from Taylor Vetter and 29 digs from Tara Blachford. McKenna O'Keefe had eight kills, Maddie Huber 21 assists and Ava Hanson six kills, four aces, 15 digs and four block assists for Roncalli.
De Smet 3, Howard 0 — DS won 25-6, 25-9 and 25-10 with five aces from Alyssa Asleson, 20 assists and six digs from Megan Dylla, 13 kills and six blocks from Hazel Luethmers and seven kills from Mirra Beck.
Sisseton 3, Wilmot 2 — Sisseton won 13-25, 26-24, 19-25, 25-19 and 15-5. Jade Cameron tallied eight kills, Addison Heinje seven kills and four solo blocks and Mya Heinje 10 digs for Wilmot.
Langford Area 3, Waverly-South Shore 0 — LA won 25-11, 25-11, 25-16 with Paytyn Marlow tallying five aces, seven assists and 12 digs, Alex Darling 16 digs and Brynn Sampson 13 digs. Carlee Mush*tz had four blocks for WSS.
Faulkton Area 3, Sunshine Bible 0 — FA won 25-17, 25-11 and 25-16 behind Carly Cotton (7 aces, 25 assists) and Presleigh Martinmaas (8 kills). Abby Hinman was 11-12 serving and 26-28 setting for SBA.
Ipswich 3, Highmore-Harrold 1 — Ipswich won 25-17, 25-7, 23-26 and 25-16 with 13 kills and 19 digs from Marley Guthmiller, 39 assists from Reaghan Bowers, 32 assists from Josie Knutson and 39 digs from Briana Geditz.
More: Six returning all-state honorees among the top returning area high school volleyball players
Florence-Henry 3, Redfield 2 — FH won 23-25, 25-19, 26-24, 21-25 and 15-13 behind Roean Raymer (10 kills), Andie Rislov (15 digs) and Kaylee Vavruska (5 aces). Hayden Gall had 18 assists and 12 digs, Charli Jungwirth 14 kills and Kinley Smith five aces for Redfield.
Castlewood 3, Clark-Willow Lake 0 — Castlewood won 25-21, 25-16 and 25-18 with four aces from Nora Solberg, 18 assists and 12 digs from Cassidy Kirwan and 14 kills from Emerson Carter. Shay Michalski notched nine kills, Avery Lee 46 digs and Sami Brenden 17 assists from CWL.
Great Plains Lutheran 3, Webster Area 1 — GPL won 25-20, 25-14, 23-25 and 25-21 with 16 assists and nine digs from Kaitlyn Rawerts, 14 assists from Madeline Prahl, 15 kills and 17 digs from Abby Kjenstad and nine kills from Esta Cameron.
Sioux Valley 3, Deuel 0 — SV won 25-17, 25-11 and 25-11, getting six aces from Adison Renkly, eight kills from Kaedyn Sapp, seven digs from Caitlin Russell and eight assists from Machaela Gersach eight assists. Ella Kerkvliet made seven digs for Deuel.
Wolsey-Wessington 3, Arlington 0 — WW won 25-18, 25-18 and 25-18. Jaelyn Huntimer produced 12 kilsl and 15 digs, Halley Miller eight kills, Sony Johnson 30 assists and Madi Bacon 12 digs for Arlington.
Britton-Hecla 3, Leola-Frederick Area 0 — BH won 25-19, 25-19 and 25-22, getting seven kills from Abigail Lee, 11 assists each from Jaelee Grupe and Heather Storbakken and 24 digs from Daynika Zuehlke.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sportsor email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Some top performances from the first week of high school volleyball
