Sep. 4—The Spike is the Mitchell Republic's regular look at high school volleyball in the Mitchell area, highlighting the top teams, players and accomplishments.
WAGNER, S.D. — A year after making their way to the Class A state volleyball tournament, the Wagner Red Raiders are showing early signs that the experience gained on that stage could pay dividends this season.
Wagner has raced out to an early 6-1 start, winning six consecutive matches after opening the season with a straight-set loss to Vermillion — a team that, like the Red Raiders, was receiving votes in the South Dakota Prep Media Class A volleyball poll released Monday, Aug. 31.
Since that season-opening setback, Wagner has dropped just one set over six matches. Much of the Red Raiders' fast start can be traced to the experienced group they brought back from last year's state tournament team, which finished eighth.
Senior middle hitters Ravyn Medricky, Brianna Fuchs and Mateya Bruguier all return, as does junior outside hitter Hannah Holzbauer. Senior setter Braxton Nedved also returns to run the offense, giving Wagner an experienced centerpiece capable of distributing the ball to a deep group of capable hitters.
"I just love the versatility that we have across the roster," Wagner head coach Stacey Knebel said Tuesday after Wagner's win over Mount Vernon/Plankinton. "I am trying a lot of different girls in a lot of different positions, but we have been settling in with a few positions. But the leadership that I have on the floor this year, the verbal talk with my seniors, has been awesome to see. My key players are really stepping up and talking a little more, and sometimes I give them the timeout to take care of business instead of me, which has been good."
Nedved may be the most important piece of that experienced core. With the keys to Wagner's offense in her hands, the senior setter has already delivered 146 set assists through seven matches while adding 23 kills and a team-best eight service aces. The next-highest assist totals on the team belong to Holzbauer and Medricky, who each have five.
"We have an amazing setter in Braxton, who moves the ball around like no other," Knebel said. "She can put the ball in anybody's hand, and because of that, our hitting is one of our biggest strengths. We have got hitters she can dish it to from all the way around."
Holzbauer has emerged as Wagner's leading offensive threat early in the season, recording 58 kills with a .256 hitting percentage. She also leads the team defensively with 61 digs. Medricky, listed at 6-foot-1, has added 38 kills, while Bruguier has 29 and Fuchs has 26. Nedved's 23 kills provide another offensive option from the setter position.
Knebel pointed to the leadership provided by several of those returning players as a major difference-maker for this year's squad.
"Ravyn, Braxton and Hannah are hands down the biggest leaders I have," Knebel said. "They are ready and here to play. They are not here to just show up this year, and they are really leading our group."
Wagner's depth also has allowed Knebel to expand roles within the lineup. Junior Mila Hopkins, who served primarily as a backup setter last season, has found more of a role as an outside hitter this year, giving the Red Raiders another experienced option on the attack and the results have followed.
After losing to Vermillion in straight sets to begin the season, Wagner won the Parkston Invite, defeating host Parkston, McCook Central/Montrose, Class B No. 3 Warner and Corsica-Stickney. The Red Raiders surrendered just one set throughout the tournament, which came against Warner.
Wagner then swept MVP on Tuesday, Sept. 1, before taking down Chamberlain in straight sets at home Thursday. Now, the Red Raiders will look to keep building on their early-season momentum when they host Platte-Geddes at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, in Wagner.
For a team that already knows what it takes to reach the state tournament, the goal now is to turn its experience into consistency, and continue developing the habits that could make another postseason run possible.
"We just have to continue to practice hard every single day," Knebel said of what they need to do to continue the quick start. "We can't just show up and pretend like we're there to practice. We have to go hard, and these girls do."
* After dropping its first two games of the season at the Hanson Early Bird tournament, Sanborn Central/Woonsocket has won three matches in a row while only dropping one set total. In the Blackhawks' most recent sweep over Ethan on Thursday, Addison Bartholow led the way with 15 kills and six digs. Kaidence Fridley tallied 21 set assists, 19 digs and four service aces, while Hudson Fouberg added 14 digs. Ellie Hofer had seven kills, four aces and three blocks.
* Ethan picked up its first win of the year on Tuesday, Sept. 1, in a home sweep over Kimball/White Lake. Anna Mellegaard led the Rustlers with eight kills, 19 digs and two service aces, while Anna Castillo tallied 19 set assists and Callie Haag had 19 digs in the win over the Wildkats.
* Bridgewater-Emery has rattled off the three consecutive victories to open its season, with its most recent home win over Howard on Tuesday in straight sets. Oakley Weber recorded 12 kills, 10 set assists and eight digs, while Lily Hilton tallied 16 assists and seven digs. Tenley Jatczak had eight digs, six kills and five service aces, and Carissa Weber added nine kills.
* Platte-Geddes has started its campaign at 3-2, including a road victory over Todd County in four sets on Tuesday. Kori VanDerWerff paced the Black Panthers with 19 digs, five kills and four service aces, while Ava Olson added 13 digs, five service aces and four kills. Taylor Schrank had 17 digs and four service aces, and Kolbi Hoffman tallied 13 set assists in the win against the Falcons.
* Through four games, the Winner Warriors are 3-1 and picked up a four-set home victory over Burke on Tuesday. Payton Sargent paced Winner with 21 kills, while Josie Corkle posted 34 set assists. Alice Wilson had 18 digs, and Seventh Zeigler added seven kills and five service aces in the victory over the Cougars, who are 2-1.
* McCook Central/Montrose picked up its first win of the season on Thursday over Parker/Marion in a straight-set sweep. Nora Gordon and Mya Morrison each posted five kills for the Fighting Cougars, while Khloie Klinkhammer tallied 19 set assists and Jaida Skyberg had four service aces. Ella DeKnikker had 10 digs in the victory over the Pheasants, who are 3-2 and won the Hanson Early Bird tournament to kick off the volleyball season.
* Corsica-Stickney earned its second win of the season on Thursday night with a sweep over Centerville. Macayla Gerlach led the Jaguars' attack with nine kills and two service aces, while Kinley Spaans posted 32 set assists, 13 digs and three service aces. Hadynn Johnson had 14 digs and six kills, and Remi Nelson added 16 digs.
* Lyman has started the year at 2-0 behind a sweep over Gregory on Thursday. Kenzie Wagner paced the Raiders' offense with eight kills, while Jordyn Scott, Claire Griffith and Brooke Montgomery each tallied seven kills. Scott also tallied three blocks and three service aces, while Ella Ehlers had 22 set assists, seven digs, two blocks and two aces in the win over the Gorillas.
* Tripp-Delmont/Armour is off to a quick start as well at 3-0, including a four-set home victory over Irene-Wakonda on Thursday. Mia Reiner led the way with 19 kills, 14 digs and three service aces for the Nighthawks. Ryenn Loneman posted 14 set assists, 11 digs and nine kills, while Sara Bertram had 16 digs and eight kills. Cady Bitterman tallied 17 digs and Allison Wunder had 15 assists and three aces in the win over the Eagles.