Surprise they did - the Minnewaska Area Lakers of 2019, now owners of the crown for 3AA-North. Incredible how they disposed of one higher-seeded team after another. So now, no one should be surprised by any of their successes. They look like a guaranteed-not-to-tarnish squad.
Seeding positions are all very theoretical, of course. You can toss aside the on-paper stuff once the bumping, setting and spiking begins. Laker fans will never forget their team's rise in 2019 to No. 1 in 3AA-North. The Lakers have dispatched Eden Valley-Watkins, the No. 3 seed; Redwood Valley, at No. 2; and then the real giant-killing episode as 'Waska downed top seed New London-Spicer. Congrats to the Lakers who are so in-the-groove now.
The Lakers blew past NL-Spicer on Thursday and it was a sweep. Scores were 28-26, 25-21 and 25-23.
"Our focus has changed and it's now or never," standout Laker Ellie Danielson was quoted saying.
Now it's on to the match for all the 3AA marbles, Saturday, Nov. 2, at Southwest State University. The foe will be Marshall from the South.
Minnewaska did not own the Thursday match throughout, as game 1 saw them trailing 16-8 at one point. Danielson was a key player finding the desired spark for 'Waska. Another was Avery Hoeper. These two were strategic with their hitting placement. 'Waska fought to get the score tied 17-all. An assertive block got 'Waska the lead at 20-19. The block instilled a sense that the proverbial momentum factor was landing on the Lakers' side. Danielson came to the fore with her well-known hitting prowess. She delivered kills.
NL-Spicer coach Erin Schoumaker felt her team was rattled.
The Lakers got down 1-4 in the second game before surging again. A skein of six points made a decisive statement. 'Waska led 7-4 and wouldn't look back in this game.
The Wildcats weren't going down without showing some resistance. They were seeded No. 1 for a reason. So they fought to get the score tied 23-all in game 3. Hoeper attacked a "free ball" to get a kill. The game clincher came when Alexis Piekarski delivered a spike, a terrific exclamation point.
The Lakers go into the 3AA championship match with a 16-10 record. NL-Spicer had a truly stellar campaign and finishes at 27-3.
Danielson had another superb night in hitting, this time finishing with 19 kills. Hoeper and Piekarski each delivered eight. Emma Thorfinnson had four followed by Makena Panizke and Kristen Glover each with one. Danielson came at the Wildcats with three ace blocks. Hoeper posted 2 1/2, Geiser had one and Thorfinnson 1/2.
The dig stats are topped by Thorfinnson with ten. Danielson had seven while Hoeper and Panizke each had six. Hoeper sent four ace serves over the net. Grace Bartels added two ace serves to the mix while these Lakers each had one: Danielson, Geiser and Glover. The setting cog was Geiser whose assist total was 33. Danielson added one assist.
The top Wildcat in kills was Kendra Bagley with eleven. Aleah Zieske pounded nine kills in the losing cause. Ashlyn Olson had six followed by Payton Mages with three, Ava Kraemer with two and Emma Hanson and Mya Krause each with one. Sophie Austvold achieved three serving aces for the Wildcats. Kendra Bagley and Mya Krause each had one.
The assist category had two Wildcats sharing the prime load: Presley Arndt-Callenius and Austvold each with 13 assists. In ace blocks we see Kraemer with three, Olson with two and Hanson with one. Krause got under the ball for 14 digs while Bagley and Arndt-Callenius each had 12.
An inspired Laker team will be primed to try to seize the Section 3AA crown Saturday at Southwest State-Marshall. The action gets started at 6 p.m.
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| Image of Minnewaska's Ellie Danielson from "Hudl" |
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