By Tony Chapman – For the Nebraska School Activities Association
The 2024 NSAA state volleyball tournament concluded on Saturday, November 9th with many notable state titles for the history books.
Papillon-La Vista South (Class A) won their seventh title in school history and third in four years. In Class B, Norris ended Omaha Skutt Catholic’s nine-year title run with a dramatic five-set victory. Both Class C titles were won in repeat fashion – Minden in C-1 and Lincoln Lutheran in C-2. Superior – behind one of the best individual seasons in state history – won their second title and Shelton nabbed the first state title in school history in Class D-2.
Here’s a recap of each championship match.
CLASS A: Titans back on top
THE SCORE: Papio South def. Elkhorn South 25-23, 25-20, 25-18
No. 1 seed Papillion-La Vista South captured its third Class A state tournament title in the past four seasons with a sweep of sixth-seeded Elkhorn South in the finals at Devaney Sports Center.
Lyric Judson had a .385 attack percentage and finished with 12 kills and eight blocks to lead the Titans (34-5) at the net. Charlee Solomon had 10 kills, 17 assists and nine digs, while Kenna Sanders had 10 kills and Kami Dyrstad added a team-best 15 digs for Papio South, which had defeated the Titans 3-2 and 3-1 in two previous meetings late in the season.
Paisley Piatkowski recorded a match-high 14 kills and Cosette Bartling had 10 kills for Elkhorn South (26-10). Julia Ringenberg was credited with 35 assists and Isabel Junior had 18 digs for the Storm, which led 18-13 in the first set and 9-3 in the third set, only to see the Titans rally each time.
COACHSPEAK: “This team has just shown that they can put everything that we’ve worked for and towards all together. They played with heart. They played with love for one another. They trusted each other the whole time. I think that they were intense gamers all throughout the week. It was pretty amazing to see.” — Papillon-La Vista South coach Katie Tarman
WORTH NOTING: Papillon-La Vista South finished the season on a 13-match winning streak. Solomon pointed to winning the Metro Conference Tournament as a key point for the Titans. “I think there was a whole bunch of trust that was built up from the Metro Tournament, to know that if everyone does their job, we’re going to be perfectly fine,” Solomon said. … Papio South captured the program’s seventh state championship, previously winning Class A in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2019, 2021 and 2022. … Elkhorn South was making its first appearance in the championship match since winning in 2020. The Storm also finished as the state runner-up in Class B in 2013 and 2018.
Post-Game Press Conference | Final Stats
CLASS B: Norris ends nine-year Skutt reign
THE SCORE: Norris def. Omaha Skutt Catholic 25-23, 21-25, 17-25, 25-18, 15-8
A double block by Lexis Hasselbalch and Kate Carnie terminated the final point and touched off a jubilant celebration as top-seeded Norris rallied from a 2-1 deficit and denied second-seeded Omaha Skutt Catholic a 10th consecutive state championship with a five-set victory in the Class B title match.
Anna Jelinek had 22 kills and 17 digs and Alli Bornschlegl added 15 kills for the Titans, who finished 38-1 with their lone loss coming against Class A state champion Papillion-La Vista South. Zoe Rademacher finished with 29 assists and 13 digs and Rya Borer had a team-high 25 digs for Norris, which was the last program to beat the SkyHawks in a state final back in 2014.
Addison West led all attackers with 31 kills for Skutt Catholic (32-10). Meghan Anderson had 61 assists, Abbie Hagedorn had 17 kills and 23 digs, Avery White added 12 kills and Nicole Ott recorded 26 digs for the SkyHawks, who suffered their first loss of the season to an in-state opponent this season.
COACHSPEAK: “I believed in them the whole time. When they came out between the fourth and the fifth (sets), those are probably some of my favorite moments ever coaching in the huddle — just the belief and the fire they had in their eyes and the determination. … They were very confident.” — Norris coach Christina Boesiger
WORTH NOTING: Not only was Norris 38-1, but the Titans lost just eight sets the entire season. It was the fourth state title for Norris’ program, which previously won Class B in 1991, 2013 and 2014. … Skutt Catholic has appeared in the Class B final each of the last 11 years. … West had 82 kills in the state tournament for the SkyHawks. … Jelinek said the night was “sentimental” with Norris’ seven seniors playing their final match together. “I think it really meant something to us,” Jelinek said. “All the chemistry that we’ve had over the years has not compared to anything we’ve had this year. It was just a really special year to go out on top.”
Post-Game Press Conference | Final Stats
CLASS C-1: Whippets with a sweet repeat over Wahoo
THE SCORE: Minden def. Wahoo 25-22, 25-12, 21-25, 25-12
Myla Emery (17 kills and 24 assists) and Mattie Kamery (17 kills, 22 assists and 22 digs) led the way as top-seeded Minden defended its Class C-1 state championship with a four-set victory over sixth-seeded Wahoo.
Rebbeca Lempa recorded a team-high 24 digs, while Makenna Betty added 10 kills and three blocks and Kinsie Land had eight kills and three blocks for the Whippets, who finished their season 37-1. With the score tied 10-10 in the fourth set, Makenna Anderson sparked Minden, delivering a 12-point run from the service line.
Gretchen Seagren had 17 kills, Audrey Waido had 25 assists and Elena Estudillo finished with 25 digs for the Warriors (27-8).
COACHSPEAK: “This group is just so amazing — it just left a lasting legacy. I’m so proud of them. They’re such competitors, great leaders (and) great fundamentally. They’re the best humans.” — Minden coach Julie Ratka
WORTH NOTING: The championship gave Minden’s program its third state volleyball title overall, also winning Class B in 1980. The Whippets were playing in their sixth final, finishing as the runner up in Class B in 1979 and Class C-1 in 2007 and 2013. … Kamery ended her career as Minden’s all-time kills leader. “I really just hope I was a great leader for this team and that the little girls who watch can always look up to me,” Kamery said. “I think that’s the biggest thing because I think your character can top anything.” … Wahoo won championships in its first three trips to the finals, taking Class C-1 in 2017, 2018 and 2020. The Warriors have qualified for state seven times.
Post-Game Press Conference | Final Stats
CLASS C-2: Four please, Lutheran nabs another title
THE SCORE: Lincoln Lutheran def. Thayer Central 21-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-20
After dropping the opening set, No. 1 seed Lincoln Lutheran rebounded to beat Thayer Central in four to claim its fourth consecutive state championship, including the pass three in Class C-2.
Ava Jurevicius (15 kills), Lily Wohlgemuth (14), Lauren Kuhlmann (11) and Bella Sjuts (10) all reached double digits in kills for the Warriors, who wrapped up their season with a 35-3 mark. Keri Leimbach and Jurevicius both had 24 digs and Jillian Donovan recorded 44 assists.
Twin sisters Ella Brueggemann (13 kills, 11 digs and eight assists) and Emma Brueggemann (11 kills and 22 digs) led the way for Thayer Central (33-3). Olivia Wiedel recorded 18 assists and Paige Tietjen added 22 digs for the Titans, who ended with a 33-3 record.
COACHSPEAK: “I’m so proud of these girls and how they responded to the situation because when you’re down a set, a lot of teams could fold. Our girls came together because they do that every practice (and) they do it in games. They just started to execute the game plan.” — Lincoln Lutheran coach Sue Ziegler
WORTH NOTING: Making its 15th state-tournament appearance, Lincoln Lutheran has reached the final eight times. The Warriors previously won Class C-1 in 2004, 2019 and 2021 before capturing the past three C-2 crowns. … Despite being a senior, Lincoln Lutheran’s Leimbach will have more opportunities to play at the Devaney Sports Center as she is a University of Nebraska volleyball recruit. “It’s pretty surreal,” Leimbach said. “I’m just very blessed to be surrounded by such amazing people, who have pushed me to where I (am) today.” … Thayer Central was playing in its first final in the program’s ninth trip to state. The Titans’ most recent qualification was in 2018.
Post-Game Press Conference | Final Stats
CLASS D-1: Superior completes full circle season with title win over EMF
THE SCORE: Superior def. Exeter-Milligan/Friend 25-19, 25-21, 25-17
Before the season started, Superior and EMF got together for a jamboree match. Little did they know it was a state championship game preview.
Both teams were tested by difficult schedules. EMF’s tourney run saw them start the season 8-7 before winning 16 of 19 matches heading into the state championship game, including a 3-1 upset of unbeaten, top-seed Southwest in the semifinals. Superior, meanwhile, had just one loss in Class D-1 all season.
Sophomore Reagan Meyers had 23 kills and 15 digs while setting the all-class record for kills in a season, breaking the previous record by Papillion-La Vista’s Kyla Rohrig in 2003. Halle Bargen added six kills, 10 digs and three blocks for Superior. Setter Faith Butler had 31 set assists.
Kaydence Haase capped a fantastic tournament for EMF with 15 kills.
COACHSPEAK: “It was kind of a full circle since we played them in our jamboree game. They were our first competition of the year this year. That was kind of a fun moment. I am so proud of these girls; they earned it every step of the way.” — Superior coach Jessica Diehl
WORTH NOTING: The Wildcats needed a five-set win in the sub-district final, a four-set win in the district final and two five-set wins at state to advance to the title game. “I thought our schedule really set us up for success,” Diehl said. Superior defeated third-place finisher BDS three times on the season including the semifinals on Friday. …Superior won the 2017 Class C-2 state title and it left a lasting impression on Meyers. “When we watched that team – I was seven years old – I told myself that we were going to be here one day. It’s been in the back of our mind every single game.” …EMF made their first state title game appearance as a cooperative program.
Post-Game Press Conference | Final Stats
CLASS D-2: Shelton sweeps way to first-ever state volleyball title
THE SCORE: Shelton def. Leyton 25-18, 26-24, 25-16
Many thought the Class D-2 state tournament bracket was there for the taking by any of the eight qualifiers in the field. Shelton had other ideas. The Bulldogs recorded three consecutive sweeps in Lincoln, including topping undefeated Leyton in the finals to claim their first state volleyball title.
Juniors Erin Gegg (24) and Jayln Branson (16) combined for 40 of the Bulldogs 44 kills in the championship match, with Macy Willis and Parker Lowe each finishing with 20 assists for Shelton (32-3).
Shawnee Gamble had 11 kills for Leyton, which was the first panhandle team in a state final since Potter-Dix in 1999. The Warriors started the tournament in an 0-2 hole to Meridian before coming back and then defeating Central Valley in four sets in the semifinals.
COACHSPEAK: “I can’t say we were really focused on that (getting sweeps), but our girls were really focused. They worked so hard during the summer and we knew this team had this potential.” — Shelton coach Misti Potter
WORTH NOTING: Shelton lost just 11 sets all season and one match to a Class D-2 team (Central Valley). …A third-place finish in 2022 spurred this Shelton team that still had the sting of a 19-17 fifth set loss to Howells-Dodge in the state semifinals. “Our freshman year really motivated us,” Branson said. “We had girls with a lot of siblings on that team.” …Leyton, not a town, but a school made up of Gurley and Dalton was in their first state championship game. Gurley was in the second-ever Class D state championship game in 1973.
Post-Game Press Conference | Final Stats
Tony Chapman is a freelance writer based in Grand Island. He has written for multiple Nebraska daily and weekly newspapers. His weekly Harvest Sports Newsletter covers a wide variety of Nebraska prep sports. Terry Douglass also contributed to this report. He is a freelance writer also based in Grand Island and is the former sports editor for The Grand Island Independent.