Red Raiders sweep Redfield/Doland to advance at S.D. Class A state volleyball tournament

ABERDEEN — Sophomores Jessa Doom and Nicole Weber and junior LaShawn Medicine Horn are three Wagner High School volleyball team members without a wealth of state tournament experience.

But you could not tell by watching Thursday’s quarterfinal match against Redfield/Doland.

The two-time defending Class A state champion Red Raiders got 26 assists from Doom and nine kills between Weber and Medicine Horn on their way to a 25-7, 25-23, 25-17 sweep of the Pheasants at Aberdeen Central High School.

Top-seeded Wagner (31-2) continues its journey for a three-peat against fourth-seeded Sioux Falls Christian at 6 p.m. today.

“All year long, they’ve done a really good job,” Wagner coach Amy Tyler said of her three state tournament newcomers. “I’m really confident in them and there’s never a question of them showing up, they just show up.”

Wagner started its drive for a three-peat in dominating fashion from the outset. And it was Weber who got it started.

The 5-foot-7 outside hitter had three of her five kills in a lopsided first set. She also added an ace and eight digs in the match. Medicine Horn, who played sparingly for last year’s state championship team, was also strong at the net to help Wagner score 20 of the final 23 points of the opening set.

“We did really great,” Medicine Horn said. “Finishing it in three sets was nice, but the fact that we came out really well in the first set was important. The last two we seemed like we lost a little energy though, so we’ll have to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

Medicine Horn need not worry. The veterans picked up the slack in the final two sets.

Junior Breanna Cuka had five of her eight kills in the second set. Fellow-junior Devon Brecke had 11 kills and provided the finishing touches in the final set.

Brecke also had 12 digs, while Doom chipped in three aces and 10 digs for the Red Raiders. Junior hitter Alexa Cimpl also had three aces for Wagner, which has not lost a set since Oct. 19.

“It seems like the first round is always tough because no matter how many times you’re here, you always get the jitters,” Tyler said. “I’m glad we did get it done in three because that’s kind of what the girls are used to. It worked out all right.”

Redfield/Doland faces fifth-seeded Platte Geddes in a consolation semifinal at noon.

Tags: high school volleyball, sports, wagner