North Country Mavericks Clinch Third At State

For the second year in a row, the North Country Mavericks Volleyball team was able to bring home Class C's third place trophy from the All-Class Volleyball Tournament in Bozeman, doing much of the heavy lifting.

Coach Charlene Wasson said that earning third place in volleyball is a little different than any other sport because earning third in the sport means you lost the match.

"It is still amazing," Coach Wasson said. "We're third out of over 100 teams in Class C."

The Mavericks faced all four Class C Divisional Champions at State and went 2-2.

North Country started off with a 3-2 win over the Belt Huskies, the Northern C Champions in the opening round Nov. 9. Later that night, the Mavericks then took down the Bridger-Belfry Scouts, the Southern C champions, the score was 3-0.

On Nov. 10, the Mavericks lost 0-3 to the Manhattan Christian Eagles in the semi-finals Friday evening. The Eagles went on to win their fourth state title in five years by defeating the Broadus (Powder River County) Bulldogs 3-0.

Broadus reached the title game at the expense of the Mavericks, and fell 1-3 in the third place match, on the morning of Nov. 11.

In North Country's win over Belt, the scores were 25-22, 25-21, 24-26, 24-26, and 16-14.

The Mavericks were close to ending in the third set, but Belt made some changes to their lineup which changed the momentum.

"I was contemplating (countering) in the third set," Coach Wasson said. "But I decided to go with what we had."

Rather than changing her lineup to match up with Belt's changes, Coach Wasson stayed with the lineup that she had, continuing to attack from the left side.

Teagan Erickson, who officially signed to play basketball for the MSU Bobcat Women's Basketball team last week, led the Mavericks with 29 kills, 17 digs, and three blocks.

Paige Wasson had 20 kills, 22 digs, and eight assists. Kennedy Simonson had 40 assists and 12 digs.

Though Erickson and P. Wasson attacked well on the outside, the middle struggled due to Belt's change in their lineup.

"We just needed a little more from our middle hitters," Coach Wasson said. "They didn't have to switch much on defense, so we have to make sure that we distribute the ball a little better, so that we are catching the back row defense off guard a little better."

It was in this first game that Simonson, the team's setter, noticed that officials were calling double-hits more than they had seen all year. Simonson was asked how the team was able to overcome those calls that didn't go their way.

"I think we just talk to each other and you just have to forget about it," Simonson said. "I think that we do a good job forgetting about mistakes, especially me, when I get called on doubles. It happened a lot at this tournament and I just try to forget (about those calls). My teammates are supportive and everyone has been supporting me and thinking that I can do better."

Kendall Scheffelmear had eight kills, eight digs, and three blocks. Berkley Hillman had 21 digs. Hillman, Erickson, and Wasson each had two aces. Ireland Mears had seven digs.

BaiLee McColly had a team-leading four blocks. CharLee McColly had seven assists and three blocks.

In the team's win over Bridger-Belfry, the scores were 25-19, 25-19, and 25-16.

"We really just had to communicate really well," Hillman said. "When we get to this level, communication is key. I feel like a lot of our downfalls this year have been dropped balls between two people. I feel like we have been really good at overcoming that, keeping everything up and getting a hand on everything."

Erickson had 24 kills and nine digs. P. Wasson had 12 kills, 11 digs, and five assists. Simonson had 32 assists and four digs. Hillman had nine digs. Scheffelmear had four kills, four digs, a team-leading three aces, and one block. Mears had four digs. C. McColly had three digs, two assists, and one block. B. McColly had one block.

B. McColly, was asked what it was like going up against the top hitters in Class C volleyball at state and what it takes to slow them down.

"Just getting up, making sure that you have stiff hands," BaiLee said. "Just be prepared for anything. Just have fun."

She was also asked what it was like to play beside her twin-sister CharLee.

"It's pretty fun," she said. "It's honestly an experience that most people don't get. It can be frustrating, honestly, but we work through it, have fun, and work together."

BaiLee confirmed that they don't finish each other's sentences, and they don't feel each other's pain.

Hillman said that resting up and getting fueled through food would help them continue to compete at state.

In the team's loss to Manhattan Christian, the scores were 22-25, 8-25, and 20-25.

Erickson had a team-leading 10 kills. Wasson had four kills and 12 digs. Scheffelmear had seven digs, two kills, and two blocks. Simonson had 13 assists and three digs. Mears had five digs. Hillman had four digs.

In North Country's elimination semi-final match against Broadus, the scores were 14-25, 26-24, 23-25, and 22-25.

Despite the lopsided first match, the team was able to push Broadus, who had beat them in the Eastern C Championship on Nov. 4.

"I wasn't so sure what our passing was going to be like after that first set," Coach Wasson said. "I just kept telling them, you guys have got to get this down if you want to win this match. We have to do it from serve-receive."

Though the team's comeback fell short, she was proud of her team's effort.

Erickson had 22 kills, 10 digs, and two blocks. Wasson had 15 kills, 14 digs, and six assists. Simonson had 29 assists and eight digs. Hillman had 13 digs. Scheffelmear had 10 digs, three kills, and two blocks. Mears had seven digs.

"I will give our girls all of the kudos in the world because we do nothing to support our volleyball program (throughout the rest of the year)," Coach Wasson said. "They are just basketball players, playing volleyball. What they learn is what they learn in the season."

Coach Wasson went on to say that one team that defeated them plays volleyball all year, including at the AAU level. She also said that the other program has been growing for the past three decades.

"They are a volleyball town," Coach Wasson said.

Though the small towns of Saco, Whitewater, and Hinsdale are far a part on a map, Coach Wasson expressed her pride in the support that the towns do provide during this past season and in the seven years of the co-op.

"We had 16 players this season, and it takes a village to really make your program be as successful as ours has," Coach Wasson said. "I've had seven years of just great kids that come through and work hard. We lack in some areas but we make up for it in others. The type of kids that we have and the comradery that they have; you just wouldn't think that the three towns coming together could be this great, but it is pretty awesome."