DODGE CITY – The Little River coaching staff recently dug into the video archives and pulled up footage from the 2020 season.
Five freshmen were immediately thrown into the fire that year, with the future of the program resting squarely on that group’s shoulders.
“We went back and watched one of their freshman games. Man, have they come a long way,” Little River coach Kim Rolfs said of her current senior class.
“We’ve improved tremendously,” senior outside hitter Alaina Eck said. “It’s insane, but really cool to watch.”
The seniors cemented their legacy by securing Little River’s second straight Class 1A Division I championship with a 25-15, 23-25, 25-7 win over South Gray in the championship match on Saturday at United Wireless Arena.
Little River's five-player senior class – comprised of Eck, Kathleen Ellwood, Kami Grasser, Aubrey Olander and Ashley Stephenson – shined again on the biggest stage to cap a 42-2 season.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the way they played today,” Rolfs said of her senior group. “It’s very easy to love these girls. They’re great-character kids on and off the court, and it makes it so special because of that.”
Little River players celebrate a point in the championship match against South Gray.
The final was reminiscent of last year’s title match when Little River bounced back from a second-set loss to Flinthills then dominated the third.
Little River followed the same script, responding to South Gray’s second-set victory by reeling off the first 10 points of the third.
“It was important for us to keep our energy up and not get down, come together as a team and come back strong in the beginning of the set,” Eck said.
Middle hitters Aubrey and Havana Olander imposed their will in the third set to help Little River gain separation. Aubrey set the tone by slamming down a big spike for the first point of the third.
“When we get up, we feed off each other’s energy and that helps a lot with momentum,” Olander said. “We’ve got used to shaking off a (lost set) and moving on.
“We have five seniors and that was our last match. We knew we had to give it everything.”
Little River was on the verge of closing out the final in two sets before South Gray rallied from a 21-18 deficit in the second set to unleash a 7-2 spurt and force a third set.
“I called a timeout there and said, ‘We’ve got to go now,’ ” South Gray coach Rick Moyer said. “We had a couple blocks here and there and great serving. It just got us rolling there.”
South Gray's Kaylee Moyer sets the ball in Saturday's Class 1A Division I title match.
South Gray's Vi Helm celebrates a point in the title match.
Despite being unable to keep pace with Little River in the third, it was a phenomenal run for the Rebels (41-3) who captured their first two state tournament wins on Friday. South Gray beat Clifton-Clyde 25-21, 25-16 in Saturday’s semifinal.
“This is a special group of young ladies,” Moyer said of his team. “They’re awesome. They play together and fight till the end.
“We fought hard to take the second set (in the final). In the third set, we had just expended so much energy that it was tough. We got beat by a really good team.”
Moyer praised his senior class of Vi Helm, Kaylee Moyer, Jentry Foskuhl, Jacelyn Huelskamp and Kaedynce Hixon.
South Gray will return two of its top hitters in Allie Reed and Lakin Goossen next year as the Rebels look to continue the winning culture that the departing senior class helped establish.
“They know what it takes to win now,” Moyer said.
Little River backed up its star senior class with a strong group of sophomores including Havana Olander, libero Adelynne Strecker, setter Evie Look and hitter Lucy Wright.
Little River went 5-0 in the tournament, advancing to the final with a 25-17, 25-13 win over Centralia in the semis.
Little River's Alaina Eck serves in the championship match against South Gray.
“I don’t think (the pressure of defending a title) ever got to us,” Eck said. “We really wanted it. We’re a very competitive team and we work very well together.”
“Every single person on this team is so talented,” Aubrey Olander said. “When we work together we can do anything.
“?It feels even better (winning a second time). We’ve had so much support from the community. It feels great to end on a win for our senior year.”
Centralia (32-14) won the third-place match, 25-11, 25-20 against Clifton-Clyde.
CLASS 1A DIVISION I VOLLEYBALL
At United Wireless Arena, Dodge City
Semifinals
South Gray def. Clifton-Clyde, 25-21, 25-16; Little River def. Centralia 25-17, 25-13.
Championship
Little River def. South Gray 25-15, 23-25, 25-7
Third place
Centralia def. Clifton-Clyde 25-11, 25-20