HUTCHINSON -- After her state Class 3A championship victory on Saturday in Hutchinson, Dalaina Schutte felt all her hard work had finally paid off.
Schutte, a senior setter who recently committed to Bethel College, has over 2,000 career assists. After three sub-state championship losses in prior years, a state title seemed like almost an impossible milestone to hit.
Until now.
“We have lost three sub-state championships in my four years of high school, so this has been a dream forever,” Schutte said.
The Dragons entered the Class 3A tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, a product of their stellar 43-2 season. Their reward was a challenging pool that included their eventual opponent in the state championship match, Nemaha Central.
But Halstead took on and handled every challenge. Not only was clinching this title important to the girls, but also to the community.
Thirty-three years had passed since Halstead’s last state tournament appearance in 1991. Ending that drought, the Dragons found themselves in the perfect position to make history.
A sea of blue filled the arena as Halstead beat Neodesha 25-19, 25-15, in the semifinals, sending them to the state championship. Getting the opportunity of their lifetime, the Dragons capitalized, sweeping Nemaha Central 25-23, 25-22 to claim the first state championship in program history.
Halstead players celebrate winning the Class 3A state championship.
Surpassing 400 career coaching wins this season was a remarkable achievement for Halstead coach Diana Schutte. But sharing the title with her daughter turned it into an unforgettable moment.
”The moment that she could pass back and forth with me was the best moment of my motherhood,” Diana Schutte said. ”To see her grow into such an amazing leader has been such a blessing to watch.”
Halstead coach Diana Schutte embraces daughter Dalaina after the duo led the Dragons to the program's first-ever state volleyball championship.
Reflecting on her last game with her mom as coach, Dalaina admitted it won’t be easy moving on.
“It will be hard not having my mom coach me; she has coached me for so long,” Dalaina Schutte said.
The Dragons had defeated Nemaha Central 25-21, 25-23 in pool play, a match that ultimately decided the top seed from the pool. No different than pool play, the championship match proved to be a good challenge.
“It is really hard to play a team two days in a row," Coach Schutte said. “But these girls are resilient; that was our word of the year, and they showed that.”
Nemaha Central came off a huge win in the semis, outlasting Hoisington 25-21, 22-25, 25-23. While it provided momentum, it also took a bit out of the Thunder, which were seeking the program's first state title since the consolidation of Nemaha Valley and Baileyville B&B in 2014.
“I think if we could have done it in two, it would have helped us a little bit in the championship match.” Nemaha Central coach Jessica Koch said. “Kudos to them (Halstead) because, man, they played some phenomenal defense.”
Halstead junior Katharine Engel savored the moment as she recognized the community that was there to support her team.
“We have so much support; our entire town is here,” Engel said. “They really love us, and it is amazing.”
With each point, the crowd’s excitement grew, reaching a fevered pitch as the Dragons secured their first-ever state title.
“To bring something to a community this great, it just seems surreal." Diana Schutte said.
Halstead's Katharine Engel goes up for a kill against Nemaha Central in the Class 3A championship match.
To go out with a state championship your senior year is quite a way to go out, and Dalaina Schutte gave credit to her teammates.
“We just had a connection to be like there is a spot open and we would hit it,” said Schutte.
As the trophy was hoisted, the 2024 Halstead team now goes down in the history books as earning the first ever state title for the volleyball program, topping the runner-up finish posted by the last Dragon team to reach state in 1991.
“It is just such a surreal feeling,” Engel said.
Hoisington bounced back from its tough three-set loss to Nemaha Central in the semifinals to beat Neodesha, 25-19, 25-13 in the third-place match
Class 3A champion Halstead
CLASS 3A
SEMIFINALS
Halstead def. Neodesha, 25-19, 25-15
Nemaha Central def. Hoisington, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23
CHAMPIONSHIP
Halstead def. Nemaha Central, 25-23, 25-22
THIRD PLACE
Hoisington def. Neodesha, 25-19, 25-13