Eight straight for Panthers at volleyball districts
The fourth-seeded Rugby Panthers redeemed themselves at the 2021 District 11 Volleyball Tournament to take first place for their eighth year in a row.
Plagued by injuries during their regular season, the Panthers seemed to struggle to find their place as a team. Star athletes that had led Rugby to district titles and regional games had graduated. However, this year’s Rugby players had potential, and their coach, Jessica Fritz always saw it in them.
During their last two tournament games, both against teams they’d lost to in regular season play, the Panthers realized their potential.
The Panthers began their climb to the top at districts by swatting away the fifth-seeded Bottineau Stars in three sets, 25-17, 25-13 and 25-10.
The game saw aggressive play at the net by Panthers middle blockers Kendra Leier and Peyton Hauck. The two would keep that aggression throughout the tournament.
“It’s a new season,” Fritz said. “We’re coming in as the number four seed but we don’t have to finish as the number four seed. We can come out on top. We’ve finally gotten everybody back. We’re healthy and I think they’ve got that confidence again that we can do good things.”
The next day, the Panthers defeated rival and number one seed Velva.
The Aggies proved why they stood at number one. They stayed on the Panthers’ tails, matching a service ace with a service ace and sending the Panthers scrambling after attacks. Blocks by rear hitter Annika Johnson and outside hitter Mykell Heidlebaugh helped the Panthers pull ahead to an early two point lead. Although both teams fought hard for each point, an ace by setter Kiah Gault and another block by Heidlebaugh stretched Rugby’s lead to four points. A kill by Hauck and an out-of-bounds attack by the Aggies put the Panthers even further ahead. Rugby seemed to leave the Aggies in the dust.
With Rugby leading 22-15, Aggies outside hitter Briley Marsh landed a kill, threatening a comeback. Hauck answered with a well-placed kill to the back line of Velva’s side of the court.
A Rugby error gave the Aggies another sideout, then an Aggies error gave Rugby the serve again. A Hauck kill sewed up set one for Rugby, 25-19.
Set two began with a Velva misserve and a Gault ace, but the game soon tied at two apiece. Velva’s blockers seemed stronger than in the first set. Heidlebaugh and Hauck matched their strength for Rugby. With a series of incredible blocks and a kill by middle hitter Brooke Anderson, the Panthers pulled ahead 8-3. When Leier rotated in, more blocks came for Rugby. After an ace by Rugby libero Anna Johnson, the Panthers held a 15-6 lead. Velva Coach Cassidy Peterson called a timeout.
Rugby stayed far ahead, but after an ace by Velva setter Caroline Bodine and some crossed Panthers signals, Fritz called a timeout.
A long rally came next, with both teams saving the ball from leaving the court and trading spikes. Anderson ended it with a kill.
Another kill tipped over the net by Velva’s Allara Marsh came next, then a block by Hauck. Another rally saw the Aggies try in vain to save the ball from sailing out of bounds. As the Panthers’ points climbed into the 20s, a kill by Heidlebaugh brought screams from the crowd. The set ended when Leier bounced a spike out of the court off Aggie hands. Panther boosters’ moods charged up with energy. The 25-14 win meant Rugby could knock off the top seed in three sets.
That’s just what they did.
Velva ratcheted up their aggression, staying ahead, tying or trailing by just one point at the open of set three. An ace by Anna Johnson put the Panthers ahead by two early on, however, the Aggies charged back. Anderson snuck a kill over the net to put the Panthers back by two before Bodine answered with one for Velva. Every time Rugby had an advantage, the Aggies bounced back.
Both teams fought to a 22-22 tie, causing those on the sidelines to expect a fourth set in the game.
Heidlebaugh put the Panthers ahead by one with a kill, then the Aggies bounced a kill off Panther hands. Mixed signals followed for the Aggies. The Panthers led again, 24-23. Next, a Velva error finished the set and the game in Rugby’s favor.
“Today, we were able to prove that, yeah, we were the fourth seed, but we’re a much better team than that,” Fritz said after the win.
Number two seed Drake-Anamoose would play Nedrose for the championship round after the Panthers’ semi-final win. Fritz said Rugby had lost to both teams during their regular season.
“We have to come ready to play all the time,” Fritz said. “We’re going to work hard and we’ve got to redeem ourselves. That was kind of the theme for tonight- redemption, coming out and having fun and doing what we need to do. We’re going to stay and watch and see where the chips fall and who we’re going to play.”
The Panthers would go on to redeem themselves in the championship round against Drake-Anamoose. Despite three tough battles, the Panthers shut the Raiders out 25-22, 25-20 and 25-21.
“We knew going into this tournament we had a lot to prove. We lost games during the regular season that did not match up to our potential we knew that deep down, but we had to have some losses to realize what we had to learn to make it all come together,” Fritz wrote in an email after the Nov. 1 championship. “These last three games the girls did everything we need them to do and more. They dug deep in themselves and found the strength to pull off those victories.”
“Also I want to give a huge shout out to our fans,” Fritz added. “Without them we would be lost. They travel every game and bring noise and energy to our court that helps us in more ways then they know!”
The Panthers begin regional play in Minot at the Minot Auditorium Nov. 8. They’ll face Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood in the first game.
Panther stats for the district championships are:
Assists: Joey Wolf- 15; Kiah Gault 13
Kills: Peyton Hauck-11; Mykell Heidlebaugh-10; Brooke Anderson-8
Digs: Anna Johnson-18; Heidlebaugh-10; Saige Connot-8; Wolf-8
Aces: Connot-3; Gault, Heidlebaugh, Wolf-2