Youth shines for Wolves in season-opening win over in-town rival Antlers

ELKHORN — For the fourth consecutive season, the Elkhorn North volleyball team began its season with a victory over in-town Elkhorn High in three sets Thursday.

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“It was great,” Elkhorn North senior Ava Spies stated. “We played how we practiced. Our last few practices have been awesome with high intensity. We have a lot of new people with new roles to be filled and they have been doing an awesome job. We are really proud of them for working hard.”

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After coming just one set away from capturing a Class B State Volleyball Championship last year, Elkhorn North was tasked with replacing several key contributors off of last year’s state runner-up squad for the 2023 campaign. 

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“We are filling in those shoes that left,” Spies continued. “We have focused on bonding as a  team and getting comfortable with each other. We have stepped in that great role. Reese (Booth) has been a varsity captain for four years and has always been a leader. Myself and Haylee (Wolf) are new captains. We’re really embodying our role and making everyone feel comfortable on the team.”

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The secret was let out of the bag in Thursday night’s Battle of Elkhorn match, as several underclassmen stepped up and played well in the Wolves' sweep over the Antlers.

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“It was a good match,” Elkhorn North junior Reagan Wallraff noted. “We had some down moments, and then we had some moments where we were in the game. We came back up, played well and won tonight.”

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The opening set was a back-and-forth battle between the two Eastern Midlands Conference foes. An ace by Lauren Fast and an Abby Roberts kill put Elkhorn High ahead 2-1 to start. Elkhorn North answered with an 8-1 run, fueled by four kills by Spies, to go ahead 9-3.

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“We talked before the game how we were going to have a big crowd and it was OK to be nervous,” Spies remarked. “We just had to play low error when we dig ourselves into a hole and just chip away at points to get back in the game.”

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A pair of kills by Addie Hunt and a Bailey Ferguson ace sparked an 8-1 Antler run to cut the deficit to five. 

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Back-to-back Shay Heaney kills helped push Elkhorn North back ahead for good. Wallraff ended the set with two kills and an ace to seal a 25-14 opening-set victory.

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The Wolves jumped out to a 12-2 lead to begin the second set. Five different attackers tallied a point during the spurt.

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“If you don’t have momentum in the beginning of a set, it makes things harder,” Wallraff spoke. “You always want to start with some good hits, some good blocks and do everything you can do to get the win.”

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Spies and Wallraff each notched four kills in the second set win, 25-10.

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Courtney Christo accounted for two aces to open the third set and start a 6-1 run.

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After falling behind by eight, the Antlers made one final rally attempt and cut the deficit to six following a kill and a block by Roberts.

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Elkhorn North scored 12 of the final 17 points in the set thanks to back-to-back kills by Kaitlyn Huff to complete the sweep, 25-13.

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Wallraff guided the Wolves with 12 kills, two aces, four digs and a block. Heaney collected 12 kills and two blocks; Spies recorded nine kills, 11 digs and an ace; Reese Booth accounted for a double-double with 31 assists and 11 digs to go along with her two aces and two digs; Haylee Wolf had 11 digs and four assists and Delaney Briganti added three blocks.

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“Everyone needs to step up,” Wallraff said. “Ava (Spies) and Shay (Heaney) have been our big hitters. We all need to put ourselves in the best position to win.”

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Roberts led the Antlers with five kills and a block; followed by Jada Freeland with four kills and a block and Hunt with three kills and a block. Fast was the leading assister for the red and white, while Ferguson paced the team in digs and aces with two.

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Elkhorn High (0-1) travels to Omaha Mercy Monday at 7 p.m., before hosting its season opener Tuesday against Gretna East.

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Elkhorn North (1-0) competes in the Bellevue West Tournament this weekend and welcomes Wahoo Bishop Neumann to town Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

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“We have to take it week by week,” Spies concluded. “Obviously we have our eyes on the big prize, as does everyone else. We have to go week by week, focus on those big, important match and improve as the season goes on.”