At 50-0, Dike-New Hartford concludes the state’s first perfect volleyball season in 10 years

CORALVILLE — Where does this team fit?

Debate it all you want. The players at Dike-New Hartford will pass.

“I don’t know,” Payton Petersen said. “I’ve only been around for 17 years.”

Fair enough. Leave it to the experts.

But this team did enough to be in the best-of-all-time conversation. Top-ranked Dike-New Hartford swept No. 2 Hinton, 25-14, 25-23, 25-16, in the Class 2A state volleyball championship match Thursday afternoon at Xtream Arena.

“I’m just very grateful,” Maryn Bixby said. “We hoped this moment would come.”

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Photos: Dike-New Hartford vs. Hinton in Class 2A state volleyball championship

Dike-New Hartford completed a 50-0 season, dropping only one set along the way. Thirty-two of the Wolverines’ wins came against teams competing here this week.

The final four-year ledger for this senior crew — led by the second set of Petersen twins, plus Bixby — is 181-8 with three 2A championships.

This is the first team to go unbeaten since DNH went 45-0 in 2012 and 2013.

“It’s been a very focused team, very driven,” said Wolverines Coach Diane Harms. “Their goal was to get back here and finish it off with a championship.”

The Wolverines were upset in last year’s 2A final, by Western Christian.

“I think we definitely learned that we have to finish, have to execute,” Harms said.

And they did it Thursday against a fine Hinton outfit than finished 32-2.

Hinton had an 18-16 lead in the second set before the Wolverines prevailed. Payton Petersen had some big moments in the late push, including a kill that got DNH to set point.

The 25th point came on a missed serve.

Payton Petersen was the all-tournament captain after a 20-kill performance.

Bixby (13 kills) and Jadyn Petersen (nine) also made the honor unit, along with Hinton’s Bailey Boeve and Ashlyn Kovarna, and Grundy Center’s Ellery Luhring and Carlie Willis.

Boeve had 22 kills for the Blackhawks.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com