No. 1 Hawks repeat as Wamac champs

MARION - When you have an offensive-minded setter, you have an extra weapon.

And with the second set of the championship match hanging in the balance, West Delaware's extra weapon went to work.

Carlee Ketchum found the back corner on three consecutive points to give the Class 5A top-ranked Hawks the lead for good, and they went on to defeat No. 5 Marion, 25-20, 25-23 to claim their second straight Wamac Conference volleyball tournament title Tuesday night at Marion High School.

'When you have a setter that doesn't just set, it can make it frustrating for the other team,” said Hawks Coach Brett Mather. 'It's hard to know what she's going to do, and it keeps the other team on its toes for the entire point.”

'The way she plays, she really pulls blockers away from the rest of us,” said teammate Bridget Hoffmann. 'If you know she can attack, the other hitters usually just have one blocker on them.”

The Hawks (44-2) swept their way through the tournament, but had to endure some mild bumps. The bumpiest moment came in the day's final set, when they trailed the Indians (28-8), 16-10.

'After Jade (Putz) got a couple aces there, everything started to click,” Ketchum said.

West Delaware closed the match with a 13-3 rush.

'We had a spell there where we couldn't serve-receive,” said Marion Coach Roxanne Paulsen. 'We couldn't capitalize on our passing to get to our offense. We've got to work on that.”

At 18-all, Ketchum called her own number three straight times, and each time she sent the ball to an open back corner. Then she added a block to put the Hawks in command, 22-18.

'I hadn't been getting myself involved much, and I saw the opportunity,” Ketchum said. 'I knew the corners were open.”

At 23-20, the Hawks closed it out with kills by Kristen Wegmann and Ashley Goebel.

A traditional Wamac power, the Hawks won their first title in seven years last season. Now they've won two in a row.

West Delaware advanced to the championship match with wins over Center Point-Urbana (25-17, 25-21) and Mount Vernon (25-21, 25-23). Marion swept Independence (25-11, 25-22) and Western Dubuque (25-17, 25-15) to get their first shot at the Hawks this season.

If they get another, it will be at the state tournament in November.

'Obviously, we wanted to win it today,” said Marion's Alyssa Thomas. 'West Delaware's a great team. They stay calm, they do what they're supposed to do.”

Benton Community won the consolation bracket.

WAMAC CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

At Marion High School

Consolation Quarterfinals

Vinton-Shellsburg def. DeWitt Central, 22-25, 25-22, 15-8

South Tama def. Maquoketa, 25-16, 21-25, 15-9

Solon def. Anamosa, 25-21, 25-21

Benton Community def. Williamsburg 25-23, 14-25, 15-13

Extra Consolation Matches

DeWitt Central def. Williamsburg, 25-19, 25-19

Maquoketa def. Anamosa, 22-25, 26-24, 21-19

Consolation Semifinals

Vinton-Shellsburg def. South Tama, 25-23, 25-18

Benton Community def. Solon, 25-17, 25-18

Consolation Final

Benton Community def. Vinton-Shellsburg, 25-21, 25-22

Quarterfinals

West Delaware def. Center Point-Urbana, 25-17, 25-21

Mount Vernon def. Clear Creek Amana, 22-25, 25-23, 15-10

Western Dubuque def. Dyersville Beckman, 25-21, 25-11

Marion def. Independence, 25-11, 25-22

Extra Consolation Matches

Center Point-Urbana def. Independence, 25-19, 25-19

Dyersville Beckman def. Clear Creek Amana, 25-18, 26-24

Semifinals

West Delaware def. Mount Vernon, 25-21, 25-23

Marion def. Western Dubuque, 25-17, 25-15

Championship

West Delaware def. Marion, 25-23, 25-20

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com