Page 21 - 2017-18 Volleyball State Finals Program

Last Year’s State Finals in Review

Wapahani Rallies to Repeat as Class 2A State Champs

Skyler Van Note’s 28 kills helped rally Wapahani past
Covenant Christian in five sets, 22-25, 25-17, 23-25,
25-22, 15-8, to claim their second consecutive Class
2A volleyball state championship.
Teammate Estella Davis followed Van Note with 22
kills and Lexi Spence, ranked second in the state in
assists, tallied 61 for the match. Libero Havyn Gates
snagged 26 digs in the back row while Van Note also
totaled 18 for the Raiders.
Fourth-year head coach Jared Richardson led Wapa-
hani (32-6) to its fifth volleyball state championship
and fourth in the last six years. The team finished
their regular season 31-6.

Covenant Christian was making its first trip to volley-
ball finals in school history, just the third team in any
sport to make an appearance in the finals. The team
was led by Rachel Newport who claimed 18 kills and
14 digs and Hope Notter who assisted on 41 kills and
also tallied 17 digs.

The Warriors (33-5) were led by first-year coach
Brooke Stamper, a 2011 graduate of the school.

Fort Wayne Blackhawk Upsets Defending Champion Christian Academy

Olivia Martin’s record-setting performance spurred Fort
Wayne Blackhawk Christian to a 27-25, 25-13, 20-25,
25-20 victory over top-ranked, defending state champion
Christian Academy of Indiana for the Class A volleyball
state championship.
It was the school’s first volleyball state championship and
fourth overall with the previous three all delivered in base-
ball in 2002, 2005 and 2006. The seventh-ranked Braves
(31-5) closed with their 10th straight victory and knocked
out a top 10 team for the third consecutive match with
Saturday’s victory at Ball State’s Worthen Arena.
Martin tallied 27 kills, a Class A state championship four-set
record. She hit .500 for the match and also led the team in
digs with 15. Teammate Casey Bunner added 18 kills, and
Ally Barkhaus contributed 13 kills and tied Martin for team
honors with 15 digs.
Third-year Braves coach Lindsay Roth guided her team to
a 31-5 record in its first appearance in the state finals.
Christian Academy, which was making its third straight
appearance in the final match, was led by Alli Stumler’s 24
kills. Sierra Rayzor killed 15, and Lexi Lester led the team
with 14 digs. The Warriors (31-7) were coached by fifth-
year leader Walter Pauly and settled for the runner-up spot
for the second time in three years.
IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport. Pure INDIANA! 21