BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
DODGE CITY — Ellinwood's love affair with volleyball ended with the storybook finish the Eagles have chased for several years.
Ellinwood's dream season was achieved by beating Valley Heights 25-16, 25-21 to capture the school's first Class 2A state championship Saturday. The Eagles (47-0) earn a distinction being the lone unbeaten Kansas state volleyball champion.
"It was unbelievable seeing the girls enjoy what they've been dreaming of," said Ellinwood volleyball coach Greg Maxwell. "We saw the pure joy of celebrating their teammates, who they love."
The Eagles never wavered from their goal of winning a state volleyball championship. The Eagles average victory margin was 25-15 in 10 sets.
"The girls played fearlessly," he said. "They trust their teammates and will take a chance on a play. That makes it's fun. They love the sport. The girls enjoyed every minute. They believed in this from start-to-finish."
Coach Maxwell crafted a perfectly balanced team featuring hitters, setters and defensive specialists.
"I teach the game from the back-row up," Maxwell said. "You've got to win with ball control and passing. Aggressive serving led us to the next level. You can neutralize an offense. We handled rocket serves every day in practice."
Emporia State recruit Kyndal Moore and left-handed lightning by Fort Hays State recruit Regan Widener keyed a 153-17 high school career with powerhouse hitting. Mette Maxwell, Alyvia Batchman and Ayla Ritchie added offensive firepower.
Regan Widener, Moore, Maxwell and Alyvia Batchman earned first-team 2A all-tournament honors. Maxwell contributed 14 digs, 11 assists, 5 winners. Regan Widener (12 winners) and Moore (6 winners) led the attack. Batchman contributed 14 assists.
Back-row serve reception on the opponent's first hit was provided by Bennett Jacobs, Reagan Wirtz and Brynn Widener.
"We spend a high percentage on passing. That's all they do in practice," Maxwell said. "They're handling the best serves we can throw at them every day."
Jacobs, Brynn Widener, Maxwell and Alyvia Batchman led the Eagles in digs.
"The girls brought their best game when they needed it," he said. ""It's 100 percent mental toughness. We showed maturity."
The Eagles set a high bar of performance throughout the season.
"We brought a new speed to our game this year," he said. "The state championship teams set a standard. We knew we were the best 2A team. Our experience led to better ball control. Our offensive efficiency was elite all year. Our defense was very good."
Maxwell said the girls showed a championship mentality by investing in off-season work.
"These girls showed mental and physical effort on a daily basis," he said. "These girls invested in an off-season commitment. We never lost focus or dropped below a certain level no matter who we played."
The Eagles' powerful attack overpowered Valley Heights in the championship match following a semifinal victory 25-10, 25-14 over Jefferson North.
DODGE CITY, 2A
1ST—Ellinwood def. Valley Heights, 25-16, 25-21; 3RD—Hillsboro def. Jefferson North, 25-16, 25-14; SEMIFINALS—Ellinwood def, Jefferson North, 25-10, 25-14; Valley Heights def. Hillsboro 25-21, 25-18
2A POOL A—Hillsboro def. Humboldt, 25-13, 25-16; Ellinwood def. Rossville, 25-12, 25-18; Rossville def. Humboldt, 19-25, 25-19, 25-15; Ellinwood def. Hillsboro, 25-17, 25-20; Hillsboro def. Rossville, 25-20, 15-24, 26-24; Ellinwood def. Humboldt, 25-13, 25-10
2A POOL B—Oakley def. Valley Heights, 12-25, 25-22, 25-21; Jefferson North vs. Conway Springs, 25-17, 24-26, 25-22; Oakley def. Conway Springs, 25-23, 18-25, 25-19; Valley Heights def. Jefferson North, 25-14, 25-20; Valley Heights def. Conway Springs, 25-11, 27-25; Jefferson North def. Oakley, 25-22, 25-23
ELLINWOOD ROYALTY
SENIORS—Regan Widener, Kyndal Moore
JUNIORS—Bennett Jacobs, Alyvia Batchman, Reese Stickney
SOPHOMORES—Mette Maxwell, Reagan Wirtz, Ayla Ritchie, Brynn Widener, Jaizley Andrasek
FRESHMEN—Mallory Batchman, Blayre Moore
COACHES—Greg Maxwell, Cami Thomas, Becca Maxwell
