By Bob Bakken
MaxPreps.com
Sioux Falls Roosevelt won the South Dakota Class AA volleyball championship on Saturday in Rapid City, defeating Pierre in a three-game dusting of the Lady Govs 25-21, 25-14, and 25-15.
It was the RoughRiders’ fourth state championship in 12 appearances to the state tournament. The program finished the season with a record of 22-3. They last won the state title in 2006.
Roosevelt senior Heather Goehring paced the ‘Riders in the championship match with 14 kills and 10 digs.
Surprising could classify Pierre even being in the finals, but the Lady Govs upset top-ranked Aberdeen Central in the semifinals to make the final match. Pierre finished the season with a record of 17-8.
Class A: Wagner Wins
In the Class A volleyball finals on Saturday, Wagner stopped Harrisburg from a second state championship with a four-game victory over the Tigers. The final stanza was decided with a 26-24 score.
Top-ranked entering the tournament, Wagner finished the season with a record of 33-1. Second-ranked Harrisburg finished the year with a record of 28-3.
Harrisburg took the early lead in the match by taking the first game, marking the first time since September the Red Raiders had lost the first game of a match. But, Wagner came back to take the next three games and finish off the championship run.
The victory was Wagner’s first state championship after six tries, while Harrisburg had last claimed a state championship in 2005 and was the consolation champion two years ago.
Class B: Phillip Stops Northwestern’s Run For Perfection
Northwestern was seeking not only a state championship, but a perfect season going into its title tilt with Philip. But the Scotties were not to be denied, as Philip defeated the Wildcats in the Class B championship match in four games.
The final game score was 25-22 for the Scotties, who finished the season with a record of 33-3, while Northwestern lost for the first time in 31 matches (30-1).
It was the second state championship for the fourth-ranked squad from Philip, who set the tone for the match in the first game, trailing for most of it until tying the game up at 24, then won the next two points to hand the Wildcats their fourth game one loss of the season.
Northwestern won game two, but Philip rallied the troops and took the next two games for the championship. Marissa Mann led the way for the Scotties with 13 kills and 19 digs. Northwestern was led by Megan Peterson with 19 kills and 35 assists.
Former Coach Now Officiates in State Volleyball Tournament
Kathy Graves is full aware of the atmosphere surrounding a state volleyball tournament in South Dakota. Graves was on the coaching sidelines for three state championships at Class B power Northwestern from 1999-2001, until retiring from teaching and coaching after a 17-year career.
Now, Graves was back at the state tournament, but as a rookie…as in rookie official. She’s remained with the sport as an official and this past weekend was the first time Graves was officiating on the state’s biggest high school volleyball stage.
Prior to the start of the tournament, Graves told the Aberdeen American-News she was excited, but also nervous about the opportunity.
“I want to do a good job. Those kids have worked so hard to get to the tournament. If I go unnoticed, it's a great thing. The girls have been working for a long time to get there, some of them for their whole high school career. I want to give them the best I've got,” she said.
Former Rapid City Coach Passes Away
A former teacher and longtime coach in Rapid City recently passed away at the age of 80. Jesse Herrick was a coach at Spearfish, Rapid City Central, and Rapid City Cathedral high schools during a career that started in Montana in 1955.
Herrick coached football and basketball at Spearfish for two years before coming to Rapid City and the old Cathedral High School. He was the head football coach there until the school closed in 1968, taking over a team that didn’t win a game in his first season there to an undefeated team six years later.
From there, he went to Rapid City Central, where he coached sophomore football and basketball, with future NFL kicker Adam Vinatieri being one of his football pupils.
Herrick also coach tennis at Central. He was selected to the Rapid City Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.
