Wagoner powers Wampus Cats past Tigers
<p>Clark Fork junior Alicia Heigis puts up a block earlier in the season. The Wampus Cats are now a win away from state. (Photo by ERIC PLUMMER)</p>
SPIRIT LAKE — Senior Autumn Wagoner had her best match of the season at the most opportune time, ripping 15 kills to go with six blocks to lead the No. 1 seed Wampus Cats to a hard-fought 25-22, 23-25, 24-26, 25-21, 15-12 win over No. 2 seed Mullan Wednesday night in the 1A Division II championship at Timberlake High School.
The Wampus Cats (10-6) struggled in the first few sets, before turning things around when it mattered most.
“We never got into any rallies until the fourth or fifth game,” said Cats head coach Cindy Derr. “The last game the girls decided they could win it, and they finally played good volleyball.”
Lyndsie Kiebert hammered 19 kills, Annie Wurm had 46 set assists and Leslie Kiebert 45 digs and five aces for the Cats, who are now one win away from state as the North Star League had to play-in for the automatic berth this season. Freshman Hope Kinney also added a boost in the serving game.
Derr had high praise for the play of Autumn, who help stifle the Tigers’ best hitter.
“Autumn shut her down in the front row, that was the key. She played amazing, I’m pretty happy with her,” said Derr, who liked her team’s resiliency. “They finally figured it out. We had a little bit of fun (before the final set), they were more relaxed. I was so overwhelmed that we did it.”
Syndey Koenig tallied 21 kills and nine blocks to lead the Tigers (8-4) in the loser-out affair, and Charli Sadler added 11 kills and 13 assists in a match that could have gone either way.
Clark Fork awaits the No. 2 seed from District 2 in the state play-in game, on Saturday at 6 p.m. in St. Maries.