Northwest Volleyball Wins First State Championship in School District History
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On November 2, the Northwest High School volleyball team won the state tournament in a game against Dowling Catholic.
In their three short years of existence, the Northwest volleyball program has managed what no Waukee volleyball team has ever done before; Win a state title. Despite being a relatively young team, Northwest volleyball has proved capable of competing with the best teams in the state.
The team faced various challenges in the regular season that tested their resolve despite their tumultuous circumstances. Head Coach Jodi Vogt said, “This season was challenging for multiple reasons, and it was cool to see the girls use whatever challenge was in front of them and use it to unite the team and persevere.”
After a successful season, the Northwest team directed their focus on the state tournament. Northwest went into the tournament ranked #3 overall, with Dowling Catholic and Ankeny Centennial favored to win above them.
Senior Chloee Hayes said, “We’re the underdogs. We’ve always been the underdogs. People underestimate us and don’t take us seriously, and that was really big motivation going into the state tournament, to prove people wrong.”
The tournament kicked off with a game against Cedar Falls, which Northwest won after four sets. At the Cedar Falls game, Northwest had a notably small student section despite countless other schools having a student section turnout. While the student section does not directly impact the game in any way, having the support of the school while competing is meaningful to all athletes, regardless of sport. The team responded the next day by asking their classmates for support at the tournament, and for their next two games, the Northwest student section was packed.
Senior Katrina Pelds said, “Against Centennial and in the final, there were a lot more people. It was really helpful just knowing that there was a group behind us.”
Northwest did not go into the state tournament expected to win, but their close-knit team set them apart from others in the state. Many of the athletes on the team have been playing with each other for many years, having met in club volleyball when they were young. Teamwork and communication are imperative for a good volleyball team, and the athletes for Northwest had their team dynamic well-established after years of practicing and playing together.
Pelds expressed, “We’re all best friends, we just love playing together. It’s a great community, which makes it a lot easier to play.”
After a competitive five set match against Ankeny Centennial, Northwest advanced to finals against #1 ranked Dowling Catholic. After a demanding season filled with obstacles, including the administrative leave of Head Coach Vogt, Northwest knew they had to finish their season strong. With many of the girls being seniors, this would be the last chance for many of them to play together. In the fifth set, Pelds secured the state title with a kill, beating Dowling 3-2. Pelds went on to be named All-Tournament Team Captain, with her teammate Chloe Jones also being on the All-Tournament Team.
The joy of Northwest’s victory at the state tournament was shared throughout the Waukee School District. Students all over the district, regardless of belonging to Waukee or to Northwest, all tuned in to the tournament to cheer on and support the Northwest Volleyball team.
Vogt stated, “That week at the state tournament brought a community of people together. I think that, more than anything, was the biggest joy from the season.”