Freshman helps Mid-Prairie beat fellow Class 3A Washington volleyball team

WELLMAN — Freshman year of high school is struggle for students and athletes are usually relegated to the freshmen team or junior varsity.

But there are the precocious few who are ready for varsity before their freshmen year. See the sport of softball where eighth-graders routinely play and excel.

Thursday, two Class 3A teams, Washington and Mid-Prairie, met for the Golden Hawks home opener and the Demons season opener. Washington has been 4A in previous years, but has the 91st largest BEDS document for students in grades 9-11 in 2021-22.

The top 40 schools are in 5A, the next 48 in 4A, the next 64 in 3A, 80 in 2A and the rest 1A. The other schools in the Southeast Conference are all 4A.

Both teams had a number of freshmen that saw time on the volleyball court at Tim Graddy Gymnasium where the Golden Hawks (freshmen Lanee Duwa, Brenna Jehle, Dakota Mitchell, Brylee Gearhart) flew to a 3-0 nonconference sweep of the visiting Washington Demons (freshmen Ruby Witthoft, Ella Greiner, Isabella Salazar).

One of those freshman’s game started a little off, but finished a lot on. Mitchell’s serving was so on, it was 14-0 before the Demons served a second time in the third set.

It was an intimidating site with a loud and boisterous gym as the Mid-Prairie student section was at full throat. The noise was a lot louder than a season-opening tournament in Keota, which the Hawks won.

“I liked it and it helped us keep the energy going,” Mitchell said. Mitchell has a jump serve she has been working on since she was 10.

After losing the first set 21-14, the Demons tied the second set six times through 9-9.

Cana Rediger’s ace and Maya Nonnemann’s block prompted new Washington head coach Aaron Six to call a timeout at 13-9. Maddie Nonnenmann hit a kill out of the timeout, another Rediger ace and an Ella Groenewold block made it 16-10.

Washington’s Alex Murphy’s block got the Demons within 18-13 but aces by Landry Pacha and a kill by Alyssa McDowell gave the Hawks a 21-14 set win.

The Demons first serve of the third set was no good then Mitchell happened.

Because of softball where she was second in the River Valley Conference South Division in stolen bases and third in singles, Mitchell said starting varsity wasn’t as intimidating as it could’ve been.

“The key is she is so coachable” and “an impressive athlete,” said Mid-Prairie head coach Sherry Evans, who is in her third year at the helm. “I was picking the serves early on when she was a little nervous. I took her aside and told her she’s in too much of a rush.”

“I just slowed down and took my time,” Mitchell said. “I was looking to see what was open. Coach just has a lot of trust in me.”

Evans had an inkling Mitchell, as well as others on the team, had potential because “this is a group that we have been working with for several years.”

Evans couldn’t single out any one player overall. Instead she mentioned strong points of Hawks’ games like Ella Groenewold, sisters Maddie and Maya Nonnenmann. “Maddie worked her butt off at the net. She had some great swings but so did Ella and Maya. Everyone did great.”

It’s exciting for a coach to have multiple hitters, experienced setters and back row serve receive that passes well.

Junior Landry Pacha has been starting since she was a freshman and gets everybody going in practices. Senior Alyssa McDowell’s leadership skill of keeping everyone engaged and working hard “is a big help to our success.”

Six, who replaces Alexa Mahr, is starting his second stint as the head coach. “We were playing catch-up the entire night because of the weapons they have. We’ve had a couple scrimmages but it’s different under the lights in front of people and they had a great student section that rallied around the team. If we can’t put the ball up, it’s hard to run anything. Credit them because we were on our heels.”

Washington will look at film Friday and go to Grinnell’s tourney Saturday for at least four matches.

Mid-Prairie is 4-0 and plays Thursday at RVC foe West Branch then Saturday in Muscatine’s tournament.