Hillcrest takes down WACO

Hillcrest Academy rebounded from a 1-2 showing in Southeast Iowa Super Conference pool play with a win over league foes WACO on Thursday. The Ravens took down the Warriors 3-0 (25-15, 25-12, 25-15).

The Ravens (15-7, 4-1 SEISC North) flipped early deficits in all three sets into comfortable victories on their home court. WACO started the third set with an 11-4 lead and looked primed to take the match to a fourth.

Rather than call a timeout, Hillcrest coach Tanna Boshart let her players figure out the necessary adjustments. The Ravens went on a 5-1 run to force a WACO timeout.

Hillcrest got back in front 14-13 and the Warriors burned their second timeout in quick succession. The Ravens added four more unanswered points and surrendered just two more to the Warriors.

“One of the things the girls had talked about this week was preparing for those longer volleys,” Boshart said. “So we did work on that in practice, so I did feel like that was in their bodies that we had practiced that this week, and I think that was helpful.”

The Ravens connected on 95% of their serves and had 17 aces Thursday. Claire Withrow racked up seven aces. Niva Helmuth had three and landed 14 of 15 serves in play. Helmuth added eight kills and a pair of blocks.

Withrow and Stavia Miller each chipped in six kills and Withrow 19 assists. Brynna Boshart and Claire Miller had strong outings on defense with nine and eight digs, respectively.

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Despite the loss, WACO’s energy never wavered. The Warriors made Hillcrest earn its points and had productive runs in all three sets. Carlee Lunsford led the team with eight kills and went 12 of 12 from the service line. Morgan Meyer and Ava Wagler combined for 15 of the team’s 16 assists.

WACO played its fourth match Thursday under new volunteer coach David Pieart. Pieart and former Warriors standout Laney Graber took over the program for the remainder of the season after Addison and Lela Ann Fort stepped away from their roles.

“It’s really about the girls, the resilience of them,” Pieart said. “Morgan, this is three coaches in (three) years for her. So for the kids to put up with this much change and discontinuity and all that, and still bond together and still fight. That’s what you’re after.”

The Warriors were unable to participate in SEISC pool play as a result of the coaching turnover. But the squad is aiming to make the most of their remaining matches under the new temporary regime. After a 3-13 start, WACO is 2-2 since Pieart and Graber joined the staff.

“I’ve definitely have never experienced anything like this,” Meyer said. “This has definitely been quite a season, but I have definitely seen a lot of growth and improvement, and I think that I’m most proud of how the team has bonded together through it all and I think that that’s really what I’m going to take from this season.”

WACO has three matches remaining on the regular season and will match its tally of eight wins in 2024 if it can go 3-0 in that stretch. The Warriors will next face Lone Tree at 7 p.m.Tuesday at WACO High School.

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Other area scores

Elsewhere in SEISC North play Thursday, Columbus defeated Winfield-Mt Union 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-14). Pekin beat Lone Tree 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-16) and Highland lost to Wapello 0-3 (15-25, 11-25, 19-25).

After it finished fourth in the SEISC Tournament Van Buren County added another tally in the win column. The Warriors beat Danville 3-1 (24-26, 26-24, 25-20, 26-24) on Thursday.

Mid-Prairie and Keota also picked up wins Thursday. The Golden Hawks defeated Tipton 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 25-21, 25-18) and the Eagles beat English Valleys 3-1 (23-25, 25-10, 25-22, 25-14).

Cardinal participated in a round robin event Saturday. The Comets picked up 2-0 wins over Moulton-Udell and Seymour and lost its third match 1-2 to Mormon Trail.

New London hosted its own varsity tournament Saturday. The Tigers lost a pair of matches to English Valleys 0-2 and Burlington Notre Dame 0-2 (10-21, 14-21).