Fifth-rated Watertown goes 5-0 to top field in tourney at Southwest Minnesota State

MARSHALL, Minn. — Fifth-rated Class AA Watertown went 5-0 to capture the championship in the Jimmy John's Invitational volleyball tournament at Southwest Minnesota State University.

On Friday, the Arrows (13-4) posted 2-0 wins over Renville County West (25-11, 25-14) and Adrian-Ellsworth (25-15, 25-15). On Saturday, Watertown beat Windom Area 2-1 (25-12, 18-25, 15-4), Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 2-0 (25-22, 25-22) and Redwood Valley 2-0 (25-12, 25-12). All five sch o ols are from Minnesota.

Statistical leaders for Watertown, which visits Sioux Falls Roosevelt on Tuesday, included the following:

• vs. Renville County West — Madisyn Grimsrud 13-13 serving with seven kills and three digs; Emma Hendricks, 7-9 serving with three aces; Grace Corey, 6-8 serving with two aces and 24 assists; Emery Thury, 10 kills; Anna Hirtz, seven kills and Natalie Pearson six digs.
• vs. Adrian-Ellsworth — Pearson, 5-5 serving with 10 digs; Kynslee Johnson, 14-15 serving and 14 digs; Grimsrud, 8-10 serving with nine kills; Thury, 14 kills; Reese Munger, four kills; Corey, 22 assists; and Hendricks, seven digs.
• vs. Windom Area — Corey, 14-14 serving with two aces and 29 assists; Hendricks, 11-12 serving with two aces; Johnson, 9-9 serving with five digs; Thury, 15 kills and three digs; Hirtz, eight kills; Munger, four kills; and Pearson, seven digs.
• Russell-Tyler-Ruthton — Hendricks, 10-11 serving; Corey, 9-9 serving with 27 assists and 13 digs; Pearson, 9-9 serving with 13 digs; Madisyn Grimsrud, 10 kills, one solo block and one block assist; Thury, nine kills; Hirtz, seven kills; and Pearson, 13 digs.
• vs. Redwood Valley — Kynsee Russell, 12-12 serving with two aces; Pearson, 10-11 serving with two aces; Thury, 12 kills and five digs; Munger, four kills; Grimsrud, four kills; Corey, 25 assists; Johnson, nine digs; and Hendricks, five digs.

281 Conference Tournament

WESSINGTON SPRINGS — Fourth-rated Class B and top-seeded Hitchcock-Tulare pushed its season record 23-0 by winning the tournament on Saturday.

The Patriots defeated Sunshine Bible Academy 2-0 (25-10, 25-3) in the first round, Wessington Springs (25-15, 25-4) in the semifinals and second-seeded Wolsey-Wessington 2-0 (25-20, 25-8) in the championship.

Tourney leaders for HT were Isabel Gilbert, seven aces and seven blocks; Katelyn Schroeder, 27 kills and 25 digs; Lila Johnson, 37 assists; Rebecca Huizenga, 15 kills; Ella Johnson, six aces; Gracyn Bixler 16 assists; and Cambree Hoekman, 22 digs.

Fifth-seeded Iroquois-Lake Preston took sixth. The Sharks lost to Wessington Springs 2-1 (16-25, 25-14, 25-20) in the first round, defeated Sunshine Bible Academy 2-0 (25-15, 25-11) in the consolation semifinals and lost to Highmore-Harrold 2-0 (25-19, 25-22) in the consolation championship.

Tourney leaders for ILP included Hadlee Holt, 24 kills and 56 digs; Brityn Davies, 43 asists; Amelia Holland, seven kills; Natalie Cundy, 10 kills and five blocks; and Madisen Steffensen, 60 digs.

WATERTOWN FOOTBALL: Spearfish knocks off No. 1-rated Class 11AA Watertown in double-overtime battle

Sioux Valley 3, Deubrook Area 0

VOLGA — Kaedyn Sapp smacked 16 kills, Adison Renly 11 and Lacey Langland eight to propel the 16-1 Cossacks to a 25-22, 25-20 and 25-14 win.

Sapp also had 12 digs, and Renly 10 digs and one solo and three block assists. Sunny Hesby added 29 assists, Michaela Gerasch 12 assists and Caitlin Russell 12 digs.

Deubrook Area was led by Kylee Johnon's seven kills and 10 digs, Matte Bauman's 20 assists, Zoey Molengraaf's six kills, Rhiley Grenz's eight digs, Madelyn Schulte's three aces and Matti Ramlo's 11 digs.

Mobridge-Pollock 3, Winner 0

MOBRIDGE — Raelyn Aberle's 20 kills, eight digs and two aces ignited Mobridge-Pollock (15-3) to a 25-14, 25-17 and 25-16 win on Saturday.

Charley Henderson added three aces, nine kills and 11 digs; Tegan Konold's two aces, 12 digs and four kills; Sophia Overland's 21 assists and nine digs; Ellie Kemnitz's 11 assists; and Jacy Netterville's 15 digs.

Lilly Barfus made nine kills, Gracie Root 15 assists and Cora Moss 13 digs for Winner.

THURSDAY'S AREA VOLLEYBALL: Wins by Hamlin and Great Plains Lutheran top area volleyball highlights

Aberdeen Roncalli 3, Belle Fourche 0

ABERDEEN — Aberdeen Roncalli recorded a 25-13, 25-8 and 25-14 win on Friday night behind Maddie Hubber's eight aces, 10 assists and 16 digs.

Ava Hanson added three aces, four digs and one solo and two block assists; McKenna O'Keefe 11 kills and Rylee Voeller's three aces, seven kills and 11 digs.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Fifth-rated Watertown goes 5-0 to top field in tourney at Southwest Minnesota State