D-NH and Western Christian to meet again for 2A title

CORALVILLE – Two of Iowa’s premier small-school programs will once again clash for a Class 2A state title Thursday night.

Dike-New Hartford and Western Christian swept their opposition in Wednesday’s semifinals – D-NH blocking out Hinton, the Wolfpack beating Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont - to set up the second-consecutive state championship game between the two programs. 

The two schools account for 32 state titles, and have met in the state championship six times before - with D-NH winning all six meetings, the most recent a straight-set sweep in 2021. Game time is 4:45 p.m. on Thursday.

“It’s always a very exciting match when we play them,” said D-NH head coach Diane Harms, looking for her ninth state championship as a coach on Thursday. “We’re going to have to step it up to go after them tomorrow. But it’s going to be a great match for the spectators.”

On Wednesday against the Blackhawks, D-NH claimed a 25-14, 25-20, 25-11 victory.

Hinton surprisingly led most of the second set, going up 14-11 before a 7-1 Wolverine run turned the tables, a run that included kills from five different attackers. Hinton got back within 20-19 on a Carlene Hicklin ace but D-NH scored five of the next six, punctuated with a hammer blow from Jadyn Petersen.

“They just had a little bit more energy than we did to start,” Jadyn said. “We had confidence in ourselves to get right back in it, do the little things right and do them well.”

D-NH burst out to a 16-4 advantage in set three and cruised to the state title game, where the Wolverines will be going for a three-peat, and the team’s 16th state title (including Dike state titles).

Payton Petersen had 18 kills and 14 digs; Jadyn Petersen struck eight kills with 15 digs. Ellie Knock had nine kills and got her hand up for eight of D-NH’s 10 total blocks. Madelyn Norton dished out 40 assists to her attackers.

“We had a really good block yesterday, too, and we just know how important that is for setting up our defense and we really tried to key in and focus on that,” Norton said.

For D-NH’s senior class, including three senior starters in Norton, Knock and Sophia Folkerts, it’s a chance to keep the ball rolling on the Wolverines’ storied tradition.

“They’ve kept us under their wing,” Jadyn said. “They’re always excited for us. And we can’t wait for tomorrow.”

Norton, a Western Illinois commit, knows how special tomorrow night will be.

“We’re going to approach it the same as any other game, but maybe with just a little more fire knowing it’s our last one,” Norton said. “Leave it all out on the court.”