Wolfpack shocks D-NH in 5-set 2A title game

CORALVILLE – Dike-New Hartford volleyball fell to Western Christian in a thriller of a Class 2A title match between two of the most storied volleyball programs in the state.

It’s the 18th state title for the Wolfpack, denying D-NH a three-peat after the Wolverines defeated Denver and Western Christian the last two seasons.

The Wolfpack won 25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 13-25, 16-14. D-NH’s season ends at 45-3 - Thursday’s match was the first time the Wolverines had lost a set, let alone a match, to a 2A team since moving down from 3A to 2A before the 2020 season.

But Western Christian is no David to D-NH’s Goliath. The Wolfpack’s title ends its season at 43-5 overall with no losses coming against teams in Iowa - three losses came against Nebraska teams, and two from South Dakota.

“Every time we play them, it’s a battle, doesn’t matter if it goes three, four or five sets,” D-NH head coach Diane Harms said. “You have to be ready to go. Congratulations to them - they stepped up and did a great job when they needed to.”

And it comes almost 10 years to the week of D-NH’s 2012 state championship victory over Western Christian, which the Wolverines won in five sets.

“Everyone talks about Dike-New Hartford being the best team regardless of class,” Western Christian coach Tammi Veerbeek said. “Could we win? I wasn’t sure. I knew it’d be a slugfest. And in the end we made enough plays to get it done.”

D-NH found itself in a 2-1 deficit after a 25-21 Western Christian win in set three, but roared back to thump the Wolfpack and force a fifth set. Better still, the Wolverines were on the verge of completing the comeback in set five, with match point at 14-11 after a kill from Jadyn Petersen.

But that ended up being the final point of the season for D-NH. Two VerBurg kills sandwiched a D-NH hitting error to tie the match at 14-14. VerBurg scored the 15th point, and a D-NH attack went wide for point 16, with the championship going to Western Christian.

“I think we were over-swinging, over-pressing, trying to go for a little bit too much,” Harms said. “It’s understandable when you’re that close, but we pressed a little bit and they just made the plays they needed to make. … They did a good job of keeping balls in play, transitioning and getting good, quality swings. Some of those rallies were long and could’ve gone both ways, but they made the plays in that fifth set.”

Payton Petersen finished with 26 kills, Jadyn Petersen with 15. Madelyn Norton distributed 43 assists and 11 digs in her final match as a Wolverine. Maryn Bixby added 11 kills.

Thursday’s match was not the way D-NH’s seniors, Madelyn Norton, Brielle Coulter, Sophia Folkerts and Ellie Knock, wanted their high school volleyball careers to end.

But junior Payton Petersen, who was on the all-tournament team with her twin sister Jadyn, hopes all the Wolverines keep their heads high.

“It’s something special to be a part of Dike-New Hartford,” Payton said through tears. “Not many people have the opportunity to play in the state championship. It’s something to be grateful for. And for me, the opportunity to be here another year, is something I’m looking forward to.”