🏐 Little River answers charge from Flinthills, secures Class 1A Division I title

DODGE CITY – After dominating the first set, Little River found itself locked at a set apiece with Flinthills after the Mustangs swiped the momentum away in the Class 1A Division I volleyball final. 

Little River coach Kim Rolfs’ message to her team was simple: Don’t let the opportunity slip away. 

“I just told the kids, ‘You may never find yourselves in this situation again, cherish the moment and go out and do what we do and let it happen,’ ” Rolfs said. 

“The sport of volleyball is so tough because you have that rollercoaster, and you’ve got to ride that rollercoaster and hope you can get back up to the top and take that momentum," Rolfs added.

It didn’t take long for Little River to regain its form from the first set, quickly taking control of the decisive set en route to a 25-11, 18-25, 25-9 win over Flinthills at United Wireless Arena to capture the school’s second state volleyball title and first since 1984. 

“I’m just super proud that they were able to hang in there," Rolfs said. "When we walked back on the court for that third set, I said ‘You’ve got to get yourself up. You can’t come out flat.' We won that first ball and I think that got them going.”

“We just tried not to get down on ourselves and we knew we could win if we worked together,” Little River junior Alaina Eck said. 

Four of Little River’s five wins on the weekend went to three sets, including its pool play match against Flinthills. Little River (40-4) beat Pretty Prairie 25-16, 26-28, 25-21 in the semifinals. 

“I think this weekend we did the best we ever have with just letting go of the bad points and keep going,” Eck said. 

When things were looking bleak for Flinthills, the Mustangs found one last run in them. After a 15-all tie, Flintills finished the second set on a 10-3 run to even up the match. 

The Mustangs’ push came when they were shorthanded. They lost junior Kolby Holcomb to a leg injury on Friday, and then sophomore Paige Corter also went down with a leg injury in the first set of the title match. 

“They just tried to find it within themselves to make it work,” Flinthills coach Crystal Ratcliff said. “We had to throw a defensive specialist on the front row, so they all kind of had to pick up their game at that moment and fought back to win that set.

“I’m so proud of them. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Led by an impressive junior class that includes standouts Eck, Aubrey Olander, Ashley Stephenson, Kate Ellwood and Kami Grasser, Litter River relies on a balanced attack.

“This is the most balanced team I’ve ever had,” Rolfs said. “You look at setting a ball, and you can be more creative, as long as you have ball control. And you can look at other teams’ weaknesses and go at them. We’ve got a solid group and I’m super excited to get it done.”

Little River should be well equipped to make another run next year, also returning key underclassmen include Havana Olander, Chenzi DeBaere and Lucy Wright in addition to the juniors. 

Littler River was thrilled to send their lone senior, libero Mea DeBaere, out on a high note. 

“She’s been a staple for us for four years,” Rolfs said. “She had to fill the libero position as a freshman because the girl that was ahead of her had a knee injury and couldn’t play. 

“Great leader, great kid. She’s going to be tough to replace. I’m glad that we could send her out with that championship.”

Flinthills finished off its best season in school history with a 40-4 record. The Mustangs reached the title match for the first time with a thrilling 17-25, 25-22, 25-22 win over Doniphan West in the semifinals.

“I knew this was an exceptional team who could go and make a run at the state championship,” Ratcliff said. “This was the first time in school history we’ve made it this far. They’re an exceptional team and a great group of girls.”

Flinthills will lose four seniors – Karly Girty, Taren Lakin, Madison Alvord and Laura Scribner. 

Doniphan West (38-6) rebounded with a 25-17, 25-14 in the third-place match against Pretty Prairie. 

It was a whirlwind couple of days for Doniphan West’s Claire Cole and Belle Smith, who play both volleyball and run cross country. 

State qualifiers for the Class 1A meet in Wamego, Cole and Smith took a chartered plane back home following Friday’s pool play matches. 

After running the state meet Saturday morning, Cole and Smith flew back to Dodge City and arrived at United Wireless Arena about 30 minutes before Doniphan West’s semifinal against Flinthills. 

Cole, one of the Mustangs’ senior leaders on the court, placed eighth at the 1A meet with a time of 21:29.32.