D2 Finals Recap: Country Day Powers Its Way To First Title

<!-- wp:image {"id":724172,"width":"284px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/D2-Final-18.jpg?w=850" alt="" class="wp-image-724172" style="width:284px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='574175' first='Payton' last='Woodruff']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Similar to Northville in Division 1, a state championship felt like a long time coming for Detroit Country Day in Division 2.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Yellowjackets had a number of great teams run into the path of other great programs in past postseasons. But, this year it was Country Day that proved to be the greatest of all.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>DCD disposed of Tecumseh in three sets, 25-18, 25-21, 25-17, in Saturday's D2 championship to finally hoist the trophy that has eluded it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“It feels, it feels great. We've had some really, really good teams at Country Day, and we've had some unfortunate stops during the run,” Country Day coach Kim Lockhart said. “I'm so excited for the school, for our program, and obviously the girls. I'm thrilled.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The story of the match was Country Day's ability to again finish at a high rate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Behind the setting of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='574175' first='Payton' last='Woodruff'] </strong>and the hitting of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156299' first='Olivia' last='Grenadier'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='446702' first='Elise' last='Hiemstra']</strong>, DCD hit .380 as a team and left Tecumseh without much chance to respond.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I think we play them 10 times and we will be lucky to pull out a win,” Tecumseh coach Morgan Skelton said. “They are very tough. It's not anything against my girls, (DCD) has way more experience and it shows.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hiemstra and Grenadier nearly mirrored each other on the state line. Each put down 21 kills while hitting .486 for the match. Grenadier added 11 digs, while Hiemstra tallied six.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“The girls really brought it today,” Lockhart said of her hitters. “They wanted this and they have worked really hard for this moment. You could see in their swings and their play, they weren't going to be denied.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='442977' first='Demi' last='McCoy'] </strong>added five kills in the win, while <strong>Morgan Anderson </strong>had 12 digs for the Yellowjackets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tecumseh was led by <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='726472' first='Emma' last='Eldred']</strong>, who had 12 kills with five digs. <strong>Maddy Vanblack </strong>added seven kills and nine digs, while <strong>Lily Gnodtke </strong>had 21 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Country Day closes out the season with a 36-1 record. Its lone loss came on its first day of action, falling to 2023 D1 champion, Mercy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tecumseh ends its season with a 48-2-1 record.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->