5A State Championship: Waukee NW vs. Dallas Center-Grimes

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thursday was filled with the best of the best in each class battling for a state title. These teams have worked incredibly hard all season long and have made it to the very end. First up, we have the defending state champs- #1 Waukee Northwest vs. #2 Dallas Center-Grimes. Both teams came into the tournament with very impressive records, the Wolves are coming in 32-2 and the Mustangs are 35-3. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">SET 1</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We start with a strong with a long rally won by DCG but Logan Vogt starts off hot with 2 back to back kills. Vogt and Ladwig waste no time racking up kills and Leah Janulewicz is eating up the Mustangs in the back row. <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/lyla-nelson/" data-type="players" data-id="730468">Lyla Nelson</a> comes up with 2 aces, pulling the Wolves ahead early in the set and forcing the Mustangs to call an early timeout. The pressure from Waukee NW is at an all time high and freshman <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/kennedy-jackson-2/" data-type="players" data-id="1006334">Kennedy Jackson</a> goes and gets an ace of her own. <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/maggie-leifker/" data-type="players" data-id="394331">Maggie Leifker</a> and <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/ava-smid/" data-type="players" data-id="730390">Ava Smid</a> come up with a monster block on Piper Ladwig, but <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/cassidy-danburg/" data-type="players" data-id="812248">Cassidy Danburg</a> came right back and finds the floor. <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/london-taylor/" data-type="players" data-id="555820">London Taylor</a> forces an overpass eith her serve and <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/avery-cordes/" data-type="players" data-id="545971">Avery Cordes</a> slams the ball down, forcing DCG to call their second timeout (7-17). The Mustangs start to chip their way back into the set, but Waukee NW doesn't let them get too close. <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/leah-janulewicz/" data-type="players" data-id="490011">Leah Janulewicz</a> is contributing from all over the court and Waukee Northwest manages to take the first set 25-13.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">SET 2</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/player/gwen-farley-3/" data-type="players" data-id="493973">Gwen Farley</a> comes out strong in the first set along with <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/madison-messerly/" data-type="players" data-id="766068">Madison Messerly</a> getting some pretty impressive digs and getting the first score of the game. The Wolves find Piper Ladwig on the outside in serve receive to get them on the board. <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/maggie-leifker/" data-type="players" data-id="394331">Maggie Leifker</a> gets a monster block and both team's defenses are doing a fantastic job keeping the ball up, but the Wolves are loaded with heavy arms and are managing to power right through the block. <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/avery-cordes/" data-type="players" data-id="545971">Avery Cordes</a> goes on a serving run, and the Wolves start to pull ahead. <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/ava-smid/" data-type="players" data-id="730390">Ava Smid</a> comes in with a powerful swing, stopping the Wolves reign of terror. The Mustangs go on a run of their own, pressuring Wauke NW to take a timeout. Waukee Northwest finds a way to score out of the timeout and <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/kennedy-jackson-2/" data-type="players" data-id="1006334">Kennedy Jackson</a> manages to go on a a little serving run and forces DCG to take theor second timeout. The Wolves is playing incredibly clean volleyball and has complete control over the game. Waukee NW manages to pull through set 2 (25-19).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">SET 3</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dallas Center-Grimes is not letting down in the third set and is going kill for kill with the Wolves. Both teams are going all out and not letting up. The Mustangs offense is definitely starting to come alive, but the Wolves are making it incredibly hard for them to score. The Wolves are slowly starting to pull away and DCG decides to take a timeout. After the timeout the Mustangs started to work their way back into the set and is starting to find the floor. <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/leah-janulewicz/" data-type="players" data-id="490011">Leah Janulewicz</a> answers back and the Wolves start to pull away again and DCG calls their second timeout (15-19). DCG is giving it their absolute all in the end of the third, but the Wolves would not let up and Waukee Northwest defends their title after taking the 3rd (25-19).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Stat Leaders:</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Kills:</em></strong> Logan Vogt (Waukee NW)- 16 kills, <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/leah-janulewicz/" data-type="players" data-id="490011">Leah Janulewicz</a> (Waukee NW), <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/ava-smid/" data-type="players" data-id="730390">Ava Smid</a> (DCG), and <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/piper-ladwig/" data-type="players" data-id="493601">Piper Ladwig</a> (Waukee NW)- 10 kills</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Assists:</em></strong> <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/gwen-farley-3/" data-type="players" data-id="493973">Gwen Farley</a> (DCG)- 26 assists &amp; <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/kennedy-jackson-2/" data-type="players" data-id="1006334">Kennedy Jackson</a> (Waukee NW)- 24 assists</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Digs:</em></strong> <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/london-taylor/" data-type="players" data-id="555820">London Taylor</a> (Waukee NW)- 16 digs, <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/leah-janulewicz/" data-type="players" data-id="490011">Leah Janulewicz</a> (Waukee NW)- 13 digs, <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/ava-smid/" data-type="players" data-id="730390">Ava Smid</a> (DCG)- 11 digs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Blocks:</em></strong> <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/cassidy-danburg/" data-type="players" data-id="812248">Cassidy Danburg</a> (Waukee NW) &amp; <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/maggie-leifker/" data-type="players" data-id="394331">Maggie Leifker</a> (DCG)- 5 blocks</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->