Class 3 Recap: Oak Grove Takes Third, Helias Champions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The final day of the state playoffs was filled with excitement as teams battled for glory. Oak Grove secured a third-place finish, while Helias emerged as the Class 3 state champions. Here's a detailed recap of the matches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Third-Place Match: Oak Grove vs. Saxony Lutheran</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Final Score:</strong> Oak Grove won 25-8, 25-22, 25-22.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Match Highlights:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Oak Grove showcased their strength and skill against Saxony, with a dominant performance in the first set, winning 25-8.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Saxony fought back in the next two sets, but Oak Grove maintained their composure to secure the victory.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Big Playmakers:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Saxony:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='828562' first='Kinley' last='Couch'] (2028)</strong>: The 6'0” outside hitter stood out with a strong performance, finishing the match with <strong>12 kills</strong> while hitting <strong>.478</strong>.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='729500' first='Kendall' last='McDowell'] (2028)</strong>: The versatile setter/outside hitter nearly achieved a double-double, ending with <strong>8 kills</strong>, <strong>14 assists</strong>, and <strong>5 digs</strong>.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Oak Grove:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='883474' first='Emmy' last='Brown'] (2029)</strong>: The future star of the Panthers played a crucial role, contributing <strong>35 assists</strong> and <strong>10 digs</strong> to the team's success.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='557372' first='Piper' last='Hudson'] (2029)</strong>: The talented southpaw made her mark with <strong>19 kills</strong>, <strong>2 assists</strong>, <strong>4 aces</strong>, and <strong>8 digs</strong>, including a scoring run that propelled Oak Grove to their decisive first-set victory.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 3 State Championship Match: Helias vs. Mt. Vernon</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Final Score:</strong> Helias won 25-12, 25-21, 25-18.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Match Overview:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Helias entered the championship match with a challenging road to the finals, while Mt. Vernon had an easier path, sweeping Saxony in the semifinals.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Set 1:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Helias quickly established dominance, leading 14-5, forcing a Mt. Vernon timeout. They continued to extend their lead to 19-5, with Addyson Scherr contributing three kills and [player_tooltip player_id='809438' first='Sophie' last='Verslues'] making five early digs.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Helias closed out the first set decisively, winning 25-12. Both Addyson Scherr and [player_tooltip player_id='808236' first='Kambell' last='Winegar'] led with four kills each.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Set 2:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Helias maintained their lead at 9-4 and 13-8. Mt. Vernon fought back to tie the game at 18 with a block from [player_tooltip player_id='828470' first='Camryn' last='Cornell'].</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>However, Helias responded with a three-point run to regain control and ultimately won the set 25-21, thanks to a set-ending kill from [player_tooltip player_id='808236' first='Kambell' last='Winegar'], who finished the set with <strong>10 kills</strong> and a hitting percentage of <strong>.450</strong>.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Set 3:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Helias continued their momentum, racing to a 13-5 lead in the third set. Emma Hulsey sealed the championship with a kill, ending the match in a sweep.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Players:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Helias:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='808236' first='Kambell' last='Winegar'] (2026)</strong>: Led the team with <strong>10 kills</strong> and added <strong>9 digs</strong>.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Zoey Hake (2027)</strong>: Contributed with <strong>5 kills</strong>, <strong>12 assists</strong>, <strong>2 aces</strong>, <strong>4 digs</strong>, and <strong>5 blocks</strong>.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='809438' first='Sophie' last='Verslues'] (2026)</strong>: The libero had a standout defensive performance with a team-high <strong>16 digs</strong>.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mt. Vernon:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464561' first='Ziah' last='Schmutz'] (2027)</strong>: Recorded <strong>13 kills</strong>, <strong>15 assists</strong>, and <strong>9 digs</strong>.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='828470' first='Camryn' last='Cornell'] (2026)</strong>: Made significant contributions with <strong>13 kills</strong> and <strong>13 digs</strong>.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class 3 state playoffs concluded with Oak Grove claiming third place and Helias crowned champions, marking significant achievements for both teams. Helias's impressive performance throughout the tournament solidified its status as a Class 3 volleyball powerhouse. If you need any more information, feel free to ask!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->