D4 Finals Recap: O’Rourke, Thelen Lead Fowler To First Title

<!-- wp:image {"id":909400,"width":"487px","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/5/2025/11/Mendon-vs-Fowler-13.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-909400" style="width:487px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='836790' first='Paige' last='Thelen']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>BATTLE CREEK – Behind a group of nine seniors, the Fowler volleyball program completed their long journey of claiming the first state championship in school history on Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The second-ranked Eagles put together their best effort of the season to defeat top-ranked Mendon, 30-28, 25-19, 25-22 in the Division 4 championship match.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“They're just so focused today. I mean, we've been focused all year, hoping that this moment would come and we'd come bring home the state championship,” Fowler coach Patty Feldpausch said. “I'm super thrilled for them. They literally have been talking about this since they were in the fifth grade, when they started playing volleyball.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The senior-heavy Eagles (36-8-2) were led by a pair of those veterans in setter <strong>Neelah O'Rourke </strong>and outside hitter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='836790' first='Paige' last='Thelen']</strong>. Thelen had 21 kills while hitting .311, while O'Rourke put up 48 assists. That was the most assists in a three-set final in MHSAA history since moving to divisions instead of classes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“She just did a great job today. She did great job feeding. Well, our defense did a great job giving her good balls to feed, and our hitters did a great job against their big block. Neelah just kept her composure and just she was just amazing.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first set played out like a fifth set in terms of the drama. Each team had opportunities to close the set but couldn't put the other away. The closing points featured long rallies with tremendous digs from both Mendon's <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='462081' first='Jadyn' last='Samson'] </strong>and Fowler's <strong>Rachel Wirth</strong> to keep their team alive. Ultimately, Fowler took home the final two points to win 30-28 on a kill from <strong>Elizabeth Wirth</strong> then a block from <strong>Josie Simon </strong>and <strong>Selena Stump</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“When they're so tight (the sets) and you let them slip through that's tough. We didn't let it slip, and that first win was huge,” Feldpausch said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The second set was lining up to be another thriller, but Fowler closed out the set on an 8-1 rally to win 25-19 after trailing 18-17. Thelencame through with three kills during the rally while O'Rourkecontinued her ferocious setting pace.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the third set, the score was tied 17-17 before Fowler put up fight straight points, all off kills. That set the stage for the Eagles to finish it off and it was O'Rourke connecting with Thelen for the final point.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“There's no doubt that we did everything to prepare, just on this day, Fowler was better than us,” Mendon coach Kenneth Herbert said. “They're a good team, and we knew they were going to be, and they challenged us many different ways.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thelen added 11 digs to go with her 21 kills, while O'Rourke tallied 12. Wirth finished with 21 digs, while <strong>Skyler Fowler </strong>had 10 kills in the win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='732270' first='Cienna' last='Nightingale'] </strong>had 14 kills and hit .342 with 12 digs to lead Mendon (38-7-1) on the day. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464695' first='Gracie' last='Schultz'] </strong>added nine kills and 19 digs, while Samson finished with 20 digs. <strong>Karyssa Holtz </strong>tallied 24 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->