JDHS volleyball team honors seniors in Sitka match
- Klas Stolpe
- Nov 2
- 8 min read
10 Crimson Bears feted before feeding on visiting Wolves
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball team honored 10 senior players Saturday in the George Houston Gymnasium before defeating the visiting Sitka Wolves 3-2 (25-15, 26-24, 20-25, 22-25, 15-10)
“It was pretty awesome,” senior Neela Thomas said. “The energy was so good tonight and I am sad it is coming to an end, but I am looking forward to playing regions and state. I love my career here, but I am just really sad it is coming to a close.”
Thomas and classmates Braith Dihle, Cambry Lockhart, Michelle Meeks, Gwen Nizich, Lorelie Urrutia-Lugo, Lavinia Ma’ake, Tearamae Alexander, Kaylee Koelsch and Natalia Harris were called to the court and joined by family and friends prior to the match.
The Crimson Bears then played one of their best matches of the season against a quality opponent.
“Really coming together and dominating tonight was super important to us, especially as seniors, just because it is our last time playing on this court together,” Nizich said. “We had a little meeting with the team of seniors just talking about our intentions this week and in the end I feel like we executed them…Our intentions were to just build that chemistry because we had a slightly different lineup this week. So all week in practice we had new hitters in the front row, and I feel like we came together and executed that tonight.”
The two sides kept all five games up in the air, both literally and figuratively, as athletes soared to kill shots, dig up balls and push passes, and shots across the court and the net.
One of the most inspiring plays of the night came in the final set as Lockhart dove over the Crimson Bears' bench to save a ball and was able to get back to center court to watch the play finish. Sitka senior Ally Mayville would do the same defensive play on the Wolves' side.
“Playing volleyball has been such an unexpected yet successful experience for me,” Lockhart said prior to the match. “I started playing my sophomore year, but regret not starting sooner because of how much I’ve grown to love the game. I have created and shared so many bonds with new teammates and coaches over the years. Overall I have loved my time with volleyball and everything and everyone it has brought me.”
Set one saw a kill by Dihle, a scoring block by Nizich, two kills by Ma’ake and a tip by Thomas for a 7-2 lead. The two sides would stay close with Sitka taking an 11-10 lead behind blocks by Mayville and sophomore Kailee Brady, tip shots by freshman Addie Marx, and an ace by junior Jeeya Anguilla.
JDHS would have three scoring runs that included aces by Lockhart and Nizich, scoring blocks by Koelsch, Nizich and Thomas, and kills by Nizich and Ma’ake for a 24-14 lead.
Sitka’s Brady and Marx would double block for point 15, but a mishit gave JDHS the 25-15 win.
“Playing volleyball has meant so much to me,” Koelsch said. “Throughout the years, I've met some of my closest friends in this sport, and I will forever be grateful for all the memories and experiences it's given me.”
In set two JDHS led 4-0, but Sitka would take a 13-7 lead that included aces by Mayville and junior Vada West, and scoring shots by Marx, Brady and senior Sadie Saline. The two sides exchanged brief runs with JDHS trailing 17-15.
A service error gave the Crimson Bears possession and Dihle served to a 22-17 lead that included an ace and two kills by Ma’ake.
Sitka’s Marx killed for possession and Saline served to within 22-21 with a kill by Marx, an ace, and a block by Brady. Two Sitka mishits put JDHS up 24-21 but Marx scored, a rotation error gave the Wolves another point and Brady blocked to tie the game at 24-24.
A net violation gave JDHS possession and junior Leila Cooper sent a stinging serve across the net that the Wolves struggled to control and their return was killed by Thomas for the 26-24 win.
“It is really sad, but it is a good thing it happened,” Meeks said of her final home match. Meeks, who came to JDHS via the Thunder Mountain consolidation, contributed in the Saturday match win both defensively and offensively. “I made a lot of friends after the transition to JD. We also have club volleyball so I am looking forward to that.”
Sitka would swing the match in set three as they opened an 11-4 lead with scoring shots by Mayville and Brady, a block by Saline, and two aces from senior Addy Moore and another by Saline.
JDHS battled back as Lockhart, Nizich, Dihle and Harris were active at the net. Harris would block a hard kill attempt to pull within 12-10.
“Volleyball has brought me so many friendships and an unending support system that I will carry with me,” Harris said prior to the match. “I am very thankful for the people I have met along the years and the way they have made my time valuable.”
An exchange of plays saw Sitka take a 14-11 lead, including an ace by Mayville and JDHS getting a kill by Dihle, a block by Nizich and a block by Harris that tied the match at 14-14.
Sitka took possession on a kill by Marx and Saline served to a 21-14 lead that included a tip by Brady, and a block and kill by Marx.
A service error and mishit pulled JDHS to 21-15, a Saline kill gave Sitka a 22-15 lead, and a Ma’ake kill and a Nizich serve pulled JDHS to 22-17.
A block by Sitka’s Brady and a JDHS mishit gave the Wolves set poin,t but Crimson Bears junior June Troxel killed a shot for possession and Cooper served to within 24-20 including an ace and a Sitka net violation. Sitka’s Brady killed a shot for the 25-20 win.
JDHS would again take an early lead in set four as Nizich and Ma’ake worked the net and Dihle, Nizich and Cooper worked service for an 8-5 advantage.
Sitka took an 11-8 lead with senior Alina Lehban serving an ace and scoring plays from Brady, Mayville and sophomore Bella Jones.
The two sides continued small scoring runs and, with JDHS’ Dihle at service, the Crimson Bears led 18-16 on the back of Nizich’s two kills and a block.
Sitka took a 21-18 lead with West serving and included kills by Marx and Jones. A mishit gave JDHS a point, but a service error and a kill by Brady kept Sitka ahead 23-19. JDHS gained possession on a Sitka mishit but a service error gave Sitka a 24-20 lead.
JDHS’ Dihle killed for possession and Lockhart served an ace to pull to 24-22, but Sitka’s Mayville killed for the 25-22 win and tied the match at 2-2.
JDHS served to start set five, but Mayville killed for possession and served to a 4-0 lead with an ace and a tip by Marx.
Nizich killed for JDHS’ first point, and the sides exchanged service errors and mishits until JDHS gained possession, and Troxel served to a 9-6 lead that included Ma’ake scoring four times and Lockhart diving over the team’s bench.
Sitka pulled to within a point at 10-9, a Wolves mishit increased the margin to 11-9 and a Wolves kill by Saline brought it back to 11-10.
Nizich would gain JDHS possession with a tip shot, and junior Liliane Veikoso served out the match with help from a Nizich scoring block and a tip by Dihle for a 14-10 lead. Veikoso then put a serve over that Sitka mishandled and JDHS won 15-10.
“I feel great,” Dihle said. “I am really sad just being a senior, it is a lot of emotions, but I am glad we went out with a positive game and everyone on the team played really well…And it was exciting. They were exciting games, so I’m happy and a little sad at the same time...Playing volleyball these last four years have meant a lot to me. It created an environment where I was able to make connections and build relationships with many people. i am grateful for all the time my coaches, both at Thunder Mountain and Juneau-Douglas, have put in. I love playing this sport so much, and I am thankful for everyone who has helped me along the way.”
All the JDHS seniors have contributed to the team’s success this year and each deserved the honors given before play. A special serve by injured senior Alexander started match play.
Not a major player on the varsity court, but one of the most well-liked seniors around the net, Lorelei Urrutia-Lugo said, “Playing volleyball has meant so much to me. It taught and shaped me to be the person I am today. The silly, charismatic, and ambitious person I am. I have been playing volleyball since middle school, and playing the sport has taught me so much about leadership and patience. Those characteristics, along with fun teammates, amazing coaches, and volleyball with a court, are the reasons why I came back every year to get better and better. I don’t regret a single thing in my volleyball career, especially with the team I’m on this year. I’m glad I got to play and be coached with the people I played with today. Thank you for the volleyball memories.”
JDHS also defeated Sitka on Friday 3-0 (26-24, 25-21, 25-15).
“These are the last games that we have to prepare us for regions,” Sitka coach Kristi Brady said. “So mostly this is a ‘let’s get ready for regions.’ These games generally don’t matter for our scheduling and things like that, but they really do matter in getting us ready for our regions next week…What I like about our team is they are positive and upbeat, regardless of the way things are going on the court. So for us to come in and play against a team that plays as well as Juneau — that hits the ball well, places the ball well, those kinds of things — for us to hang in those games and do the things that we do well at the same time, that is encouraging. That is positive…”
The Crimson Bears will travel to play the Ketchikan Kings in the 4A Southeast Region V Championships at Ketchikan next weekend. Sitka will face the Mt. Edgecumbe Lady Braves in the 3A Southeast Region V Championships at Sitka and MEHS.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
