Wolves rally at home in volleyball season sweep of Ketchikan

The four seniors on Wrangell's girls volleyball team had but one chance. Just one. A single night to play in front of their classmates, their loved ones, their families and friends. Though the match's outcome contributed nothing toward Southeast seeding or state tournament qualification, the crowded high school gym told another story: This match mattered.

Following an emotional senior night, the high school girls volleyball team defeated Ketchikan 3-2 on Oct. 24.

In their only home match of the year, the Wolves won three of the five sets, with scores of 26-24, 23-25, 22-25, 25-21 and 16-14. The victory extended Wrangell's unbeaten run this season to nine matches as the Wolves continue to prove they are the best team in Southeast.

This was the third time in 2024 that Wrangell beat their larger rival, sweeping Ketchikan in the teams' season series. Ketchikan, a Division 4A school, has eight times as many students as Wrangell.

Wrangell, resplendent in royal red, trailed for most of the first set. But the Ketchikan lead remained in reach, hovering around three points for the duration of the match's opening set. Every time Ketchikan started a run, a Wrangell rally of aggressive serving kept the King's lead within striking distance.

But time was running out and soon the Wolves found themselves trailing 22-24.

Enter Wrangell junior Christina Johnson.

"Topspin! Watch out for the topspin," the Ketchikan head coach screamed as Johnson stepped up to serve.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Just like that, Johnson evaporated the long-held Ketchikan lead. 25-24 Wrangell. Ketchikan timeout. Johnson, now serving for the set, stepped up to the line. Ace. Wrangell takes the first set.

Now, if this were a sports movie, it would have gone something like this: In a close first set, Wrangell (David) would win an uncomfortably tight first set against Ketchikan (Goliath). After overcoming their initial first-set jitters, Wrangell would then go on to cruise to victory for the remainder of the best-of-five match.

That's not what happened. Wrangell's performance deteriorated in the sets that followed. Despite Aubrey Wynne's best defensive efforts in the second, the Wolves dropped the set 23-25.

"Pick up the passing," head coach Brian Herman said. "We can be better than this."

The third set was more of the same. Ketchikan won 25-22 this time, despite a 6-1 Wrangell run to tie the set at 20 each. But it wasn't enough. The Kings won five of the next seven points, putting Wrangell down two sets to one at home.

Watching the girls volleyball bench, you might notice something. Herman doesn't stand up often. In fact, he doesn't get out of his seat much at all. But when the Wolves kicked off the fourth set with a 4-1 rally, he couldn't resist. Maybe it was excitement or maybe it was relief. Whatever it was, the emotion was palpable not just on the court, but throughout the gym.

Rallied by a thunderous home crowd, the Wolves went up 8-3 in the do-or-die set. By the time Ketchikan mustered three more points, Wrangell was already at 14. The Kings tried to rally toward the end of the set, but Wrangell pulled through. The Wolves won the fourth by five points and sent the match to a first-to-15 tiebreak set.

If the first four sets were close, the tiebreak was somehow closer. First, it was tied 1-1, then 2-2, then 7-7 and 8-8 and 10-10 and 13-13. There were lead changes and long rallies and blocks at the net. The previously mentioned sports movie was on full display.

After another grueling, long rally, a Ketchikan kill gave the Kings a 14-13 lead. And now, they were serving for the win. Backed into a corner, Wrangell dug deep. After the longest rally of the night - with neither team willing to play anything too risky - Wrangell tied it up at 14. After an Alexis Easterly kill gave Wrangell the lead, Herman stood up for the second time. Now it was Wrangell's turn to serve for the match. Unlike Ketchikan, the Wolves didn't falter.

The serve by Wynne, the kill by fellow senior Addy Andrews. Point, set, match, Wrangell.

For the third and final time all night, Herman stood up.

Up next the Wolves will compete in the second and final Southeast seeding tournament. The three-day event will be held in Petersburg on Nov. 7-9.