1 week Ago By By Marc Zavala [email protected]
The Shelton volleyball team experienced a few heartbreaks the past few years at the state volleyball tournament. There would be no heartbreak for the Bulldogs during this year’s state tournament. Shelton went through the state tournament in clean fashion, sweeping all three opponents during its run to the school’s first-ever state title.
It was those heartbreaks in the past that kept the Bulldogs motivated to work hard during the offseason. During her freshman year, Jalyn Branson was a part of Shelton’s team that lost 19-17 in the fifth set to eventual champion Howells-Dodge in the state semifinals. One year later, the Bulldogs fell in four sets to runner-up Cambridge in the opening round.
“It was kind of our grit and determination that helped us get here,” Branson said. “We wanted to win.” Erin Gegg said the loss in 2022 was more painful for a few reasons.
“Our freshman year, there were a lot of sisters, a lot of family on that team,’’ Gegg said. “To watch our older sisters come up short, we knew we had to finish it.” Shelton coach Misti Potter said she felt the Bulldogs had potential to be great in 2024 after last year’s loss to Cambridge.
“When we lost that game last year, I knew there was more potential than they showed,” Potter said. “They came in and worked hard during the summer and worked hard in the weight room, and during camps. That match last year was not our best effort.
I just felt there was so much more potential.” Shelton’s Kaycee Tompkin (10) cries as she hugs her teammate after defeating Leyton in the Class D-2 state championship match Saturday at the Devaney Center. It was Shelton’s first-ever state volleyball title.
After going through the season with a 29-3 record, the Bulldogs went to the state tournament pretty determined. Shelton swept all three matches, including a 25-18, 26-24, 25-16 sweep over Leyton in the D-2 final Saturday. “I wasn’t even looking at that (sweeps), but I felt these girls were pretty focused and wanted to do the sweep in all three matches,” Potter said.
And it was Branson and Gegg that did a lot of the damage as Branson had 58 kills, while Erin Gegg had 57. Potter said while Branson and Gegg did their part in the championship run, it was really a team effort. “(Jalyn and Erin) have great work ethic,” Potter said.
“They strive to be good players and great teammates and they work all the time. “But it’s all the girls though. They are good girls and amazing athletes and I couldn’t be more proud.
” The Bulldogs will lose two seniors to graduation in Kaycee Tompkin and Ellie Morgan, who Potter said were great leaders. Potter said she had to talk to Tompkin into coming out for volleyball her junior year. She did and was glad Tompkin did.
After putting the gold medal around her neck during the medal ceremony, Potter gave Tompkin a long hug and had a few tears. “I wasn’t even sure if I was going to have Kaycee last year,” Potter said. “I’m so glad she did and today proved that she needed to be here for us to get to this.
She was great in the middle and was good at helping get Erin and Jalyn get some one-on-one offensive things when we needed them. Once we started using Kaycee more in the middle, the other teams had to respect her and not cheat on the other two for blocking.” Morgan was a transfer from Wood River and made an impact at libero.
Potter said she knew Morgan would after finishing with 601 digs for the Eagles a year before. During the state tournament, Morgan finished with a total of 69 digs during the tournament, including 25 in the final. “I feel like the girls accepted her very well and she brought some new dynamics to the team,” Potter said.
“Her experience as a Libero made our defense so much better. She has great court awareness and reads hitters well and covers the court pretty well also.” And there was a lot of celebrating for the Bulldogs when the match was over.
There were loud cheers from the Shelton faithful that were at the Devaney Center after match point. Potter said there was an escort into town from the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office and the parents and community members were on the road and waiting for the team to arrive back at the high school. Some parents even had fireworks going off as they rolled in.
Potter said she felt the support during state volleyball was tremendous. “We are so thankful for the community support and everyone who packed Devaney on Saturday morning,” Potter said. “Our girls fed off that energy and it was wonderful to have a loud section, not only community members on the side but a student section behind us during that championship game.
“It was an amazing experience for the girls and us coaches.” So what’s next for the Bulldogs after winning the school’s first state volleyball title. “Try to do it in basketball and be back next year,” Branson said.
The Independent area did quite well at this year’s state tournament. The teams went 6-3 during the four-day tournament. While Shelton went 3-0, Central Valley went 2-1 and finished third in Class D-2 after defeating Overton in the third-place match.
Grand Island Senior High went 1-1 after defeating Omaha Westside in the first round on Wednesday before falling to Elkhorn South in the semifinals. Hastings St. Cecilia dropped its opening round match to eventual state champion Lincoln Lutheran.
Coaches, please be sure to check emails for All-Heartland volleyball team information. If you have not received anything or have questions, please contact me at marc.zavala@theindependent.
com . The All-Heartland teams, along with final All-Area volleyball leaders, will be released sometime in early December. Marc Zavala Marc Zavala is a sports writer for the Independent.
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