Two of the state’s best volleyball programs squared off in Le Mars on Tuesday night when seventh-ranked Hinton beat fourth-ranked Gehlen Catholic in straight sets.
The final two sets suggested a dominant win no questions asked for Hinton. The Blackhawks took the final two sets by scores of 25-15 and 25-13 respectively. Those sets followed a tighter first set that saw Hinton trail for the early part of the set but come back to win 25-21. Hinton co-head coach Robin Mohr says it only took a few points for the Blackhawks to get back into doing what they do best.
The game was highlighted by the Blackhawk offense getting a trio of hitters consistent touches and opportunities. Bailey Boeve led the way as usual with 14 kills, but it was Carlene Hicklin and Gabbie Friessen’s nine kills each that helped the Blackhawk offense continue to roll. Coach Mohr says having that many weapons open things up wide for the hitters.
While Hinton was succeeding offensively, the Jays were giving them fits by staying alive in points thanks to great back row play. Gehlen Catholic head coach Dan Goebel says the Jays have worked to improve their back row play, and it’s showing.
For Hinton’s offense to be successful on Tuesday night, someone needed to get them the ball. Ashlyn Kovarna provided that role to the tune of 34 assists and eclipsing the 1,000-career assist plateau with her second assist of the match. Coach Mohr says she rarely makes mistakes which makes her passes solid.
For Gehlen Catholic, the intensity wasn’t there the rest of the match, hence the lopsided set scores. The Jays will wrap up the regular season with Harris-Lake Park on Thursday night before starting postseason play as the top-seed in their region on Monday night. As the top seed, it could be easy for Gehlen to overlook some of their early matchups. Coach Goebel says they need to treat every match like it’s a big one come tournament time.
Hinton finished their regular season with the win over Gehlen Catholic. The win puts them at 9-1 in War Eagle Conference play this season and secures a second-place finish in the league. It’s the best finish for the Blackhawks in the conference since 2017. Hinton now waits a week before they play their first-round regional match. Coach Mohr says they will use the time to get as prepared as possible for a deep run.
The Blackhawks first postseason matchup will be against either Sioux Central or Pocahontas Area on Wednesday, October 19. Gehlen Catholic’s first postseason matchup will be against Woodbury Central on Monday, October 17. You can listen to Gehlen Catholic’s matchup on KLEM Radio.
