Axtell lady Eagle Volleyball

It may have been a different flight path over the course of the past two seasons compared to this year but the Axtell lady Eagles volleyball team flew to their third straight State tournament and after a third place two years ago and State runner-up last year there was only one more rung to step up to on the ladder for the Eagles and that they did. The season was capped by the Eagles with the first ever State volleyball title in school history as the team finished 27-15 on the year and 1A-DII State champs.

The Eagles entered the State tournament as the seventh seed but the tough competition faced throughout the season had the team prepared for competition in Hays. A shaky start led against Waverly in pool play in the first match led to the Bulldogs winning the first set versus Axtell but the Eagles responded to win the next two sets, taking the match 18-25, 25-21, 25-10 and went on to win the next eight sets played on their way to the State title. Axtell earned victories in pool play over Cunningham, 25-19, 26-24 and Wallace County, 25-15, 25-12 to win the pool and punch their ticket to the Semifinals.

In the Semifinals the Eagles would tame the Cougars of Otis-Bison winning in straight sets 25-18, 25-17 to earn a spot in the State title match for the second straight year. Standing in front of Axtell for the second straight season was Wheatland-Grinnell and the Eagles who fell in straight sets the previous year in the State title match, repaid the favor beating Wheatland in straight sets 26-24, 25-17 to earn the 1A-DII State title. The Eagles were even down 24-21 late in the first set and rattled off five consecutive points to come back and take the first set and ultimately push themselves to the State title.

The run of the Axtell lady Eagles took the next step this season as they capped the year with the school’s first ever State volleyball title.