WOLSEY – While all of the players in this year’s Class B State Volleyball Tournament will be excited to compete, it might be hard to top the members of the Wolsey-Wessington squad. The Warbirds will be making their first ever appearance at the event.

“Last year we went to that SoDak 16 game and we lost to a very good Burke team. You can’t take the hurt away from the kids,” said Wolsey-Wessington coach Lindy Uttecht. “You’re watching them: they’re crying, they’re upset. That was definitely motivation going into this SoDak game last week.”

The Warbirds got over that hump and now would like to make some noise at the state tourney. They enter the event with a well-rounded squad the features multiple hitters who can do damage from all angles.

“I feel like in the front row, especially, we’re pretty versatile. Our hitters can hit from outside, middle, right,” Uttecht said. “We practice that a lot just in case we have to switch something up and we’re ready to go.”

Wolsey-Wessington is led along the front by Mya Boomsma, Leah Williams, Mallory Miller, Kailyn Dorris and Emree White. The setter is Taylor Horn, the Libero is Lainey Uttecht, and additional help comes from Payton Kemnitz.

Miller, a 6-foot-4 transfer from Aberdeen Christian, played in last year’s state volleyball and basketball tournaments.

“She’s a pretty confident player,” Coach Uttecht said. “Just her having that experience being there, I think is going to help the rest of her teammates.”

Uttecht said the chemistry of the squad has played a big role the entire season.

“They all have a role and I think they all understand their role and they’re not worried about being in the spotlight and being the one,” she said. “They just want to come together and play as a team and win as a team.”

The Warbirds face familiar foe Northwestern in the opening round at 1:15 p.m. Thursday at the Premier Center in Sioux Falls. The Wildcats won a previous encounter in August in five sets.

Uttecht believes the rematch will be another good contest.

“They’ve switched some things up. They’re playing better, but I feel like we’re playing better, also,” she said. “I think it will be a good match and I hope it is.”

The early-season setback is just one of four losses on the season for Wolsey-Wessington (28-4) with the others coming to state-tourney participants Warner and Miller (twice).

Uttecht said her team will need to play aggressively, regardless of the opponent, to make the most of its initial trip to the state tourney.

“Our passing has got to be key. We have to get that ball to the setter and give our setter a chance to get our hitters going,” Uttecht said. “We’ve got three solid hitters in the front all the time and we want to hit the ball. We have those hitters up there. We don’t want to sit here and get into tipping matches with teams. We want to hit at them and make them earn points.”

One thing is certain, the Warbirds are definitely excited about being in their first state tournament.

“We’re very excited to get the opportunity to go and play. It’s another first for our program, first time ever being at the state tournament,” Uttecht said. “Obviously, we’re excited to go represent our school and do the best we can.”