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Area Class B volleyball teams one game from state tourney

Warner’s Jordyn Jensen stretches to dig out a serve during a match against Hitchcock-Tulare earlier this season in Warner. The Monarchs will take on Faulkton in the Class B SoDak 16 on Tuesday night in Redfield. Photo by John Davis taken 10/8/2024

Each of the area squads that competed in last year’s State B volleyball tournament are on the doorstep of heading back to the grand stage as SoDak 16 matches take place Tuesday night.

Warner, Faulkton, Castlewood, and Wolsey-Wessington were all in the tournament a year ago. One of those will not be returning, though, as Warner and Faulkton face each other. Hitchcock-Tulare, which fell in this round a year ago, will be looking for its second trip to the state tourney in school history.

Here is a capsule look at each match involving area teams:

Faulkton (15-16) vs. Warner (30-4), 7 p.m. at Redfield

These two are definitely no strangers to each other or to post-season success.

The Lake Region Conference powers obviously meet annually, and both are regulars at the state tournament. Warner has been to the past seven state tourneys, while Faulkton has been to five of the past six.

Warner swept the Trojans in a previous meeting, but Faulkton has enough big-match experience to make things interesting before this is settled.

Herreid-Selby Area (18-11) vs. Hitchcock-Tulare (30-2), 7 p.m. at Mellette

Hitchcock-Tulare will be favored in this matchup. The Patriots have been among the top teams in Class B all season. Hitchcock-Tulare started the season by winning its first 23 matches, suffered back-to-back losses, and then closed by winning seven straight.

The Patriots fell in the SoDak 16 last year and will have plenty of motivation for Tuesday’s match.

Herreid-Selby Area had a rough stretch in the middle of the season when a starter missed multiple matches, but the Wolverines have enough size and talent to challenge any opponent on a given night.

The two teams faced numerous common opponents, including four that Hitchcock-Tulare defeated, and HSA fell against.

Wolsey-Wessington (24-7) vs. Gayville-Volin (28-4), 7 p.m. at Salem

This is a rematch of last year’s consolation semifinal match at the state tournament in Rapid City that Wolsey-Wessington won in four sets.

Both teams have had stellar seasons and now one of them will be going home, courtesy of the other.

Wolsey-Wessington has won its last five matches. All but one of the Wardbirds’ losses came against teams competing in either the A or B SoDak 16.

Gayville-Volin has won its last eight matches.

Both teams defeated Arlington this season. The Raiders defeated Northwestern while Wolsey-Wessington lost to the Wildcats.

Castlewood (18-10) vs. Faith (30-5), 7 p.m. at Gettysburg

Faith is the higher seed and has the better record here, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

Castlewood’s Cassidy Kirwan, right, tries to hit the ball past Burke’s Piper Hanson, left, during the Class B third place match at last year’s South Dakota State Volleyball Tournament at the Summit Arena in Rapid City. Castlewood takes on Faith in the SoDak 16 on Tuesday in Gettysburg. Photo by John Davis taken 11/18/2023

Castlewood played a schedule full of solid Class A teams, including three that are in the SoDak 16. The Warriors, who finished fourth in last year’s state tournament, have players with big-match experience.

Faith, which qualified for the state tourney three straight years from 2017-2019, is looking to get back the big show for the first time since then. The Longhorns have won 11 of their last 12 matches heading into this one.

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