With 6-foot-3 Abby Hayes dominating at the net, North Scott powered its way to a state championship.
North Scott swept Indianola in straight sets to claim the Class 4A title, winning 25-17, 25-16, 25-12. It’s the second state championship for the Lancers, who won the 2A crown in the 1985 two-class tournament.
The fourth-ranked Lancers definitely earned this one. They ended top-ranked Clear Creek-Amana’s unbeaten season with a sweep in the semifinals, then were even more impressive in downing second-ranked Indianola.
North Scott (29-4) pulled away in the first set after trailing 8-5 early, then took control in the second set by reeling off eight straight points to break a tie at 14. They jumped to an 8-1 lead in set three and were never threatened the rest of the way.
Hayes, a junior, who has committed to Creighton, bagged 17 kills, eight digs and two solo blocks and was named captain of the all-tournament team. All-tournament pick Kaci Johnson added seven kills, 14 assists and 11 digs, while Emma Schermerhorn had 16 assists and nine digs.
Hayes finished the tournament with 56 kills, an average of 5.6 per set.
Camryn Overton led Indianola (37-5) with eight kills. Aspen Nelson had seven kills and 13 digs, while Tory Runyan contributed 24 assists.