Onalaska punches first ticket to state in 10 years, knocks off RSB in four

All season, the Onalaska Loggers had dreamed of celebrating the moment they clinched their first state tournament bid in a decade. 

The moment arrived in a District 4 2B elimination match against Raymond-South Bend Saturday, but the Loggers reacted as if they had just won a regular season September match, not a winner-to-state contest in four sets.

The Loggers were far from overjoyed. They were content, but dissatisfied.

That’s a testament to the standard set by Susan Gordon in her three years as the head coach. A trip east to Yakima for the state tournament is only the next step in the plan for what the Loggers hope is a dream season.

“It means a lot to be able to do it with this group, but we need to play better. I’m not satisfied with the way they played,” Gordon said.

Onalaska played with a calm, yet aggressive demeanor for the majority of the contest. The Loggers led wire to wire in the first set to win 25-17 but fell apart in the second set. Their hitters struggled to get the ball past RSB’s front line, and the Ravens found several points by dotting attacks along the back line and in the middle of the defense. Onalaska’s mental errors were never resolved in the frame, and RSB knotted the match at one game apiece with a 25-14 throttling in the second.

The Loggers quickly found their composure and some newfound energy to start the third, letting out some primal screams after kills by Emalie Jacoby and Faith Hammer as they jumped out to a 12-1 lead. RSB had no answer, and Onalaska took control with a 25-11 third set.

In the first half of the fourth set, Onalaska looked discombobulated before rattling off a 11-3 run to pull in front. The Loggers closed out the contest with a 25-17 victory, and they quickly ran off the court to prepare for their third-place match against Toledo, in apparent desperate need of a fast turnaround in both energy and mindset, according to Gordon.

“We were just flat. We were flat with no energy. It was like, ‘Oh, I made a mistake. Everybody be sad.’ I don’t know. It wasn’t a very well–played game,” Gordon said.

Jacoby recorded 18 kills and 24 digs in the win over RSB, with Hammer adding nine kills and three blocks. Braelyn Babb dished out 29 assists, while Renzy Marshall logged a dozen.

Onalaska bounced back in the third-place game to beat Toledo in four sets.