Lady Warriors finish fourth at state tournament

WORLAND - After surprising everyone at the 3A West regional volleyball tournament, the Worland Lady Warriors kept it rolling on their way to a fourth-place finish at last week's 3A State tournament in Casper Nov. 3-5.

Entering the tournament as the No. 4-seed out of the West, the Lady Warriors took on the 3A East champions and No. 1-seeded Wheatland Lady Bulldogs.

After dropping the first two sets, 20-25 and 17-25, the Lady Warriors rallied after some adjustments by WHS volleyball coach Becky Wassum. Sophomores Addi Estes and Anna Richardson played huge roles in Worland's comeback.

Junior middle Ellianna Baumstarck also played her best game of the season and powered Worland to a 3-2 victory (20-25,17-25, 29-27, 25-22, 15-12).

"Wheatland was hurting us on the right side, so I put in Addi Estes as a bigger block on that right side. She played middle blocker on JV, and she's a good blocker. We were also struggling with our offense. Sophia Scheuerman picked it up, and Anna Richardson got some kills for us.

"Volleyball is such a momentum game, and it swung in our favor. Ellianna Baumstarck had the game of her life, too, which was nice timing. She really opened up our offense and gave us different avenues of offense. Manaia [Peterson] relaxed a bit, too, and she was getting the ball to our hitters," said Wassum. "It all came together for us."

Senior Sophia Scheuerman, who has been battling through injury, was the closer for Worland against Wheatland, picking up the match-ending kill to finish off the No. 4 over No. 1 upset.

"She really wanted to perform well. She's a tough kid, and she knew what it took. I was proud of her for that," said Wassum.

Advancing to the semifinals, the Lady Warriors matched up against the Lyman Lady Eagles. While Worland did get a set off of Lyman, the eventual 3A State runners-up, were the better team that night, winning 3-1 (25-16, 25-20, 21-25, 25-11).

"With Lyman, anything easy over was coming right back at you. We struggled offensively, and we took a game off them. If we had played as well as we did the night before, it would have been a different story, but we didn't come out as strong or sharp," said Wassum.

The loss to Lyman sent Worland to the consolation bracket, where they matched up again with the Douglas Lady Bearcats for an early morning game on Nov. 5.

The Lady Warrior middles came up big again, as both Baumstarck and Adisyn Rollins made key plays in the game. Worland defeated Douglas 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 15-25, 25-12, 15-12).

"I was proud of them for fighting through those tough spots. Even when they were struggling, they didn't give up. They found a way to get it together. In the end, we served well in the fifth game, and that was the difference. When we struggle, it's because we miss our serves. Ellianna got a few kills that were key. Adisyn brought it on, too, in that game. They really pulled up their bootstraps on that one," said Wassum.

Moving on to the third-place game, the Lady Warriors once again faced the Wheatland Lady Bulldogs. Unfortunately for Worland, Wheatland started and ended the game as the more aggressive team, resulting in their 3-0 win (25-17, 25-10, 25-16).

"Wheatland really came out swinging. They're a good team, and they played better in that third- and fourth-place game. The girls were kind of out of gas at that point," said Wassum.

Ending the 2022 season with a fourth-place trophy is a significant accomplishment for Worland. They finished the season with a 13-18 record, had a seven-game losing streak toward the end of the regular season and still found a way to keep playing on the final Saturday of the season.

Starting with their turnaround at regionals, the defining trait of this year's Lady Warrior team was their perseverance and togetherness.

"I liked that they were able to overcome adversity. The experience at state was great too. They got to play in a bigger arena and played as a team. Whoever is on the court, the ability to support each other is super important," said Wassum. "Volleyball is a team of all the sports I've seen. The ability to play together and support each other is so important. They overcame some of their doubts which was fun to see. They gained confidence and some hope for next year."

Ending her first season as the head coach of WHS volleyball by adding a fourth-place trophy to the trophy case was rewarding for Wassum. And if this season taught her anything, it was that patience is key.

"Being patient is something I learned this season. If you're patient and keep working, wade through those tough times, you'll eventually come out of it. The girls worked hard all season long.

"A losing streak can be hard, and you can ask yourself what you're doing wrong and get on yourself. But to see them embrace who they were and start working together was really rewarding to watch," said Wassum. "I'd ask them after every game, 'Who was ready to give up?' And not one would say they were. They'd come back the next week and keep working, and it paid off in the end."

The third-place match was the final match for Worland seniors Brenna Argeris, Karen Navarro and Scheuerman. The three seniors brought valuable leadership skills to the Lady Warriors this season and ended their careers on a high note.

"Instilling their leadership qualities and being leaders on the court was important. How can you expect the younger kids to do something when the older kids won't. What this program means in the future is dependent on the leadership. The seniors did a great job establishing that leadership for us this year," said Wassum.

As for returners, the Lady Warriors bring back most of this year's team. The Aguayo sisters, Nayelli and Yahaira, Baumstarck, Estes, Ellyson Julson, Peterson, Mackenzie Ray, Richardson and Rollins.

The Lady Warriors will be among the tallest, most experienced and most talented teams next season.

"We started this year without an experienced varsity setter. In my opinion, that's the hardest position on the floor. We don't have to start over there. Manaia Peterson worked so hard at that setter position, and even when she struggled, she kept her head up. We still have both of our middles, and they both finished the year strong. Our other players have all this varsity experience, and from now until next year, they're going to get better and better. We've got a tall, talented team and all the ingredients to be a good team," said Wassum. "We'll miss Karen Navarro at the libero - that's an important role, and she did a great job all season long - and Sophia's leadership. The future is bright for sure."

The Lady Warriors will make sure to maximize their offseason so that they can pick up where they left off next year.

"For our younger girls, we'll need more court time. Handling that pressure and anxiety comes with more playing. Finding opportunities to get on the court is huge. I'd like us to do team camps this summer and keep working on the basic skills. That way, we can start where we left off," said Wassum.