Class AA Watertown wins twice to highlight opening week of volleyball

The start of the 2026 season couldn't have went much better for Watertown High School's volleyball team and first-year head coach Havyn Heinz.

The Arrows improved to 2-0 on Thursday, Aug. 27, with a 3-1 (25-20, 25-17, 18-25, 25-18) victory over Sioux Falls Jefferson in Watertown's home opener. On Tuesday, Aug. 25, the Arrows posted a 3-1 (26-28, 25-18, 25-20, 25-20) win at Sioux Falls Roosevelt.

The win over Jefferson likely could mean more since both Watertown and Jefferson received votes in the Class AA preseason poll.

"Jefferson is a very athletic team and they're young," Heinz said. "They're good and you can't overlook them, that's for sure."

Watertown didn't dominate the first two sets but led pretty much from start to finish. Jefferson rebounded in the third set, jumping out to a 6-0 lead and keeping the Arrows at bay. Watertown kicked off the final set with an 8-2 run and put away the Cavaliers.

"In the third set you could tell we were playing tense and just not trusting each other," Heinz said. "At the start of the fourth set, I told them we have to focus on ourselves, have fun and compete. That's the type of volleyball we have to play."

Torrence Tipton smacked 11 kills, Reese Munger eight and Carighan Klatt six to the lead the Arrows. Klatt contributed 11 digs and Munger three solo and two block assits. Andi Olson went 16-17 serving with five aces, Maryn York 17-19 with two aces and Hensley Hogue 18-18. Olson also had 21 digs and Hogue 16. Jaelyn Kettwig finished with 27 assists and Cambrie Klatt four solo and three block assists.

Carighan Klatt smacked 18 kills and Tipton 17 to lead the Arrows against Roosevelt. Kettwig made 50 assists, Olson 21 digs, Hogue 17 digs and Carighan Klatt 11 digs. Munger had two solo blocks and three assists and Kali Ellis and Cambrie Klatt each 2-1.

Jefferson (1-1) received 14 kills from Jadaya Blackburn and nine from Makiah Sharpe. Olivia Wachal recorded 24 assists and Brianna Kindvall 14 digs.

Heinz, a 2020 graduate of Huron High School, is in her first season as a head volleyball coach.

The Arrows play on Aug. 29 in the Huron Invitational. Watertown meets Class AA Douglas and Sturgis and will also face rated Class B teams in No. 1 Chester Area and No. 3 Northwestern. Watertown returns home to host Marshall on Tuesday, Sept. 1 and Brookings on Thursday, Sept. 3.

WAVERLY — Sioux Falls Lutheran head coach Mark List collapsed on the sideline during the second set of a match against Waverly-South Shore on Aug. 27.

List, a family medicine physician with the Avera Medica Group in Sioux Falls, was treated by medical officials on the sideline and transported by ambulance to the Sanford Watertown Medical Center. There was no official word on his status as of late Thursday.

The game will be resumed at a late date.

2026 AREA VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW: South Dakota's new prep volleyball season set to open on Aug. 25

• Class A Hamlin 3, Class AA Brookings 2 (25-20, 21-25, 25-22, 22-25, 15-10). H: Mya Yonker 4 aces, Issie Steffensen 46 assists, Maddy Jutting 14 kills and 22 digs, Kayde Nebel 5 kills and 5 blocks, Paxton Neuendorf 30 digs and Addie Jensen 22 kills, 24 digs and 4 blocks.
• No. 4 Class Clark-Willow Lake 3, Sioux Valley 1 (18-25, 25-11, 25-16, 25-13). CWL: Shelby Begeman 22 digs and 8 blocks, Kamryn Nesheim 29 assists, Ella Sass 6 kills and Peyton Lee 5 digs. SV: Liberty Trygstad 16 digs, Maci Licht 15 digs and 4 kills, Aby Degen 5 blocks and 3 aces, McKinley Schwab 6 assists and 3 aces and Macy Relf 6 assists.
• Milbank 3, Sisseton 1 (25-18, 19-25, 25-14, 25-20). M: Addison Pauli 5 aces, 5 digs and 4 blocks; Zora Henrich 12 kills, Bailey Keopke 11 kills, Violet Johnson 35 assists, Avigail Howard 11 digs, Lorn Harstad 5 digs and Bree Townsend 4 kills. S: Marisa Lewis 14 assists, Piper Langager 7 kills and 3 blocks, Saylor Langager 7 kills, Chesnie Anderson 13 digs and Clara Iverson 8 digs.
• Estelline-Hendricks 3, Wilmot 0 (25-7, 25-11, 25-14). EH: Elyse Wegner 7 aces and 6 kills, Presly Bury 5 aces and 11 assists, Kori Saathoff 7 kills and 5 solo blocks, Hilary Ramirez 6 kills, Kimmy Schaefer 9 digs and Cambry Bury 14 assists.
• No. 3 Class B Northwestern 3, Wolsey-Wessington 0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-17). NW: Breelyn Satter 13 kills and 15 digs, Kylee Henjum 6 kills, Elexis Kramp 5 kills and 15 digs, Lila Johnson 28 assists and 4 blocks and Sophia Troske 15 digs. WW: Maria Nelson 8 kills and Shae Uttecht 15 digs.
• No. 2 Class B Warner 3, Aberdeen Christian 0 (25-14, 26-24, 25-22) — W: Jaycee Jung 13 kills and 13 digs, Miah Leidholt 11 kills and 4 blocks, Kaydee Mackner 9 kills, Tatum Hanson 15 assists, Claire Bakeberg 14 assists and Keira Steger 9 assists and 16 digs.
• Great Plains Lutheran 3, Florence-Henry 0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-17). GPL: Emily Moritz 27 assists, Katelin Richter 9 kills and 4 blocks, Lillian Martens 7 kills, Julia Prahl 7 kills and 17 digs, Nylah Vannelli 38 digs and Hailey Rosa 10 digs.
• Hitchcock-Tulare 3, James Valley Christian 0 (25-9, 25-10, 25-22). HT: Laina Puffer 6 kills, Olivia Knox 18 assists, Kaylie LaBrie 11 digs, Tess Bixler 5 blocks and Emmerie Arthurs 11 kills, 5 aces and 11 digs. JVC: Dara Davies 7 assists, Janiyah Waldner 14 digs and Eliana Van Scharrel 8 digs and 4 kills.
• Deubrook Area 3, De Smet 0 (25-15, 25-10, 25-10). DB: Matti Ramlo 6 aces, Kylee Johnson 9 kills, MaKenna Ekern 10 assists and Sunni Jensen 6 digs. DS: Vada Albrecht 9 assists, Jordyn Gilligan 7 assists, Megan Albrecht 12 digs, Emery Hunt 6 digs, Gemma Luethmers 3 blocks and Charli McCune 9 kills, 7 digs and 3 blocks.

• No. 2 Class AA O'Gorman 3, Aberdeen Central 0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-23. AC: Lauryn Burckhard 9 kills and 9 digs, Alivia Miller 13 assists, Kalli Huff 13 digs, Camryn Albrecht 9 assists and 7 digs and Kamryn Borge 9 digs.
• No. 4 Class A Clark-Willow Lake 3, Castlewood 0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-14). CWL: Shelby Begeman 15 kills and 13 blocks, Kamryn Nesheim 21 assists. Castlewood: Lilly Jacobsen and Claire Horn each 5 kills, Cydni Kudrna 10 digs, Ciara Kjetland 8 digs.
• Hamlin 3, Groton 2 (21-25, 25-17, 25-15, 18-25, 16-14). H: Addie Jensen 28 kills, 16 digs and 4 blocks, Issie Steffensen 41 assists and 6 aces, Paxton Neuendorf 9 kills, Maddy Jutting 16 digs and Jayci Trowbridge 15 digs. G: Chesney Weber 30 assists, 15 digs, 7 kills and 6 blocks; Sydney Locke 18 digs, Tevan Hanson 13 kills and 18 digs.
• Webster Area 3, Great Plains Lutheran 0 (25-19, 18-25, 25-23, 25-13). WA: Mallory Steiner 22 kills, Chloe Mammenga 22 assists and 14 digs, Jaden Lorensberg 17 digs, Emari Kaufman 14 digs and Sarah Zubke four aces. GPL: Moritz 21 assists, Martens 6 kills, Peyton Czweran 7 block assists, Vannelli 26 digs and Rosa 15 digs.

OTHER 2026 WATERTOWN FALL SPORTS: Watertown's golf, tennis, cross country & cheer-dance squads ready to go

• Sioux Valley 3, Deuel 0 (25-13, 25-12, 25-15). SV: Kinsley Sapp 8 kills, Relf 10 assists, Schwab 9 assists, Licht 11 and Trygstad 10 digs and Rylee Dunn 3 blocks. D: Lauryn Peterreins had six kills, Aubrey Lanners 9 assists and Sophie Trupe 13 digs for Deuel.
• Britton-Hecla 3, Leola-Frederick Area (25-14, 25-11, 25-7) over Leola-Frederick Area. BH: Jaelee Grupe 6 aces, 6 kills and 20 assists; Maddi Micko 8 kills, Kennady Van Lith 14 digs, Daynika Zuehlke 11 digs.
• De Smet 3, Howard 0 (25-15, 25-20, 27-25). DS: Luethmers 9 kills, V. Albrecht and Gilligan each 13 assists, Charlotte Fields 5 aces and M. Albrecht 11 digs.
• Aberdeen Roncalli 3, No. 3 Class B Northwestern 1 (25-23, 20-25, 28-26 and 25-20) AR: Grace Cogley 16 kills and 15 digs, Jillian Ellwein 11 kills and 9 digs, Elyana Roach 35 assists, Cambry Feickert 16 digs. NW: Satter 14 kills and 19 digs, Kramp 10 kills and 15 digs and Johnson 38 assists.
• Faulkton Area 3, Sunshine Bible 0 (25-16, 25-7, 25-16). FA: Raegan Geditz 6 aces, Claire Cotton 28 assits, Anika Mueller 19 kills and 11 digs, Austina Sorensen 13 digs.
• Sisseton 3, Wilmot 1 (25-7, 23-25, 25-15, 25-22). S: S. Langager 13 kills, Jaylee Brown 17-17 serving and 15-17 setting, Anderson 9 digs).

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Class AA Watertown wins twice to highlight opening week of volleyball