North Branch players celebrate after winning their second Class B state title in three years over Lake Odessa Lakewood at Battle Creek.
BATTLE CREEK – Been here, done that.
Saturday’s Class B volleyball final between North Branch and Lake Odessa Lakewood was a rematch of both the 2012 and ’14 state finals, the first won by Lakewood and the latter by North Branch.
North Branch did it again.
With a program tie-breaker on the line, the Broncos won an impressive three straight sets at Kellogg Arena — 25-15, 25-21 and 25-20 — to take their second state championship in three years.
Lakewood was the only No. 1-ranked team that didn’t win the state title after Novi won Class A, Bronson won Class C and Plymouth Christian took Class D. North Branch coach James Fish deliberately challenged his No. 3-ranked team to not allow all four No. 1’s to sweep the day.
“I didn’t want to go a fourth game because once you give a No. 1 team that momentum … we never really let that momentum get away from us,” Fish said about winning the first set and not allowing any lengthy Lakewood runs. “We just kept that strangle-hold and that’s tough to do in a match like this.
“I give a lot of credit to Lakewood. I told the kids they’re No. 1, they’re not going to quit. I think their defense is the best in the state. But ours stepped up tonight, we played just as well.”
North Branch (57-9) also had the edge in kills shots in all three sets, totaling 40 for the game to the Vikings’ 31.
Allyson Severance led the Broncos in kills with 12, while Breanna Wickerink had 11 for Lakewood (54-5).
“There were really good swings from both teams today, and our blocking was phenomenal,” said North Branch setter Madee Miner, also a finalist for Miss Volleyball. “The front line really stepped up and did what they needed to do. This is so surreal. I mean this team, they’re my whole life right now. I’m so glad we could do this together.”
Fish said the regular season ended with a conference championship game loss to Frankenmuth, so some doubts crept in from the outside.
“I think our kids rose to the challenge and they prepared and the kids that did not play well Thursday were just — I mean Olivia Fike, my gosh, what can you say about her, she crushed a couple balls,” Fish said. “Our goal was not to tip a single ball tonight.
“Our defense played extremely well. Madee Minor has led us all year long and through the finals. There’s a lot of great setters in the state; I’ll take mine.”
All the way to a state title.