Photo by Rebecca Miller, Cedar Rapids Gazette HUMBOLDT POSES TOGETHER with their Class 3A state volleyball tournament trophy on Monday night in Cedar Rapids.

CEDAR RAPIDS — Rookie Humboldt ran into a veteran opponent in Osage for the Wildcats’ first-ever trip to the state volleyball tournament.

Humboldt (33-4 overall) lost in straight sets to the top-rated (Class 3A) Green Devils (33-2), who were making their sixth straight state tournament appearance. Osage prevailed, 25-16, 25-20, and 25-11.

“Obviously it’s a tough pill to swallow,” said Wildcat head coach Justin McDaniel. “We had high expectations coming down here. Making it after such a tough regional final and comeback against MOC-Floyd Valley (in the finals) was huge.

“We will always have the found memories of that moment and our trip to state.”

No. 10 Humboldt stood toe-to-toe with Osage in the early stages. In the first set the Wildcats trailed 10-4 before going on 9-3 run to tie the contest. The Green Devils closed out the first set on a 12-3 run, however, to close the door.

The North Central Conference runner-up Wildcats didn’t shy away in the second game, taking an early 14-12 edge before going up four at 20-16. Osage rallied to tie the contest at 20-20, closing the second set on a 10-1 run.

The Green Devils wouldn’t look back after that, bursting out of the third-set gate with a 19-7 lead before earning the 14-point victory.

This was the last high school match for Humboldt seniors Lily Groat, Kailee Dettmann, Emily Zaugg, Jori Hajek, Deni McDaniel, Kendal Clark, Kaylee Shaner, and Jayda Hoefer.

“The seniors have been huge for our program,” McDaniel said. “They have been leaders who brought everything they had into the gym and the locker room. They helped build for our future.

“This has been an awesome group to work with top to bottom.”

Humboldt went 119-23 during the recent four-year run of the senior class, and is 181-30 overall since 2015.