Defending champs oust Humboldt
HULL — The Humboldt volleyball team came up one win short of advancing to the Class 3A state tournament, dropping a regional final to defending state champion Western Christian here on Tuesday night.
Scores were 25-20, 25-16 and 25-18.
The reigning North Central Conference champion Wildcats (23-10 overall) had won three in a row, including a pair of postseason wins over Garner-Hayfield/Ventura and Forest City to reach this round.
Humboldt’s 23 victories were the most since 2021 and marked the 15th time since 2007 they have won at least 20 matches.
The game marked the final time in a Wildcat uniform for seniors Larsen Bonnstetter, Elsie Hubbell and Sami Varangkounh.
Second-ranked Western Christian has now qualified for state 24 consecutive years.