×

Calderwood notches shut-out set victory, 25-0, over Spartans

Redhawks glide through regional quarterfinal against Collins-Maxwell, 3-0

North Tama’s Kylie Calderwood executes her final serve of the evening against the Collins-Maxwell Spartans on Wednesday night in Traer – delivering both a win, 3-0, for the Redhawks and sealing a masterful 25-0 shut-out set victory for the team. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
Redhawk sophomore Grace Kennedy tips the ball over the net toward the Collins-Maxwell Spartans during the 25th rally of the third set in Wednesday’s regional volleyball quarterfinal in Traer. Although the Spartans attempted to block – managing a hand on the ball – they were unsuccessful, and Kennedy’s tip cemented No. 2 North Tama’s 25-0 shut-out set victory and quarterfinal win, 3-0, over Collins-Maxwell. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
History made – a shut-out set victory! The North Tama scoreboard displays 25-0 following the Redhawks’ third-set win over the Collins-Maxwell Spartans during the Class 1A Region 4 Quarterfinal held in Traer Wednesday evening. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
The North Tama student section alongside members of the public pictured on their feet in anticipation during the final rally of Redhawk server Kylie Calderwood’s shut-out set victory, 25-0, over the Collins-Maxwell Spartans during the Class 1A Region 4 Quarterfinal held in Traer Wednesday evening. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
Members of the No. 2 North Tama volleyball team gather around Kylie Calderwood and Grace Kennedy following the Redhawks third set victory, 25-0, over the Collins-Maxwell Spartans on Wednesday, October 19 in Traer. Calderwood served during the shut-out set victory while Kennedy tipped over the final rally for the match and game point. North Tama beat the Spartans, 3-0, in the regional quarterfinal match-up and will now play in next Monday’s regional semifinal. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
Senior Redhawk Shae Ewoldt (6) leads her ecstatic teammates toward the postgame handshake following North Tama’s win, 3-0, in the Class 1A Region 4 Quarterfinal over Collins-Maxwell Wednesday evening in Traer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama volleyball head coach Channing Halstead (left) and Karisa Kladivo beam with elation while walking toward the postgame handshake following the Redhawks’ win, 3-0, in the Class 1A Region 4 Quarterfinal over Collins-Maxwell Wednesday evening in Traer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
Redhawk senior Jade Rausch runs onto the court in the Redhawks’ Nest ahead of the Class 1A Region 4 Quarterfinal volleyball game played between North Tama and Collins-Maxwell Wednesday night in Traer. During the first set of the evening, Rausch made the 2,000th assist of her high school career. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama’s Briar Blake (right) smiles while being congratulated by her teammates including Jade Rausch (2) and Lainey Willenbring (1) following a successful block during the final rally of the second set against Collins-Maxwell as part of Wednesday night’s regional volleyball quarterfinal held in Traer. Blake – who sat out most of the match due to an injury she sustained in a car accident last week – sealed North Tama’s second set win, 25-8, over the Spartans. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama freshman Kruiz Ewoldt (9) and Rylee Ridout (10) block a Collins-Maxwell spike Wednesday evening in Traer during the Class 1A Region 4 Quarterfinal. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama seniors Jade Rausch (2), Lainey Willenbring, and Breanna Sebetka pictured at the ready for their teammate’s serve during the Redhawks’ win, 3-0, in the Class 1A Region 4 Quarterfinal over Collins-Maxwell Wednesday evening in Traer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama defensive specialist Addison Hochstetler returns a Collins-Maxwell serve on Wednesday night in Traer during the Class 1A Region 4 Quarterfinal. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama’s Shae Ewoldt gives of Florence Pugh’s Black Widow vibes with her ‘dragon hair’ during the Redhawks’ regional volleyball quarterfinal win Wednesday evening over the Collins-Maxwell Spartans. Ewoldt notched the 700th kill of her career during the first set against the Spartans. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
Redhawk Breanna Sebetka (3) fires the ball over the net toward the Collins-Maxwell Spartans during the Class 1A regional volleyball quarterfinal on October 19 in Traer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama’s Rylee Ridout (10) fires the ball over the net toward the Collins-Maxwell Spartans during the Class 1A regional volleyball quarterfinal on October 19 in Traer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama’s Lainey Willenbring returns a Collins-Maxwell serve on Wednesday night in Traer during the Class 1A Region 4 Quarterfinal. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama’s Shae Ewoldt (6) fires the ball over the net toward the Collins-Maxwell Spartans during the Class 1A regional volleyball quarterfinal on October 19 in Traer. Ewoldt notched the 700th kill of her career during the first set against the Spartans. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama’s Breanna Sebetka (3) fires the ball over the net toward the Collins-Maxwell Spartans during the Class 1A regional volleyball quarterfinal on October 19 in Traer. Teammate Jade Rausch (2) looks on. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama’s Lainey Willenbring (1) fires the ball over the net toward the Collins-Maxwell Spartans during the Class 1A regional volleyball quarterfinal on October 19 in Traer. Teammate Jade Rausch (2) looks on. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

‘Efficient’ and ‘masterful’ best describe North Tama volleyball’s Class 1A regional quarterfinal victory, 3-0, over Collins-Maxwell last night in the Redhawks’ Nest. Both the speed of the sets – less than 15 minutes apiece – and the final shut-out set victory, 25-0, served by sophomore Kylie Calderwood more than defined the match-up.

Against the backdrop of an exuberant Redhawks’ student section located mere feet away from the service line, Calderwood executed her 25th serve of the third set just as effortlessly as the previous 24 – nary a mark of worry or anxiety across her face as the weight of the moment bore down around her in the North Tama High School gym.

At that point, Calderwood – a starter – was playing alongside her team’s deep bench as head coach Channing Halstead had subbed out almost her entire starting roster against Collins-Maxwell’s persistent zero.

Although Calderwood had up until that moment fired 17 aces across the three set, the Spartans’ returned the game and match point with a back row pass to which Calderwood smoothly fielded it – passing to freshman Cayleigh Heller who set up sophomore Grace Kennedy.

Just before 7:45 p.m., Kennedy wound up for the spike and then tipped it over.

The Spartans attempted to block Kennedy – managing a hand on the ball – before ultimately knocking it out of bounds and the deal was sealed.

‘Closer’ Calderwood had served her first 25-0 game, cementing North Tama’s regional quarterfinal win. The gym erupted.

“I did everything the same,” Calderwood said following the match of her third set service. “I feel really good, yes.”

A shut-out set victory has never transpired under Coach Halstead’s nine years of Redhawk volleyball, she told the Telegraph while going over stats later in the evening with assistant coach Karisa Kladivo. Halstead also said that the team’s 29 aces against Collins-Maxwell were “probably a school record.”

While Calderwood’s third set serving and Kennedy’s final tip defined the evening, the first and second sets – which the Redhawks similarly breezed through for wins, 25-13 and 25-8, respectively – also featured masterful high school volleyball from the current No. 2 team in Class 1A.

Seniors Jadyn ‘Jade’ Rausch and Shae Ewoldt both set career records during the first set with Rausch making her 2,000th assist and Ewoldt executing her 700th kill.

For her part, starter Briar Blake also added some excitement to the night. After suffering injuries to her knees and hip in a car accident last week that required stitches, Blake had been sitting on the bench – freshman Rylee Ridout taking her place.

But with her stitches successfully removed earlier in the day, Coach Halstead made the decision to substitute Blake during the final points of the second set – a decision that drew large cheers from both her teammates and the North Tama student section.

Blake blocked the final Spartans’ rally – winning the second set for the Redhawks.

Even without a key hitter due to Blake’s absence for most of the match, North Tama’s offense efficiently took down the Spartans with senior Lainey Willenbring notching seven kills (out of 10 attempts) and zero errors, and senior Breanna Sebetka also putting up seven kills (out of 11) and just two errors.

Rausch crossed the 2,000th assist threshold by making 17 assists across the three sets plus two kills (out of three) and one error. Shae Ewoldt added three kills (out of five) with one error. Ridout – who played most of all three sets for Blake – notched two kills (out of four) with zero errors, while freshman Kruiz Ewoldt did the same across two sets – notching two kills (out of three) with one error.

Senior Lainey Willenbring led the Redhawks’ defense with three digs and one block, while freshman Addison Hochstetler and Calderwood also put up three digs.

In addition to Calderwood’s impressive 17 aces, junior Izzy Hallett had four aces, Willenbring added three, Rausch and Sebetka had a pair apiece, and Hochstetler served one.

Next up for North Tama volleyball is this Monday’s Class 1A Region 4 Semifinal match which will again be played in Traer in the Redhawks’ Nest.

North Tama will face the Waterloo Christian Regents beginning at 7:00 p.m. The Regents are currently 20-16 having beaten HLV, 3-0, in their own quarterfinal match on Wednesday.

The Redhawks have faced the unranked Regents only once this season — taking them down, 2-1, on October 15 in the Iowa Star Conference tournament.