North Tama senior middle hitter Kahlia Even (12) sends the decisive, final kill over the net in the first set against the Keota Eagles during the Class 1A Region 6 quarterfinal match played Wednesday, Oct. 21, in Traer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

TRAER – These hawks have their sights set on the prize – a seventh trip to the state tournament.

In well under one hour this past Wednesday evening, the No. 3 North Tama volleyball team rained down its fury on the unranked Keota Eagles, sweeping the Class 1A Region 6 quarterfinal match, 3-0, in the Redhawks Nest in Traer.

The closest the Eagles came to confronting the dominant Redhawks took place early in the first set when they managed to briefly tie it at 3-3. Shortly thereafter, North Tama went on a blitz, scoring seven unanswered points before the Eagles answered back, putting the score at 13-5.

Keota stayed between eight and 11 points behind the Redhawks the rest of the set, but never managed to come any closer. North Tama pulled away quickly down the stretch, sealing the set with a kill by senior middle hitter Kahlia Even for the 25-13 win.

North Tama took the second set just as easily as the first, triumphing 25-10 in about 15 minutes after building an early 16-4 lead. Junior setter Isabelle Gropper served an ace for the set point.

The Redhawks were clearly on Cloud 9 by the final set as the team’s energy and excitement pulsed across the gym floor from start to finish of the roughly 12-minute set. North Tama claimed the 25-9 victory over Keota (12-8) behind senior Harper Rausch’s serve.

Statistics for the Redhawks were not available in time for publication.

With the quarterfinal win, North Tama (28-13) advances to the semifinal round, where the Redhawks will face a familiar foe, the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Rebels (19-20) who defeated HLV, 3-1, Wednesday evening in their own quarterfinal match after sweeping Meskwaki Settlement, 3-0, on Monday in the opening round.

North Tama will host the Class 1A Region 6 semifinal match this Monday, Oct. 26, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Redhawks Nest. The winner will play either No. 13 West Monona (23-8) or No. 15 Woodbury Central (21-11) in the Class 1A Region 6 championship on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at a neutral location.