Athens wins the regional title
Bluejays beat Cards in D-4
By Casey Krautkramer
The Athens varsity volleyball squad was motivated to win the WIAA Division 4 regional championship this season, especially after the Bluejays felt they should’ve won a regional title last year.
Last season, Athens fell to Edgar in a five-set Division 3 regional championship match at home. Athens junior volleyball player Addison Lavicka and her teammates didn’t want to experience the sick feeling in their stomaches of losing a home regional title match again this year.
“Since we lost on our home floor last year, we wanted a redo in front of our fans this year,” Addison, the daughter of Brian and Kandi Lavicka, said.
Athens won the first two sets by scores of 25-21 and 25-19 against Wausau Newman in the regional championship on Saturday night, but the Cardinals had the momentum to start the third set. Athens head coach Tanille Hartwig took an early timeout in the third set with her team losing, 5-2, to Wausau Newman.
“Our goal was to beat them 3-0,” Hartwig said. “We were a little shaky to start the third set so I called a quick timeout just so our team could regroup. We didn’t want to go to four games and give them momentum.”
The Bluejays battled back to take the lead on a pair of points, 17-15, by junior Sophia Coker on a tip and block to force the Cardinals to take a timeout. Later on in the third set, Lavicka’s kill gave Athens a 23-20 lead. Wausau Newman’s hitting error made the score 2420 and Athens won the set and match on a Cardinals serve into the net.
Lavicka and her teammates also didn’t want to let Wausau Newman win the third set.
“We were all like we don’t want to take this to four sets,” she said. “We didn’t want to give them confidence and get back in the match, so we said to each other let’s get our stuff together and finish this match right here.”
Junior Jazelle Hartwig led Athens with 20 attack kills and Lavicka added 15. Coker paced the Bluejays with two solo blocks and three block assists. Lavicka led Athens with 21 pass assists. Senior libero Savannah Epping paced the squad with 22 digs and Jazelle Hartwig added 21.
Lavicka feels fortunate to have big hitter Jazelle Hartwig alongside her in the team’s starting lineup.
“She is an amazing hitter and I am glad that I have her on my team, and every time I set the volleyball to her I know she’s going to do something good,” she said.
Tanille Hartwig admitted she never let her team forget about its stinging regional title match defeat to Edgar last season.
“We probably mentioned that match 500 times this season just for motivation,” she said. “We didn’t want to feel again like we did that night. Edgar put up a nice fight but we didn’t play our game so that was rough.”
She has the unique opportunity to coach both of her older daughters, Jazelle and freshman Sy’Rih Hartwig, on the volleyball court this season.
“I always say that I have the best seat in the house to watch them play,” Tanille Hartwig said. “There’s a different pressure when you are coaching your children but it’s also so rewarding to see them be able to play and have success together. Two of my players are my daughters but our entire team feels like it’s a family, so it’s just nice to see them come together and win the regional championship.”
Her youngest daughter, Emzlee Hartwig, is the team’s manager this season so she is involved as well in the squad’s success.
Athens defeated Rosholt, 3-0, in Thursday’s home regional semifinals match to advance into Saturday night’s regional championship against Wausau Newman. Seniors Celina Ellenbecker and Epping led the Bluejays with five aces each against the Hornets. Jazelle Hartwig paced the team with 15 kills and Lavicka added 10.
Coker tallied two solo blocks and three block assists against Rosholt in the regional semifinals match, just like she did against Wausau Newman in the regional title match. Lavicka led Athens with 18 assists and Jazelle Hartwig had 12. Epping paced the Bluejays with 21 digs.
Athens improves its record to 35-7 in matches this season while Wausau Newman concludes its season at 21-10. No. 2 seed Athens now plays against Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, 16-11, in a home WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinals match at 7 p.m. this Thursday, Oct. 27.
No. 5 seed Assumption upset No. 1 seed Marshfield Columbus in the regional title match. The Dons won the first two sets on Saturday but then the Royals stormed back to win the next three sets to take the match. Tanille Hartwig is confident her squad can beat Assumption again.
“We beat them 2-0 a few weeks ago in the Marawood Conference Crossover,” she said. “We didn’t beat them easily but we had good control of the match.”
She is also confident Athens can also win the sectional championship on Saturday night to advance to the state tournament at the Resch Center in Green Bay for the first time since 2016. The winner between Athens and Assumption will play against the winner of No. 1 seed Wabeno/Laona, 18-12, and No. 4 seed Lena in the sectional championship match at 7 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 29. Athens easily defeated Wabeno/Laona 3-0 during a home non-conference regular season match this year.
THE THRILL OF VICTORY- Athens head volleyball coach Tanille Hartwig and her players celebrate their WIAA Division 4 regional championship match win against Wausau Newman on Saturday night in the Athens High School gym.STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER
