RAPID CITY — The reigning champs are onto the final four. 

No. 2 seed Dell Rapids swept No. 7 Rapid City Christian in the first round of the Class A state volleyball tournament on Thursday at the Summit Arena at the Monument. The Quarriers, who won last season’s Class A state title, won 25-20, 25-19 and 26-24 against the scrappy Comets. 

“We knew coming in they were a good team,” Dell Rapids junior Madelynn Henry said. “They’re a good program. They’ve had great tournaments in the past. We didn’t underestimate them. We have a young team this year, and I think we went out there and we played well. We are going to have to keep getting better as the tournament goes on to have success.”

Despite the three-set sweep, the Quarriers (28-6) earned each set against the Comets (29-12) and outlasted them in the final frame. 

“I think in the first set you could see a lot of nerves at the beginning and then they settled in and played the game that we can,” Dell Rapids coach Erica Fersdahl said. “Then Rapid City Christian came out in that third set and played a lot better, but we continued to play our game.”

In the third set, the Comets trailed 19-16 and staged a comeback for a 24-23 advantage. But Dell Rapids scored the final three points to squeeze by the hometown Comets. 

“They were a great team,” Fersdahl said. “They played phenomenal, and that third set was back and forth at the end. So it was a tight match. They are a great team.” 

Henry, a junior committed to play college volleyball at Division I Oregon, sealed Dell Rapids’ victory with her 21st kill of the night. She put down 21 of the Quarriers’ 43 kills on the night, while Rapid City Christian totaled 22 kills as a team.  

The game plan for the Quarriers was to once again manufacture as many scoring opportunities for the 6-foot outside hitter. 

“Defensively, we’ve always known if we can get her the ball she’s going to put it on the floor,” Fersdahl said. “But we’ve got to get her a good pass.”

Henry was an all-stater during last season’s state championship run. But the Quarriers feature a host of new faces, including freshman setter Tenley Anderson. 

“She’s doing a great job,” Henry said. “We just have a really good group of girls and that makes it really fun to go out there and play together.”

Rapid City Christian’s Chloe Weber finished with nine kills and four digs. May Callaghan added 10 digs and Faith King recorded 14 assists. King added three blocks. 

The Comets will play St. Thomas More or Sioux Falls Christian at 12:45 p.m. MT in the consolation semifinals. 

Sylea Sykes recorded six kills and nine digs for the Quarriers. Anderson dished out 32 assists and added seven digs. Elin Schoenhard posted four blocks. 

The Quarriers will play St. Thomas More or Sioux Falls Christian at 6:45 p.m. MT in the championship semifinals. 

“We’re going to have to serve aggressively,” Fersdahl said. “We are going to have to serve-receive. I think that’s everybody’s key, if you can play defense. We know our offense will be there. As long as we can get a good pass.”