The Class AA volleyball tournament is underway and Aberdeen, Pierre and Stevens are moving on (Roosevelt-Washington is just underway) and the three winners showed a lot today.

Aberdeen’s ability to keep the volleyball off the floor is uncanny, Pierre just willed itself past Watertown after losing the first game (the Lady Govs showed which team was tougher, or wanted it more, or whatever other sports cliche can be used to describe a superior emotional effort) and Stevens looked like a defending state champ in all aspects against Lincoln.

Rapid City Central gave a strong showing against Aberdeen, but just couldn’t manage to come up with that play to shift momentum at the right time in their loss. Still, the Cobblers were pretty good (and they’ve got basketball season to look forward to). Speaking of basketball, Marcelina Glab from Watertown should be a handful this year in the ESD. She was pretty raw last year as a soph, but she doesn’t look like she needs a whole lot of polish to become a double-double machine. Great athlete, but I hear volleyball is her sport of choice for college, so maybe she won’t capitalize on that (vast) basketball potential.

- Padraic

After trailing 2-1, Rapid City Stevens rallied to beat Sioux Falls Lincoln 21-25, 25-23, 19-25, 25-19, 15-8 in the first round of the Class AA state high school volleyball tournament in Sioux Falls. The Raiders trailed 8-6 in Game 5 but then rattled off the final nine points of the match en route to the victory.

Stevens (22-10) plays the winner of the Sioux Falls Washington-Yankton match in the semifinals on Friday.

Rapid City Stevens and Sioux Falls Lincoln are tied 8-8 in Game 5 at the Class AA state high school volleyball tournament

Sioux Falls Lincoln won Games 1 and 3 but Rapid City Stevens took Games 2 and 4 as the Greater Dakota Conference foes are heading to a fifth game in the Class AA state high school volleyball tournaent.

The Patriots won Game 3, 25-19, before the Raiders won Game 4 by the score of 25-19.