Arrowhead volleyball squad is so happy together
After making it to the state tournament for the first time in 17 years, the Arrowhead volleyball team easily could have its eye on the championship right in front of it.
That isn’t the main thing that the Warhawks are chasing, however.
“We’re all playing to stay together rather than playing focusing on a state title, so it’s different,” Arrowhead senior Katelyn Sesolak said. “We keep saying that we want to keep this team together as long as possible, and hopefully that means three more games.”
If Arrowhead follows through with that goal, then it will be playing for the big, shiny gold ball in the Division 1 title game on Saturday in Ashwaubenon. That’s not too shabby for a side benefit.
“We’re not focusing so much on the outcomes, but we know if we get our goal, then we’ll be playing some important games,” Arrowhead head coach Janelle Hobbs said. “We want to keep this group together as long as possible. It’s gotten us another week of practice and another week of games so far.”
The Warhawks are making their first appearance at the state tournament since 2001, and doing so in grand fashion as the No. 1 seed.
They begin the three-day tournament with a quarterfinal match against Classic 8 Conference foe Waukesha West at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Resch Center.
That this is only the second time Arrowhead has played at the state volleyball tournament isn’t lost on the players, some of whom weren’t even born in time for the team’s last trip in ‘01.
“It’s our first time going in 17 years,” said junior Aubrey Hamilton, a Notre Dame recruit. “That’s something that’s pretty special to us.”
That doesn’t mean that the days since a 3-0 sectional final win over Divine Savior Holy Angels have been filled with nerves and pressure, though.
“This fun, this idea that we’re privileged to be here and that we’re soaking it all up is going to carry over onto the court,” Sesolak said.
Practices at Arrowhead are kept loose thanks to Maggie, the team dog who saunters happily around the gym with her tongue out and golden fur shining, and team dress-up themes. This week, the Warhawks players went with blackout, USA and Halloween costume themes for their three practices leading up to state.
The team’s bond goes back to a tournament at the University of Wisconsin over the summer, when it nearly went undefeated despite only having six available players.
“Everyone was having so much fun, they would be working so hard that you would never noticed it was just six of us,” Sesolak said. “Everyone was having so much fun and when you have that much success with six girls, it just meant everyone was mirroring each other on the court.”
Hobbs will even tell you that last year’s team, one of four straight Arrowhead squads to fall in the sectional tournament, may have had more talent than the current group.
But none in recent memory have had the same type of chemistry translate into success on the court as well as this year’s Warhawks.
“It’s been huge,” Hobbs said. “They have so much trust out there on the court. They know what the person next to them is going to do at all times.”