The Warriors ended their season in the first round of states, but not before racking up numerous accomplishments and awards. The Warriors were ICC runners-up, District 6 champions, and won two highly competitive tournaments. Several players also reached key milestones.
The Warriors posted a strong regular season record, setting them up for a favorable postseason. They went undefeated in the ICC North Division, sweeping all opponents. The only regular-season losses came in tournaments. Notable victories included wins against Purchase Line and a five-set win against Central Mountain to close out the regular season.
Postseason matchups started with the ICC semi-final game against Southern Huntingdon. The Warriors represented ICC North Champions, while the Rockets represented ICC East Champions. West Branch swept Southern Huntingdon to secure its spot in the ICC Championship game. They then faced Berlin Brothersvalley, the ICC East champions, but lost in five sets.
The Warriors entered the District 6 playoffs as the first seed, earning a first-round bye and home-court advantage through the championship. The quarterfinals match-up against Homer Center ended in a three-set win for the Warriors. They then defeated Northern Cambria in the semi-finals, also winning in three sets, guaranteeing them a spot in the PIAA state tournament. The championship game, played at the Altoona Field House, saw West Branch face Conemaugh Valley for the District title. The Warriors came out on top, winning in three sets and securing their fourth District 6 Championship in a row.
The season ended with a loss to Berlin, the District 5 champions, in the first round of the state playoffs. The game went back and forth, going into five sets. However, the Warriors came up short, ending their run in the state playoffs. To take a deeper dive into the game, check out Landon Powell’s article.
The Warriors competed in many high-level tournaments and games and were very successful. The four tournaments that the team competed in were Forest Hills, Saint Francis, Pottsville, and Elk County Catholic. The Warriors secured gold at the Saint Francis tournament, with a win against Richland. They also took first place at the Elk County Catholic tournament, defeating the hosts, Elk County Catholic, in the championship match. Although the team didn’t come out on top in the other two tournaments, they still reached the gold playoff bracket and gained experience against tough competitors.
Several players surpassed many significant milestones this season. Senior libero Brielle Bainey reached 800 digs early in the season, setting a school record, and finished with more than 1,000 digs. Senior setter Kyla Kephart achieved 2,000 career assists. Three players recorded 500 career kills: junior outside hitter Lexi Mulhollem, senior right-side hitter Haley Woodling, and senior outside hitter Bella Koleno. Koleno also earned 500 digs this season.
The Warriors will be losing seven seniors: Bainey, Koleno, Woodling, Kephart, Skyler Hebel, Issabella Kerfoot, and Madison Korb. Bainey reflected on the season, “I felt like this season was a lot of fun in so many aspects. We connected on a level that just made it such a good atmosphere. I’m so proud of every single person for pushing themselves to be the best they could for the team. I love everyone and am beyond grateful to have played with everyone. I think we proved the community wrong that even though we don’t have one powerhouse person, we are all strong in our own ways.”
