The No. 2 Perham Yellowjackets handed No. 1 Pequot Lakes a first loss of the season in the last game of the year by sweeping all three sets in a mild upset victory to claim the Section 8AA South Subsection title Friday, Nov. 20 in the Patriots’ gymnasium.
The subsection field had been limited to the top four teams with Pequot Lakes defeating Little Falls 3-1 to advance Thursday. Perham’s game against Staples-Motley was not played after the Cardinals forfeited due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Perham came into the final game off a 3-0 loss to Heart O’ Lakes Conference champions Breckenridge on the road to start the week. The Jackets finished second behind the Cowgirls in the HOL.
All three sets against the Patriots were close with Perham clinching each by four or less points Friday night.
Getting three sets off of Pequot Lakes was a big deal no matter the score.
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The Patriots were 11-0 and had only dropped three sets in those 11 games, all 3-1 victories over Sauk Centre, Detroit Lakes and Little Falls.
Perham trailed 16-14 in the opening set but Lily DeBoer started a run with a staple from her arsenal scoring a kill from the back row left - straight through the middle of the Patriot defense. A Patriot hitting error tied the match and Perham won three consecutive points aided by two Katie Johnson aces.
Grayce Mickelson and DeBoer both had spectacular diving digs to keep the point alive on Perham’s 18th point scored.
Johnson held serve to a 20-16 lead on a crosscourt kill by Jaden Hackel.
The Yellowjackets refused to relinquish the lead taking a 1-0 match advantage 25-21 on a service return sent perfectly to Johnson who set up DeBoer from outside to seal the set.
Pequot Lakes responded scoring seven of the first 10 points in set two, before Perham mirrored that start to even the score at 10-all.
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Out of a time out, the teams traded points to a tied score at 15 and another time out at 20-19 Patriots.
Pequot Lakes had the serve and were three points from set point at 22-21 but DeBoer belted a kill from the left side to tie the match and again for set point from the right side running around Johnson’s set to lead 24-22.
The Patriots got one point back, but Johnson scored after punching a serve return from the back row by Sydney Anderson over the net and behind the Patriot defense for a 2-0 lead.
Set three was tight early again with the teams playing to a deadlock at 15 and 20-all.
Perham closed winning five of the final six points to seal the match 25-21.
Stella Raser’s kill from the left side went off the net cord and across the front of the Patriot defense to find the floor untouched. The Patriots fought off a big right-side kill attempt by DeBoer sending the ball back for Raser’s first of two attempts at sealing the victory.
Lydia Hubbard led the Patriot with 22 kills, a block and four digs.
Pequot Lakes finished the season with a record of 11-1.
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DeBoer and Raser each had 13 kills to pace the Jackets. Johnson recorded 34 assists and four aces. Mickelson and Anderson were big in the back row with 24 and 21 digs, respectively.
An opponent from the north half of the section was unknown as the top four teams did not face each other in the final two days of play allowed before COVID-19 restrictions. Roseau (11-1) was the top seed.
Perham finished the season at 9-3.
Section 8AA South Subsection Final
Perham 3, Pequot Lakes 0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-21)
Perham
Kills: Lily DeBoer 13, Stella Raser 13, Jaden Hackel 7, Willow Thiel 3, Sydney Anderson 1, Grayce Mickelson 1;
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Block Assists: Jaden Hackel 3, Lily DeBoer 2, Katie Johnson 2.
Assists: Katie Johnson 34, Sydney Anderson 1, Jaden Hackel 1.
Digs: Grayce Mickelson 24, Sydney Anderson 21, Lily DeBoer 16, Katie Johnson 11, Lily Lorenson 8, Stella Raser 8, Jaden Hackel 4, Willow Thiel 1.
Aces: Katie Johnson 4, Lily Lorenson 2, Sydney Anderson 1, Lily DeBoer 1, Stella Raser 1.
Pequot Lakes
Rita Ganley 26 set assists, 10 digs
Catherine Ganley 3 digs, 1 block
Camille Haman 1 dig
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Phoebe Glenn 11 set assists, 7 digs, 1 kill
Maci Martini 7 kills, 16 digs, 3 ace serves
Kate Bolz-Andolshek 7 kills, 20 digs, 2 blocks
Lydia Hubbard 22 kills, 4 digs, 1 block
Ella Kratchovil 6 kills, 3 digs
Ella Pfeffer 22 digs
Heart O Lakes Conference Standings - Final
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(HOL, Overall)
Breckenridge 10-1, 12-1
Perham 7-3, 9-3
Dilworth-G-F 6-3, 7-5
Hawley 4-4, 5-4
Barnesville 4-4, 4-4
Frazee 1-7, 1-8
Pelican Rapids 0-10, 1-10
Section 8AA South Standings - Final
(QRF rank, Team, (QRF Score), Section, Overall)
No. 5 Pequot Lakes (71.0) 4-1, 11-1
No. 22 Perham (56.2) 4-0, 9-3
No. 45 Staples-Motley (42.2) 3-1, 5-3
No. 55 Little Falls (37.6) 1-1, 5-3
No. 71 Fergus Falls (31.9) 0-0, 2-5
No. 81 Pierz (25.8) 0-1-0, 3-6
No. 92 Crosby-Ironton (21.6) 3-3, 4-9
No. 120 Pillager (12.1) 0-1, 1-10
