With a college basketball scholarship already in hand, Wasilla’s Layla Hays on Saturday looked like she might be going for one in volleyball, too.

The 6-foot-5 dual-sport star dominated play at net with a 23-kill, 9-block performance that delivered the Warriors their second straight title in the ASAA Class 4A State Volleyball Tournament in front of a big crowd at the Alaska Airlines Center.

Two days after South snapped their 48-match winning streak, the Warriors extracted revenge by beating the Wolverines 25-13, 21-25, 28-26, 25-19 in the title match to force an if-necessary super set that they won 30-22 for the state championship.

Overall, Wasilla won 129 points compared to South’s 105.

Hays played big every step of the way, especially in the first set when she scored eight of her team’s first 14 points. The nationally ranked high school girls’ basketball player headed to the University of Iowa scored on six kills and two blocks.

In the third set, Hays scored three of her team’s final seven points as the Warriors pulled out a 28-26 win after falling behind 24-21. Setter Mylee Anderson added three kills, a block and ace along with a dozen assists in the set.

Wasilla really got hot in the fourth set, racing out to a 13-3 record behind Hays and high-flying Allison Devine (20 kills). South shot itself in the foot with six errors to dig an early hole, but the Wolverines stormed back to get as close as 18-14 and 19-15 before dropping a 25-19 decision.

Wasilla’s four-set victory forced the if-necessary super set – a race to 30 for all the marbles.

In the decisive set, Devine blasted three kills as Wasilla built a 9-5 lead before Violet Schachle scored on an ace after her serve clipped the top of the net and landed on the line as a South player looked on, assuming it would go out.

Hays scored on a kill and block to push her team’s advantage to 14-7. Later, her right-handed hammer made it 19-9. South stormed back behind bangers Indy Kmet, Ellie Birch and Meadow Carr to get within 22-18 and setter Ellie Kleven’s no-look dump cut the deficit to three.

In need of a spark, Wasilla got one from Kaitlyn Zweifel. The senior isn’t one of the big guns, but she banged home a big kill down the middle to kickstart a 7-0 run that put the Warriors at the doorstep. A few plays later, Ki Schachle’s spike clinched the title and triggered a dog pile of players.

Kmet led South with 22 kills, including six in the second set when the Wolverines drew even. The second set featured 12 ties, but once South seized control on Rachael White’s kill to go up 18-17 the Wolverines never relinquished the lead and ended it up on Kmet’s bomb.

The third set is where the match took a turn toward Wasilla. Hays had four points to help the Warriors jump out to a 10-3 lead. Anderson’s kill pushed the lead to 14-9 before South roared back on a 9-2 spurt capped by Litia Momoisea’s missile to take a 18-16 lead.

Defensive specialist Kenadee Shelton made a huge dig off her face that saved a rally the Warriors eventually won for a 20-19 lead. In the next set, Devine’s pancake save along with Anderson’s stab dig on the same point kept alive another rally Wasilla won.

4A State All-Tournament
Kiara Iloilo, Service
Sadie Lane, Soldotna
Allison Devine, Wasilla
Litia Momoisea, South
Elisa Kelley, Chugiak
Dakota Evans, Service
Anaya Sila, Dimond
Indy Kmet, South
Mylee Anderson, Wasilla
Ellie Kleven, South
Eleasha Sapon, Dimond
Layla Hays, Wasilla

Anderson, a UAA hoops signee, orchestrated the offense and spread the ball around nicely. She also repeatedly went back to a hitter moments after they made an attack error, showing trust and building back the hitter’s confidence.

The hard hitting of Hays and Devine coupled with unsung heroes on defense and the leadership of Anderson is what made the Warriors a complete team. Wasilla started the day by sweeping Service coming out of the loser’s bracket and ended it by beating South twice to repeat as state champions.

The next time you see Hays and Anderson on the Alaska Airlines Center court in March they will be shooting for their second straight 4A basketball state championship.