Huskies cap season, era in Manly

REGIONAL VOLLEYBALL: LAKE MILLS 3, NASHUA-PLAINFIELD 1 (25-20, 25-22, 19-25, 25-11)

Huskies cap season, era in Manly

Four, four-year starters finish volleyball careers

MANLY — It’s hard to actually define an era. The dictionary defines it as “A long and distinct period of history with a particular feature or characteristic.” But for the Nashua-Plainfield Huskies, an historical period of significance ended Friday night in a 3-1 loss to Lake Mills. Four seniors — Briley Fisher, Dallas Weiss, Aubrey Bienemann and Sami Hyde — accompanied by four other seniors, finished their high school volleyball career with Nashua-Plainfield in the quarterfinals of regional play. The four, 4-year starters had played together since freshman year and even before that. An emotional head coach Jill Smith struggled to put the meaning of this year’s team into words.

“I told the girls how proud I am of them,” Smith said. “These seniors have made such a significant mark on our program and they have a lot to be proud of.”

The Huskies, who finished the season 22-11 (including postseason play) and with a share of the regular season conference title, fell early.

The first three sets were neck and neck throughout, but late in the first two sets, the Huskies just weren’t able to close.

“The key to winning this match was the team that played most consistently (would win),” Smith said. “On paper, stats wise, it was going to be the team that made the fewest errors.”

A parent of one of the volleyball players made the comment that this year’s team left such an impact, that it very well could have been the best team Nashua, Plainfield or Nashua-Plainfield has produced since its inception in 1977.

A hopeful Smith said after seeing the four, 4-year starters and their drive to play the game, she’s said next year’s group of starters will have a fire of inner competition to compete for some of those open, starting sports.

“The last couple of years, the writing has been on the wall for who our starters are going to be,” Smith said. “I never set it in stone, but those four seniors on the court are four-year starters. For next year, we have a lot of positions that are going to be open that the girls realize that takes a lot of hard work.”

“I told them that I love them,” Smith said. “The accomplishments they had are amazing and remarkable. It is a really special group of kids.”

By Stephen Koenigsefld sports@charlescitypress.com