The Haines High School Volleyball team defanged the Skagway Panthers this week at their one and only home meet of the season. The team won three of four sets Friday night and three of three sets Saturday night. Their record this season is now 2-4.

“I was so proud of them,” head coach Hailey Sanders said. “You should have seen how hard Avari (Getchell) and Allison (Benda) were hitting on the outside. There was absolutely no block and they were just crushing it down the line and across the court. It was awesome.”

“I think all the seniors have worked really hard this year to be leaders,” Benda said. “It's amazing. Last year we relied on a couple players rather than the whole team together; this year we’re really working together. Each person is doing equal work and everyone on the team is great.”

Family, friends, and locals gathered on the bleachers to celebrate their senior players.

“I'm really thankful to have such an amazing team to put together a senior night for us,” Malia Jorgensen-Geise said. “It made me really emotional. There were people here and that’s what matters.”

Senior MacKenzy Dryden credits part of the team’s success to a positive team dynamic.

“This year we’ve gained a lot of girls who are really trying hard and want to do the best they can,” Dryden said. “When you have people that are really trying hard, want to succeed, and want their team to succeed, it just makes us that much better.”

With just two weekends left until regionals, the girls approach their final stretch for state qualifications. State will be held in Palmer Dec. 1-3.

“I’m really excited for regionals, I think we're going to do really well,” Dryden said. “I’m confident in our ability to play well against these other teams with really good players because we have some really good players too.”