Published in the April 13, 2021 edition.
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield High volleyball seniors were honored before their victory over Stoneham on Saturday. Hailey Burke, Clara Butler, Lexi Chiros and Amelia Galvin were celebrated for their years of hard work and dedication to a program that has consistently improved over the past four seasons.
The proof is in Wakefield’s record this season. They moved to 6-2 with their win over the Spartans. That’s their best start to a season in program history.
“I am so, so proud of this group,” said Wakefield’s first year head coach Kayla Wyland. “They have come to our physical practices and mental practices each day checked in and working hard to get better as a team and a family. They have fully decided to commit at the highest level to help us grow as much as possible in this shortened season.”
Wyland credits much of the team wide success to her four senior leaders, who have set the tone and encouraged their younger teammates to buy in and dedicate themselves to hard work.
“Before the season started, I asked to meet with them – I was curious what our leadership was going to look like for the team due to the missed fall season and a new head coach,” said Wyland. “I was so relieved and pleased after I met with the four of them because I knew that we had four dedicated and committed leaders for our team. These four have given so much to this program.”
The Warrior four (all captains) had great games on Senior Day, leading the way to a 3-0 victory by scores of 25-8, 25-11 and 25-12.
Buter had 3 kills, 19 assists and 3 aces; Burke had 5 kills and 2 blocks; Galvin had 4 kills and Chiros had 2 assists along with 5 aces and multiple diving digs which sparked rallies for Wakefield.
Butler started the scoring in the first set with an ace.
The two teams had some good rallies but the Warriors closed the set on a 12-2 run. Junior Maddy Seabury (7 kills, 6 aces) had a couple of powerful spikes from the middle of the court where the Warriors were dominant throughout. Burke’s strong play in the middle also started in the first set with a block and two kills. Galvin’s second kill of the set off another great pass from Butler finished the frame.
The Warriors kept it rolling in a second set in which they never trailed. A great volley started it before junior Kelsey Manchester (6 kills, 3 aces) finished it with an emphatic hit. Butler found Galvin and Burke on back-to-back kills to extend the lead.
The play of the set came on a diving dig from Chiros to keep alive the best rally of the match in which the ball changed sides 11 times before Manchester finished it again off a pass from libero Hannah Kelly. That point started with Chiros at the service line. Multiple aces and service points later, Chiros led her team on an incredible 11-0 run, all but sealing the win as they took an 18-5 lead.
Chiros’ second diving dig of the set led to a Butler fake set and kill and Kelly finished the set with an ace.
The third set was a good matchup in the first half, until Chiros stepped to the line again, taking the Warriors on a 9-0 run to turn an 8-5 deficit into a 14-8 lead.
A Chiros dig, Butler pass and Manchester kill from the outside reclaimed the lead for good and three consecutive kills from Seabury pushed the advantage. Seabury then served three aces in a row to make it 19-10 and force a Stoneham timeout, but the damage was done. Two of Wakefield’s final three points came on Manchester aces.
The Warriors celebrated the class of 2021 with speeches from Wyland and the underclassmen who got a chance to thank their seniors for everything.
“The team speaks so highly of each and every one of them,” said Wyland of her seniors. “They are selfless, hardworking, and genuine. We are so lucky to have them. They will be so greatly missed next year.”
Wakefield will now shift their focus to an undefeated Melrose team (7-0). The Warriors will travel to Melrose tonight at 6:30 p.m. It will be live streamed at: tinyurl.com/melroselive. The Red Raiders will visit Wakefield in the season finale on Saturday at noon.
“Our goals for our upcoming matches are similar to the team narrative all season: stay disciplined, stay persistent and stay composed throughout the entirety of each point,” said Wyland who will be returning to her alma mater tonight, where she won a state championship, for the first time as Wakefield’s head coach.
Wyland knows that if Wakefield wants to compete as a program with powerhouses like Melrose and find success in the Middlesex League playoffs which they will compete in next week, they must earn every point.
“We have listened to a version of War of Inches and refer back to it a lot to discuss how each and every inch of effort is the difference between winning and losing, but more importantly being there for your teammate or not,” said Wyland. “We just need to focus on our game and work 100 percent from the first to the last point. I am really looking forward to these next matches and our playoff run this year. Wakefield volleyball is a force to be reckoned with.”
