A happy ending!

Although the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 changed things up more than a little bit this season, the Thompson Falls Lady Hawks volleyball team made the most of it, ending the campaign at the State B tournament in Shelby last week, falling one match win short of a top-four finish.

Along the way this fall, the Lady Hawks went unbeaten in conference play on the way to the District 7B regular season and tournament titles, took third place in the Western B divisional tournament, advanced on to the State B tourney for the first time since 2016 and, in the words of their coach Sandra Kazmierczak: "Never stopped trying to get better, never stopped improving all season."

The Hawks began their 2020 State B tournament ride in Shelby with a 25-18, 25-16, 25-19 loss to Choteau Thursday, stayed alive with a 25-9, 16-25, 25-22, 25-16 win over Western B rival Florence Friday morning, and finally bowed out with a 25-17, 25-16, 25-15 loss to Colstrip Friday afternoon.

Stellar seniors Jody Detlaff and Riley Wilson led the Hawks this season and Kazmierczak is reluctant to let them go. "I have grown very attached to those two," she said. "They were great players and role models, on and off the court, and we are really going to miss them next year."

Detlaff and Wilson will undoubtedly be missed next year but the Hawks were also missing another key cog in this year's team last week when junior Elli Pardee could not play due to an injured hand suffered in the Western B tourney the week before.

Although it hurts losing an all-conference player right when you need her the most, the Hawks still performed well in Shelby.

"It was a great season for the kids and for us as coaches," Kazmierczak said shooting kudos to her assistants Lisa Mickelson and Chrisi Robinson. "You could see the improvement from week to week and we ended up having a fantastic season, one that these kids can remember for the rest of their lives."

Against Northern B champion Choteau Thursday, Scarlette Schwindt led the Hawks with 10 assists, nine kills and 14 digs, Detlaff hit four kills and three blocks, Wilson had nine assists and a service ace, Dannijo VanHuss added four kills and an ace, and Ariana Wood 12 digs.

Emma Gunderson hit 10 kills, Ellie Lee eight kills and five blocks, and Ada Bieler seven kills, three blocks and 12 digs for Choteau. Choteau eventually placed third in the tourney behind champion Joliet and runners-up Huntley Project.

The Lady Hawks kept their season alive by beating Florence Friday morning. In proof of how much the Hawks have improved, they defeated the Falcons without one of their best players in Pardee. The Falcons had defeated the Hawks in Thompson Falls early this season when both teams were full strength.

"That was our best match of the season, a real team effort," Kazmierczak said. "It was exciting to see us play so well in a State B tournament match like that."

Schwindt put the hammer down on 15 kills, hit 20 digs and dished out 15 assists to lead the win, Wilson passed out a team-high 26 assists, hit 14 digs and an ace, and Detlaff crushed 12 kills, hit an ace and blocked two shots.

Abbi Lane had three stuff blocks and Caity Alexander a service ace in the big win.

Jadyn Larson led Florence with 12 kills and a block, Kolbi Wood hit 28 digs and Kassidy Yeoman 21 digs and 15 assists for the Falcons.

The Lady Hawks completed season play in the loss to Colstrip.

Schwindt hit 12 kills, nine assists and 13 digs for Thompson Falls, Detalff blocked three shots, hit five kills and seven digs, Wilson added 13 assists, seven digs and a block, and Alexander hit

an ace.