Volleyball

     The Aitkin Gobbler volleyball team gave out their season awards Sunday at their post-season get-together.

Team Overall Academic GPA 3.88

Team Ace-Gabi Price-43 aces

Finisher (Most Kills)-Madyson Burgstaler-177

Sharp-Shooter (Most Efficient Attack, (Kills/Attacks)-Kate Palm-29%

Maestro (Most Assists-Gabi Price-387

Guardian (Most Digs)-Abbey Presto-360

Enforcer (Most Blocks)-Maddy Burgstaler-40

Clutch (Best Serve %)-Haley Shereck-93%

2025 Season Stats

Digs

360-Abbey Presto

228-Natalie Stueven

195-Taya Hawkins

183-Haley Shereck

 95-Allie Goeritz

Aces

43-Gabi Price

42-Haley Shereck

27-Taya Hawkins

19-Madyson Burgstaler

17-Haley Shereck

Kills

177-Madyson Burgstaler

119-Taya Hawkins

118-Natalie Stueven

101-Kate Palm

 98-Haley Shereck

Blocks

40-Madyson Burgstaler

25-Gabi Price

20-Kate Palm

15-Zoey Van Camp

 8-Haley Shereck

Assists

387-Gabi Price

155-Allie Goeritz

 36-Abbey Presto

 16-Taya Hawkins

 13-Natalie Stueven

      The Aitkin Gobblers knew they had a tough assignment in the opening round of Section 7AA play at Greenway but that didn't stop them from giving it a great effort in a three-set loss to the Raiders. The loss ends the season for Aitkin, finishing 8-19 while the Raiders move on to the next round.

Set #1

This was the set of the match. It included 12 ties and a host of highlights. It was tied at 2-2 before the Gobblers got a point on a long return and then an ace by Madyson Burgstaler to make the score 4-2. The Raiders moved back out front at 10-8 when Burgstaler scored on a kill to close it to 10-9. It was 14-12 Raiders later when a winner by Kate Palm made it a one-point score. She had another winner to get within 15-14 and after it was tied at 16-16 the Raiders moved ahead 19-17. Again, the Gobblers rallied and when Taya Hawkins hit a ripper for a point it was tied at 20-20. It was tied at 23-23 and again at 24-24 after another kill by Hawkins. Aitkin made it 25-24 with a point off Hawkins' serve but the Raiders made it 25-25 and then scored the final two points of the set to get the win.

Set #2

This one was tied at 3-3 until Aitkin scored off the serve of Natalie Stueven. The Raiders tied it then took a 6-4 lead before another kill by Hawkins. Greenway led the rest of the set and didn't let the Gobblers any closer than four points as they stretched out the lead and won the set.

Set #3

Aitkin fell behind 5-0 early until a net serve and a kill by Gabi Price made it 5-2. Greenway continued to up the lead until a kill by Tika May closed it to 11-8. Later in the set a winner by Hawkins made it 17-13 Raiders, but the Greenway kept the winners coming and went on to close out the set and the match.

Stats by Alyx

Kills-Taya Hawkins-12, Madyson Burgstaler-9, Kate Palm-4

Digs-Natalie Stueven-14, Abbey Presto-8, Haley Shereck-6

Aces-Madyson Burgstaler-1

Blocks-Gabi Price-3, Madyson Burgstaler-2

Assists-Gabi Price-24

Gobblers 25 14  17

Raiders    27 25 25

The Coach-"We came out strong and fought for a tight first set but lost in extra points. Greenway got the momentum and finished the next two sets for the win but not without several great streaks that kept them on edge. I am proud of this team, and it has been an honor to be their coach this season. We will miss our great group of senior leaders moving forward. I look forward to supporting these athletes in the upcoming sport seasons this school year."

The Players

Haley Shereck-"I'm very sad that the season is over. We worked our tails off and put our hearts out on the court and it won't happen again. I'm grateful for every opportunity I got and the family I've made over the years is irreplaceable."

Natalie Stueven-"It was a good season, and I couldn't be prouder of the girls on this team. We have built a family within the few months of playing together and I will carry that with me for the rest of my life. We played well tonight."

Madyson Burgstaler-"It was the best season I've had on varsity yet. I couldn't have ended my high school career with a better group of girls, and I am so thankful for them and the season they gave me."

      The Aitkin Gobbler volleyball team takes on Greenway Wednesday in the opening round of the Section 7AA Tournament. The 8-18 Gobblers are the #7N seed and will play the #2N seeded Raiders in Greenway. The regular season stats are in and here's a look at how the Gobblers did.

Kills

168-Madyson Burgstaler

116-Natalie Stueven

108-Taya Hawkins

 97-Kate Palm

 95-Haley Shereck

Assists

363-Gabi Price

155-Allie Goeritz

 34-Abbey Presto

Digs

347-Abbey Presto

213-Natalie Stueven

189-Taya Hawkins

170-Haley Shereck

Aces

43-Gabi Price

42-Natalie Stueven

27-Taya Hawkins

18-Madyson Burgstaler

17-Haley Shereck

Blocks

40-Madyson Burgstaler

23-Gabi Price

17-Kate Palm

14-Zoey Van Camp

      The Aitkin Gobblers won one and lost three at the Upsala Tournament on Thursday. They lost to Holdingford 25-17, 25-15 and Osakis 25-19, 25-21 before beating Ashby 25-15, 25-18. They lost their final match to Brandon-Evansville 21-25, 25-20, 10-15. Coach Wade Zubke after the event, "It was good to add another win to the season, but we also added three more losses. Establishing service pressure and in-system passing was a challenge for us resulting in limited offense and a hard time earning points. Today ends our regular season with a record of 8-18. Back to work to prep for the post-season next week."

      The eight Aitkin Gobbler seniors (and everyone else), played their hearts out on the court Tuesday and lost a gut-wrenching five set match with the visiting Mora Mustangs. The home season ended for the Gobblers with the loss, but fans couldn't have asked for a more courageous effort against the 17-9 Mustangs. Aitkin won the first two sets before the Mustangs caught fire in the third set and went on to the win. 

    The Gobblers trailed 3-2 in the first set before Haley Shereck tied it with a winner at 3-3. The two teams traded points until a point-winning block by Madyson Burstaler gave the Gobblers an 11-8 lead. It was close at 19-18 when Burgstaler nailed a winner and Allie Goeritz drilled an ace for a 21-18 edge. It was 23-19 when Burgstaler put down a winner and then brought the set to a close with another winner. Set number two was more of the same as Aitkin jumped out to a 3-0 after a Haley Shereck kill. Burgstaler scored a pair of points off blocks and they led 5-3. It was 10-5 later after a Burgstaler ace and they took a 13-9 lead on a block by Zoey Van Camp and went up 15-9 on a winner and a block from Gabi Price. Natalie Stuevens kill made it 17-11, Goeritz served for three points and Van Camp had a kill for a 21-12 lead. The set ended with another Burgstaler block. The third set was as good as you will see. Aitkin led 5-4 after a Tika May kill and after the two teams went back and forth Abbey Presto produced a winner for a 14-12 lead. The set was tied 11 times, and it was 18-18 when Shereck came up with a kill and then she served for three more Gobbler points for a 22-18 lead. That's when the match turned around as the Mustangs ran seven straight points to win the set and make it a 2-1 match. The fourth set was all Mustangs in the first part of the set. They led 12-5 and later 17-10 before Burgstaler came up with a winner off a block and later produced an ace to make it 20-15 but the Mustangs were not to be denied and went on to win the set setting up the race to "15". Aitkin led 3-0 early with Goeritz at the service line. She had a winner later to make it a 4-2 set and when Burgstaler scored off a block it was 5-3. Mora was not done, They took the lead at 8-6 before a kill by May made it 8-7. The Gobblers would score just one more point as the Mustangs scored the final five points to win the set and the match.

       Coach Wade Zubke after the exhausting matchup, "It was a hard-fought match against Mora. It was our Senior Night and final home game of the season.  We took two sets off of a strong team and I am very proud of my team for that tonight. We have a tournament Thursday and the post-season coming so still lots of volleyball to play and I'm feeling good about this team right now."

Mustangs  20 16 25 25 15

Gobblers   25 25 22 17   8

    The Aitkin Gobbler JV suffered a tough loss to Mora Tuesday but still finished the season with a record of 14-8. Coach Kristen Ratz, "It was a great group of girls, and they showed so much improvement during the season."

Mustangs 21 25 15

Gobblers  25 17 12

     The "C" Squad posted a win, beating Mora 25-17, 19-25, 25-10, 25-17, 15-5.