Omaha Skutt volleyball makes history with sixth straight state title
OMAHA, Neb. (BVM) 鈥� Staring down history and embracing the pressure that comes with being considered arguably the best high school volleyball team in the country, the Omaha Skutt SkyHawks lived up to their sky-high expectations.
A four-set victory over the Norris Titans on Nov. 7 gave Skutt its sixth consecutive NSAA Class B state championship, tying the all-class state record for most consecutive state titles. The SkyHawks joined Shickley (1987-92) and Bellevue West (1992-97) as the state鈥檚 only other schools to accomplish the feat while leaving their own indelible mark as one of the greatest dynasties in the history of Nebraska high school sports.聽
Even for a player as decorated as senior All-American University of Nebraska commit Lindsay Krause, who won a gold medal with the United States youth national team at last year鈥檚 U18 World Championships, it鈥檚 not easy to fully grasp the scale of Skutt鈥檚 success.
鈥淚t鈥檚 weird to think about,鈥� Krause said. 鈥淚 feel like the immensity of it hasn鈥檛 really hit me yet. 鈥� It feels amazing, I鈥檓 so proud of us, but I guess how great that is hasn鈥檛 really sunk in.鈥�
For 10th-year head coach Renee Saunders, the SkyHawks鈥� accomplishments over the past six years still feel somewhat surreal, but the reality of what Skutt has achieved has started to set in.
鈥淚 was sitting in the gym the other day and I looked up at the banners and to see those big consecutive numbers and it hit me like it’s a pretty phenomenal feat that we just accomplished,鈥� Saunders said. 鈥淭he ability to do that six times is crazy. 鈥� It鈥檚 a little bit surreal for me when I put into perspective my career here and (think about) what we鈥檝e done in the past six years and the amount of team play it takes to get there. It鈥檚 multiple kids working hard together to reach their goal and I think that our culture is a big testament to that.鈥�
To win six consecutive state titles is a remarkable accomplishment in any state. But it鈥檚 considerably more difficult to fathom a program achieving such a feat in Nebraska, which has become known as one of the country鈥檚 top producers of volleyball talent and is home to the most successful Division I college program in the country.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not doing it in just any state,鈥� Saunders said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e doing it in probably one of the greatest volleyball states in the country. 鈥� I think that鈥檚 what makes it even more surreal for me. I鈥檓 an Omaha kid, grew up in Nebraska and played at Nebraska, so I鈥檝e seen volleyball develop in the state. And I remember that Bellevue West team that had six (state titles) and now every team in Nebraska is as good as those teams.鈥�
But no team has been able to reach Skutt鈥檚 level over the past six seasons, and the SkyHawks鈥� run to a sixth straight state title was their most dominant run since the 2016 season when they went 44-0. Their only loss this fall took place Sept. 26 at Lincoln Southwest after they had won their first 12 matches of the season.
鈥淲e kind of took that loss as our one learning opportunity because I think we all collectively knew as a team that even though we were winning all of our matches at the beginning of the season, we still kind of weren鈥檛 at the spot that we knew could play yet,鈥� Krause said.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 really know who we were as a team or how we were going to work well as a team, but as soon as I think that loss hit us, right after that it was like we were a completely different team and it really helped us in the long run.鈥�
Skutt won its final 23 matches and dropped only two sets the rest of the season.
鈥淲e learned a lot of things in that game and I鈥檇 rather than an L and learn and finish the season with a W than not take an L and not finish the season with a W,鈥� Saunders said. 鈥淚 really don鈥檛 know if we win state if we don鈥檛 learn from that loss. I think it was good for us.鈥�
Skutt captured its sixth straight state title. (Courtesy: Renee Saunders)
While Skutt made state history as a team, both Krause and fellow senior Allie Gray left their mark individually over the past years as two of the best to ever play for the SkyHawks. Gray, a 5-11 setter who鈥檚 committed to Arizona State, was named a third-team Under Armour All-American after breaking her school鈥檚 record for assists (3,452), many of which went to Krause, a first-team Under Armour All-American who set numerous SkyHawk records. The 6-foot-3 future Cornhusker broke school records for service aces in a match (13), season service aces (89), career kills (1,542), season kills (498), kills in a match (30) season hitting efficiency (.486) and career hitting efficiency (.426).
鈥淚t feels great to be able to accomplish those things but I do know that I wouldn鈥檛 be able to accomplish any of those kill records I have without the All-American setter I had on my team,鈥� Krause said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 amazing. 鈥� I love the thought that I got to leave my mark on a program. I always want to go in somewhere and leave it better than it was when I got there. I feel like I did that with Skutt Catholic and I was really happy to be a part of it.鈥�
鈥淭hey鈥檝e literally taken SkyHawk volleyball to a different level,鈥� Saunders said of Gray and Krause. 鈥淣ow we鈥檝e just got to find a way to maintain it.鈥�
Maintaining a consistently high level of success is what Skutt has been able to do better than anyone in the state. The graduation of Krause, Gray and five other seniors will create a significant void that Saunders will have to try and fill next season as the SkyHawks aim to keep their place at the top. But with groundwork having long been laid for Skutt鈥檚 sustained success, Saunders won鈥檛 expect anything less than the best from the six-time defending state champs.
鈥淚 think we have a great group of returning kids that are going to be great leaders who will continue our culture and I think we鈥檙e going to be OK,鈥� Saunders said. 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e going to be able to do it. I probably want No. 7 more than I wanted No. 6. I always tell people I want to enjoy it for a little bit, but I鈥檇 be lying to you if the next day I wasn鈥檛 thinking about what we need to do to get No. 7.鈥�
