Ritchie County's Sydney Kopshina, left, and Jayci Gray (8) celebrate with head coach Michelle Jones after the Rebels swept Pocahontas County in the Class A state semifinals. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

CHARLESTON – It will be a Little Kanawha Conference rematch from the 2021 Class A state title tilt when fifth-seeded Ritchie County takes on No. 2 seed and two-time defending state champion Williamstown early Thursday afternoon inside the Charleston Coliseum.

Following Wednesday night’s semifinals, the Rebels of first-year head coach Michelle Jones punched their ticket by ousting No. 8 Pendleton County – 25-21,-25-19 and 26-24. The Wildcats of head man Rod Cooper won their first state tournament match after upsetting top-seeded Buffalo.

Williamstown head coach Rachelle Cole’s Yellowjackets, who will carry a 29-13-5 record into the final match of the season, were led in their 25-20, 25-21 and 25-21 semifinal triumph versus No. 3 James Monroe by Claire Strobl’s match-high 22 kills and Kyndra Johnson’s match-high 30 assists.

“They played a great match,” coach Cole admitted of the 38-5 Mavericks, who received 11 kills apiece from Aliyah Clarkson and Ava Pitzer with Maggie Boroski chipping in nine kills and tying ‘Jacket libero Keatyn Haynes with a match-high three aces. “We knew it was going to be tough. They are a super solid team and they are going to be back. They were just a little more tired than we were from that grueling match against Greenbrier West.

“We had a little more time to rest and executed for the most part. I told the girls they were not going to quit. We watched them battle with Greenbrier West (in the semifinals) and they went five against them on Saturday. Emotions are high here and that’s part of the excitement. A few times our emotions took over a little bit and we made some mistakes. I think we bounced back from it. I think we ended strong and we’re just excited.”

Williamstown's Akhia Miller, rear, walks off the court following the end of the second set against James Monroe in the Class A semifinals while Riley Landis, left, and Claire Strobl celebrate with a handshake. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Riley Landis had 19 digs, Haynes had 16 and Becca Shamblin chipped in a dozen kills and eight digs.

Leading 17-10 in set three, WHS appeared to be in complete control before the Mavericks rallied for seven straight points behind the serving of Boroski, who had her trio of aces in the spurt.

Trailing 20-19, Johnson’s kill on a free ball tied it and then a Miller/Shamblin double block on Pitzer put the ‘Jackets back in front to stay. With Landis at the service line, WHS moved in front 23-20 after another Maverick free ball led to a Shamblin downed spike.

Despite a Pitzer kill that closed the deficit back to two, Shamblin got the final two kills via Johnson assists with Akhia Miller serving to end it.

“They are a really solid team,” coach Cole added of Ritchie County, which is 0-4 against the champs this fall. “They played well today. The girls are going to have to come ready.”

Ritchie County libero Baylee Butta makes a pass during the Class AA state semifinals in Charleston. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Pendleton County, which ended the year at 29-7-2, wasn’t able to match their energy from the huge upset of the Bison.

The Wildcats had a 17-13 lead against the Rebels in the opening set after Baylee Beachler had a block and Elizabeth Alt, who had two kills and two aces, recorded a service tally.

However, the one-two punch of Jayci Gray and Sydney Kopshina combined for seven kills, Rae Rupert had one and libero Baylee Butta served up an ace to help complete the rally and take momentum.

“It was so hard because to slay a giant, to slay the number one seed it took such an effort,” admitted coach Cooper, who got a quartet of kills apiece from Katelyn Hedrick and Gabby DePue as well as seven assists from Carolyn Varner. “We were there, but we didn’t have the energy to finish.

“I think they had more energy. If we had finished the first game and took a little energy out of them and gave us a little energy, it would’ve been a different night, but it didn’t happen. I told the girls you set the bar high for the young girls coming in.”

Butta had a string of eight straight points in set two, which helped erase a PCHS early 5-2 cushion. Later, three straight blasts from Gray, who had a baker’s dozen kills, put the Rebels ahead 16-10. An ace by Alt closed it to 20-18, but RCHS won going away.

The Wildcats fell behind 16-9 in set three, but rallied and closed to within three at 16-13 behind two Beachler aces, but Rebel setter Laci Hilkey had a second-hit dump kill to stymie the tide.

A block by Andrea Davis with Kila Frymier serving that was played out of bounds put the 25-13-1 Rebels ahead 20-17. It was 23-19 after consecutive aces by Davis and it appeared the Wildcats were done after Hilkey had a block to reach match point.

However, Varner served up four straight after a sideout and it was 24-all after her ace. A service error followed and Kopshina put down the last of her match-high 21 kills to put the Rebels back in the finals.

“My girls really stepped up and I think we kind of peaked at just the right time,” said coach Jones, who got three kills and two assists from Anna Law. “We struggled a little bit at the beginning of the season and had some ups and downs, but they never quit. We told them from the beginning that that team right there is capable of taking on a championship.

“I think they proved it playing against a tough Pendleton County team. It’s exciting, but I don’t know if it’s really set in yet. Right now we’re just on that high of winning another set. It’s exciting for them. They deserve this. They are great kids. They are talented athletes, but on top of that they are great kids.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com