Volleyball notes: Coach, daughter celebrate championship

Marshall volleyball coach Dan Westby has presided over all three of the program's Class 2A state championships, but Saturday's victory meant the most.

Westby and his senior daughter, Rachel, won a championship in their last high school game together. They also shared the Tigers' 2007 title.

"It feels special," Dan said. "You try to separate coach from dad, but moments like this you can't not be a dad."

Dan gave all his players a postgame hug, but a teary-eyed Rachel needed an extra embrace.

"He said he was proud of me and that means a lot," said Rachel, Dan's only child. "Every girl wants to please their father."

There was little drama during Saturday's Class 1A title match in which Bethlehem Academy swept Minneota. The biggest difference-maker was Bethlehem Academy's Holly Hafemeyer, a 6-2 senior who will play volleyball at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D. She got the Cardinals going with 11 kills in the first set and helped seal the victory with 14 kills in the third. She had 31 kills overall.

"She's got such a quick arm swing and she can do such great things," Minneota coach Stephanie Hennen said.

Molly Kreklow and Delano must settle for second place in Class 2A this season, but few players can match her state tournament ledger. She played in four consecutive state tournaments, two each at Blaine and Delano.

Kreklow, a senior, heads to Missouri next season, where she will play for her uncle, coach Wayne Kreklow, and his wife, Susan. Wayne played for the Boston Celtics while Susan was a collegiate volleyball player.

Athletic success runs through several branches of the family tree. Molly's parents, Mike and Marcia, played college basketball and volleyball, respectively. And Molly's three older brothers are college basketball players.

• The volleyball tournament kicked off a series of state tournaments that are being shown live on the Internet at 45.grandstadium.tv.

High school students from across the state will produce webcasts of upcoming tournaments, including the state football semifinals and the Prep Bowl.

• Minneota fans had an excuse to leave the Xcel Energy Center in a hurry. The volleyball match ended at 2:40 p.m. and the Minneota football team played Barnesville in a 6 p.m. Class 1A state quarterfinal in Morris.