Zizzer Volleyball competes in District Championship

It was a history-making year for the 2024 Zizzer volleyball team.

 

With a 27-win record, a top seed in districts, and a trip to the District Championship, it was a volleyball season to be remembered for West Plains.

 

The Zizzers lost, 0-3, last Tuesday, October 29, in the championship round against Farmington. West Plains swept through the first two rounds of district play with a 3-0 win over North County, and another 3-0 over Hillsboro on October 26.

 

Zizzer Coach Hailey Beazley, a Howell County native and a 2010 graduate from Liberty-Mountain View, said, “This team had this goal from the start. We put in countless hours of work, and they dedicated so much.”

 

It has been a long while since the Zizzers have even had a chance to play for a district championship. In the last fifteen years, West Plains has only made it past the first round in district play two times. 

 

The last time Zizzer volleyball was this good was 1991, back when the renowned Trish Knight was still coaching at West Plains. Both the Zizzer volleyball program from that time (1984-1991) and Coach Trish Knight have been inducted to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Trish Knight even has a street in West Plains named after her.

 

Quanna Hafer, a member of that 1991 team and mother of two Zizzer volleyball starters this year, setter Lucy Hafer and outside hitter Violet Hafer, commented, “Ever since moving back to West Plains I have dreamed of seeing Zizzer Volleyball make a comeback.  Getting to watch both my girls play together and with their teammates and coaches, work to make their own mark in Zizzer volleyball history…that’s something that has been cool to see as a parent. And yes, it does make it a little extra special that this was the first team to finish their season in the top 16 teams in the state since I was playing.”

 

Zizzer Coach Beazley, in her sixth season as head coach at West Plains, commented, “This is the most season wins since 1991. I am super proud of them!”

 

The future looks bright as the Zizzers will lose only two players to graduation this year, seniors Lily Wiedemann and Mia Duggins.