In Ely, it’s time for the Ely Marathon.
But for Ely’s high school volleyball team, it’s a marathon of a week.
On the heels of not one but two five-set thrillers, both of which went in their favor, the Timberwolves face their toughest and most grueling test yet this weekend.
They’re in Burnsville for the annual Class A Showcase, a two-day, 16-team tournament that includes 10 of the 11 top-ranked teams in Class A.
In pool play, which started Friday, the Wolves face both number-three Russell-Tyler- Ruthton and sixth-ranked Canby.
Kenyon-Wanamingo, a traditional southern Minnesota powerhouse, is also in the Wolves’ four-team pool.
Action continues Saturday and the Wolves are certain to face two more highly-rated foes.
The Wolves, who are three-time defending Section 7A champions, are making their third straight trip to the Class A Showcase, which serves almost as a state tournament preview.
Ely will take a 9-2 record south, but it had to fight for its last two wins.
The Wolves rallied from first and third set stumbles to beat International Falls Tuesday night, and they had to fight off Mesabi East in five-set affair on Sept. 11.
Against International Falls, the Wolves rebounded after a tight third set and controlled both the fourth and fifth en route to a 22-25, 2515, 23-25, 25-15, 15-11 win.
Three Wolves reached double digits in kills, with Charlotte Hegman notching 12, followed by Sadie Rechichi with 11 and Lydia Shultz with 10.
Ely had plenty of offense as both Ruby Lowe and Amelia Penke added nine kills each.
Junior Gretta Lowe, who reached a milestone by collecting more than 1,000 set assists in her prep career, finished with a match-high 37 against the Broncos and added 10 digs as well.
Hegman (15) and Rechichi (13) both reached double digits in digs, and both Rechichi and Makenzi Huntington finished with three ace serves.
The Wolves also had big numbers in a 25-16, 23-25, 22-25, 25-15, 15-7 triumph over Mesabi East.
Both Lowe and Makenzi Huntington distributed the ball and wound up with 19 set assists each.
Rechichi had a double- double with 13 kills and 13 digs, and Hegman had 16 digs to go with her nine kills.
Shultz and Ruby Lowe contributed seven kills each and Violet Udovich, Penke and Makenzi Huntington all had four.
Shultz also paced the Ely defense with 17 digs and delivered three ace serves.
Peyton Huntington came up with three aces as well.
• Other top teams in the Class A Showcase include Minneota (ranked #1 in the state), Mayer Lutheran (2), Fillmore Central (4), Mayer Lutheran (5), MACCRAY (7), Ada-Borup (9) and Kittson County Central (10).
