The Akron-Westfield girls basketball team came into the season with very high expectations. The Westerners were coming off a 14-8 season and ranked 8th in the Class 1A pre-season poll.

Season openers are always tough for head coaches as they begin a new year with a different lineup and different roles. It’s always a little more difficult when you add a new coach and a new system to the equation. 

Rachel Harris and Kailee Tucker have come full circle.

Their stories may not be identical, but the themes are certainly similar.

Harris and Tucker both enjoyed tremendous success as athletes at Akron-Westfield. They also were positively influenced by some amazing teachers and coaches along the way which is part of the reason both are back “home”, teaching and leading the next generation at A-W.

 The Akron-Westfield cross country program continues to head in the right direction under head coach Jerod Bruget.

The fourth-year program is still growing, but the numbers that matter tell Bruget the foundation for success is in place.

“We had two all-conference runners in Noah Boie and Isabel Utesch, and Noah was also an Academic All-American” Bruget said.

 The Akron-Westfield volleyball team had plenty of reasons to feel good about the 2024 season. Head Coach Robyn Van Eldik had a talented senior class coming off an 11-win season in 2023.

“I have eight seniors and probably six will be starting,” Van Eldik said before the season. “I’ve coached the senior class since seventh grade AAU, and our goal is always to do the very best we can and make it the state tournament.”

The Akron-Westfield football team may not have achieved all their goals in 2024, but they certainly proved to be a resilient group who never gave up on the season.

Head coach John Sievert had to replace 14 seniors from an 8-2 team in 2023, but he did not shy away from the expectations of himself and the program as the season began.

 It was a season to remember for the Akron-Westfield volleyball.  The Westerners finished 21-5 overall and 9-1 in the War Eagle Conference. A-W won three state playoff matched before falling to Riverside in the regional final.

It’s been a busy few months for Akron-Westfield senior Makenzie Hughes. In addition to playing summer basketball, Hughes was making on-campus visits to a handful schools as she narrowed her college decision.

Akron-Westfield vs Riverside - Class 1A Region 4 Final

Riverside 3

Akron-Westfield 0

25-19, 25-9, 25-19

The 11th ranked Akron-Westfield volleyball team knew winning a regional championship would not be easy. The Westerners had to find a way to beat 4th ranked Riverside (37-3) on Oct. 30 to earn a trip to Coralville and the Class 1A quarterfinals.

Natalie Nielsen is truly happy again. As she walks around campus at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, MN, the joy is evident.

Nielsen is beginning her first season on the Mustangs basketball team after transferring from South Dakota State. She spent two years in Brookings and truth be told, loved almost all of her time. The decision to leave was not easy.

A-W volleyball breezes by Remsen-St. Mary’s & Trinity Christian

By Brett Newtson
Contributing writer

Class 1A-Region 4 Quarterfinals
Akron-Westfield 3
Remsen-St. Mary’s 0
25-12, 25-22, 25-20

Westerners finish in 8th place at state qualifying meet

By Brett Newtson
Contributing writer

The Akron-Westfield cross country teams finished the season peaking at the right time. The boys team finished in eighth place in the state qualifying meet in Holstein on Oct. 24.

Westerners win third straight game

By Brett Newtson
Contributing writer

The Akron-Westfield football team may have not have started the season like they hoped, but the finish could not have been any better.

The Westerners beat Lawton-Bronson 28-21 on Oct. 25 to win their third straight game, and finish the season with a 3-6 record.

By Brett Newtson
Contributing writer

Saelah Boie has been solid all season long for the A-W junior high cross country team and the trend continued in the War Eagle Conference meet in Marcus on Oct. 17.
Boie and Teygan Schram nearly captured a pair of top-ten finishes as Boie placed fourth with a personal best time of 14:05.23 and Schram finished 11th.

Boys team finishes fourth

By Brett Newtson
Contributing writer

The A-W cross country teams competed in the War Eagle Conference meet at the Marcus Golf Club on Oct. 17, and the boys came away with a fourth place finish.