OVERTON, Neb. — It was almost every Tuesday or Thursday evening, and sometimes Monday evening. Multiple volleyball teams playing across the state throughout the week, and Overton would always find a way to be on your television screen.

Newsflash: That’s because the Eagles were fun to watch once again, reaching the NSAA volleyball championship for the sixth straight season.

Overton made easy work of her D2-1 district final opponent, Mead, by winning in straight sets and less than an hour. That puts the Eagles at 27-5, earning the second seed in the D2 bracket. Last year, it was Overton’s top seed, and it won a state title.

It’s a much different group, and one we’ll see for a while, considering there’s only one senior on the roster, in Trinity Cowett. The Eagles fly with their two juniors reigning in the middle and outside, in Daisy Ryan and Gracen Hughes. The dynamic duo is top two on the team in wins per set and total blocks. On the service line, watch out for Ryan, who has 50 aces.

JoLee steps out into the spotlight and heads to Wayne State, while her little sister steps into the spotlight, along with a whole group that was hungry for her moment to shine. They did that and more, said head coach Hayley Ryan.

“We talked about taking it one game at a time and then we’ll look at the next game and what’s going to happen,” Ryan said. “These girls, they showed up every time, they played hard, they were competitive. This is not a team that had a roller coaster, or one that had ups and downs. They played pretty consistently, and their fundamentals are solid, so I think that all helps them.”

The defending champions are in a similar position to last year, poised to do it again in 2024. The start of the final countdown begins Thursday morning at 9 a.m., when Overton faces Wynot.