Johnsons’ farewell tour at Denver will last another day, at least

CORALVILLE — Channing Johnson was born a year too late to play high school volleyball with her older sister, Reese.

She’ll get that chance, at the college level, next year.

“I’m looking forward to it,” she said. “Hopefully we can be beach-volleyball teammates, too. She might be a more well-rounded player than me.”

Before heading to that sibling revelry at Wayne State College, there’s a final, pressing order of business back at Denver High School.

With 28 assists and seven aces, Johnson piloted a smooth-running attack as the top-ranked, defending-champion Cyclones swept No. 12 Wapsie Valley, 25-14, 25-11, 25-17, in a Class 2A quarterfinal at the state volleyball tournament Tuesday afternoon at Xtream Arena.

“It felt pretty relaxed,” said Bailey Mullihan, who led the Cyclones (48-1) with 11 kills. “We’ve been here before, we’ve been in this moment.”

Denver advances to face No. 4 Grundy Center or No. 5 Dyersville Beckman in a 2A semifinal at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Johnson won’t be the only one from her family headed toward Nebraska next year. Her mother, Coach Jamie Johnson, said this will be her final season with the Cyclones, so she can travel to watch both daughters play.

“It’s an emotional thing,” Coach Johnson said. “I’ve been coaching a lot of these girls since fourth grade. We’re trying to make it last as long as possible.”

Ironic, because this no-stress match lasted barely an hour. Denver hit .586 in the first set, collecting 18 kills against just one error, then stayed at a high level (.345) in Game 2.

Only the third set was close for long; Wapsie Valley (24-18) was even at 14-all before Denver went on a 9-1 run to put it away and beat the Warriors for the third time this season.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com