Volleyball

The Liberty Varsity Volleyball Team had a strong start to their season. The Lightning played a tough schedule, facing some of the best teams in the state. 

Sydney Van Heukelom (she/her), 10, a varsity athlete, shared which team she thought brought the toughest battle. 

“Ankeny was a really tough match. They were a really solid team and we just couldn’t beat that,” said Van Heukelom.

Throughout the season, the Lightning learned some important lessons.

“This season wasn’t just about winning. I’ve made so many amazing connections with the girls on this team. Liberty Volleyball is like a family to me,” shared Van Heukelom.

This fall many records were broken as the girls took to the court. 

Edie Miller reached over 1,000 digs in her all-time career. Miller also broke her own record, getting 44 digs in a single game. Asta Hildebrand became Liberty’s All-Time Career Assist Leader with 1,898 assists. 

The Lightning finished the season with a 15-21 record. Coaches and players alike are excited for next season as they look to improve their record.

Football

This season, the Liberty Football Team faced obstacles with a new head coach and the loss of a talented senior class; however, that did not prevent them from finding success. The team went  9-1 in the regular season and became “City Champs” after defeating both Iowa City West High School and Iowa City High School. The team encountered drawbacks with a new head coach and the loss of the 23-2024 class, however, that did not prevent them from success. 

Brody Beaver (he/him), 10, described how he thinks the team could continue to improve.

“The biggest obstacles are ourselves: simple mistakes like flags or dropped balls. We have done a good job of not [letting it] affect us that much during the game, but in my opinion, it’s stopping us from our full potential,” Beaver stated.

For the Lightning, football is more than a sport; it’s a family. 

“It’s a great experience and very exciting. You have coaches that you can talk to whether it’s about football or what you did over the weekend. Everyone has great energy and everyone keeps each other motivated,” said Beaver.

Landon Bell (he/him), 11, also shared his thoughts on the team environment.

“I’d go to war anytime for these guys. I’ve made so many memories with my teammates. I just truly love these dudes,” said Bell.

As Liberty shows their skills on and off the field, they still have a chance for a state title. The team has completed their regular season and is now in the playoffs, hoping to make it to the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. They take on Ankeny this Friday in hopes of making it to the semifinals in the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

Girls Swim and Dive

Being a combined team with the West High Trojans, the Trojan-Bolts Swim Team may seem hectic at times, but the team is one of comradery. 

Taylor Vittetoe (she/ her), 11, expresses her love of the team.

“Swimming for the West-Liberty team has been such a wonderful experience. My favorite part has been playing water polo after Saturday practices and sharing a meal before our home meets together. It really establishes a family for us,” said Vittetoe.

The Trojan-Bolts have been strong from the start. But, this year, there was a bump in the road. 

“Our toughest competitor was Cedar Falls [High School]. As a team, we have been undefeated for normal season dual meets for about a decade, and this year, Cedar Falls ended that for us,” shared Vittetoe.

Although the Trojan-Bolts faced setbacks, they didn’t let that stop them. They pushed harder in practice, working to improve for future meets against difficult competition. 

“Each practice is filled with intensive and focused training that helps us to become better athletes,” shared Vittetoe.

The Trojan-Bolts will be swimming in the State Meet on Nov. 15 and 16.

Girls Cross-Country

After summer training, the girls cross-country team competed through the fall, ending their season at the State Meet. 

Introducing new coaching staff can be difficult, but the girls were able to overcome the challenge and persevere. 

“Learning how to use a completely different training program with new coaches, to see the same or even better results was difficult for some of us. However, learning how to listen to what each of us needed to work on was necessary to improve individually”, said Chelsea VeDepo, (she/ her), 10, Liberty’s top runner.

Cross-country is a mentally challenging sport. Running long distances is a hard thing to accomplish not only because of the body but also because of the mind. VeDepo shared how she overcame these mental challenges.

“My biggest competitor this season would have to be myself. I had to learn how to get back into the competitive mindset after coming back from an injury at the beginning of the season. After a few trials and errors, and some workouts that pushed me, I am finally back into that mindset of competing for myself and my team,” said VeDepo.

As the season came to a close, the girls cross-country team demonstrated their strength. Battling injuries, a change in coaching, and bad weather conditions were only temporary setbacks for this team. VeDepo and Mimi Marquardt both qualified for state this season. VeDepo placed 56th and Marquardt placed 94th.

Boys Cross-Country

The Liberty Boys Cross-Country Team proved themselves on the course and grew closer off the course this season. The team was electric as they raced through many competitions. 

This team is not only together on the trail, but off of it, too. Noah Gregoire, (he/ him), 12, a varsity runner, shared his experience.

“The environment is amazing. We have all kinds of people on our team, and I think the part that sets us apart the most is the community we have with each other. Many of us hang out outside of practice, and the team will occasionally get together during our free time to play ultimate frisbee,”  Gregoire reflected.

Creating a family within a team can help connect. It can also help them win more competitions and help fire each other up when needed. Gregoire commented on what he hoped his team saw from him this season. 

“I hope my teammates know that with enough consistency you can improve and accomplish the goals you set for yourself during the season if you continue to do the small things,” stated Gregoire.

As state came into view, the team banded together to try and improve before heading out on the trail one final time. The boys team qualified as a team this season. A few of the most notable accomplishments are Keegan Decker, who got third place in the state. Gregoire received 21st place, and Jacob Madsen got 57th.

Boys Golf

Golf is seen as a quiet, calming sport. Yet the Liberty Boys Golf Team was making some noise all season long. These golfers had to get over some challenges to get to where they are. Brody Heddens, (he/him), 12, shared what the biggest obstacle for the team was this year. 

“Losing all our senior golfers from last year was a tough struggle. Although the new team is great, it was still hard to lose all of them,” expressed Heddens.

Playing golf also means something more to Heddens. He talked about what the team and community of golf has done for him during his time at Liberty. 

“It has been such a fun experience overall and all the guys make the sport even more fun to be around,” said Heddens.

Although the team of nine is small, they are still mighty. Heddens ended the year being a leader on the green for the team at the finale of his high school career.