HS Volleyball: No. 6 Pirates Open Season Strong Against Ranked Competition

by Siri Olsen

The Hudson Pirate volleyball team had a successful summer, participating in numerous scrimmages and tournaments. The Pirates traveled as far as Johnston and Ankeny to take on some of the top teams across all classes in the state. That hard work and experience against competitive opponents helped Hudson enter the 2026 season ranked No. 6 in Class 2A in the preseason rankings.

The Pirates opened their season at home Thursday, Aug. 27, competing in a quad against three ranked teams.

Hudson first took on Class 1A No. 9 Cedar Ridge Christian. The match started with both teams battling back and forth. The Pirates came out on top in the first set, winning 25-22, then took control early in the second and finished strong with a 25-14 victory. With the win, Hudson secured its first victory of the 2026 season.

The second matchup of the night was against Class 5A No. 11 Cedar Falls. The Tigers and Pirates battled closely early on, but Cedar Falls pulled away to win the first set 25-17.

Down a set, the Pirates needed to find a way to fight back, and Hudson answered the challenge. The Pirates battled throughout the second set and came away with a 25-20 win to force a deciding third set.

Cedar Falls came out strong in the third, however, defeating Hudson 15-4 to take the match. Despite the loss, the Pirates showed plenty of fight and determination against one of the top teams in Class 5A.

Hudson closed out the night against Class 3A No. 10 Algona. The Pirates controlled both sets and earned a convincing victory, winning the first 25-12 before finishing the match with a 25-17 win in the second.

Hudson finished the opening night 2-1, putting together strong performances against three ranked opponents.

The Pirates then traveled to Humboldt on Saturday, Aug. 29, to compete in the Humboldt Round Robin Tournament. Hudson began the tournament against Emmetsburg and earned a two-set victory. The Pirates won the first set 21-12 and followed it with a 21-18 win in the second.

Next up was a major challenge against Class 3A No. 2 Humboldt. The Pirates battled hard against the highly ranked Wildcats, but Humboldt took both sets, winning 21-14 and 21-13.

Hudson then faced another highly ranked Class 3A opponent, No. 6 Kuemper Catholic. The match was competitive from start to finish. Kuemper Catholic claimed the first set 21-15, but the Pirates refused to back down.

Hudson responded with a strong second-set performance, battling its way to a 21-17 victory and forcing a deciding third set. The Pirates jumped out to an early lead in the third, and that fast start proved important. Hudson maintained its advantage throughout the set and ultimately earned a thrilling victory over the No. 6-ranked Knights.

The Pirates continued their strong play against South Hardin, winning both sets, before closing out the tournament with another victory against Fort Dodge.

Overall, the Hudson Pirate volleyball team had an excellent opening week, finishing 6-2 against a challenging schedule that included several ranked opponents, including teams from larger classes.

The Pirates will look to continue their strong start when they travel to Dike-New Hartford on Thursday, Sept. 3, for a 7:30 p.m. match against the Wolverines. Hudson will then return home on Sept. 8 against Columbus Catholic.

Come out and support your Hudson Pirates as they continue their 2026 season!