by Written Jack Hart
In a battle between two close-town rivals, Clinton traveled to Maroa-Forsyth Tuesday night for a volleyball matchup that had everything you could ask for.
A packed gym. Blue on one side. Maroon on the other. Loud student sections. Big plays. And three sets of volleyball that made this one of the most exciting matches we have seen in 2026.
Maroa-Forsyth came out firing in the opening set, led by Hannah Gruenewald, who was dominant at the net and from the service line. Gruenewald recorded several kills, blocks and aces as the Trojans took the opening set 25-13.
Clinton responded in the second.
The Maroons found their spark behind freshman Ava Peterson, who became a force in the middle with several big blocks and kills. Clinton battled back and evened the match with a 25-22 victory.
Then came the deciding third set.
Neither team was willing to give an inch.
The set went back and forth from start to finish, with both teams making big plays and refusing to let the other pull away. The intensity wasn’t limited to the court, either, as both student sections battled throughout the night to see who could be the loudest.
Clinton eventually took a 26-25 lead, putting the Maroons just one point away from completing the comeback.
But Maroa-Forsyth wasn’t finished.
The Trojans stayed composed, battled through the pressure and came back to take the third set 28-26, securing a thrilling three-set victory.
After the match, Jack Hart caught up with Claira Timmons and Maroa-Forsyth head coach Petersen to talk about the rivalry, the atmosphere and how the Trojans stayed composed when the match got tight.
Timmons said the team embraced the adversity throughout the night.
“We really just stepped into adversity and faced it all together.”
The atmosphere inside the gym only added to the intensity.
“It honestly just drove us more. Like, ‘We want this. We want to show them that we deserve this.’ And it just pushed us to greatness.”
That mentality was especially important late in the third set when Clinton took a 26-25 lead.
Timmons said the Trojans knew they couldn’t panic.
“Whenever it gets tough, we have to drive and keep it cool and calm. We come together and we stay calm.”
Coach Petersen echoed that message, saying the Trojans have been in tight situations throughout the season — but this time, they found a way to finish.
“We’ve been through a lot of tight three-set matches through the year, and a lot that we haven’t finished,” Petersen said. “I feel like tonight they came through when it got tight.”
Petersen credited several players for stepping up in the biggest moments, including Ashlen Grayned, Claira Timmons and Hannah Gruenewald.
The coach also pointed to the team’s growth throughout the season.
“We’ve got a young crew out there, and so they’re learning as they go,” Petersen said. “The thing that I’m most proud about with this group is that they have not given in. They haven’t quit.”
The Trojans’ bench also played an important role, providing energy throughout the match.
“It really is a team effort,” Petersen said. “I think for us to be successful, it takes everybody.”
And on a night where the rivalry was on full display, the Maroa-Forsyth community showed up in a big way.
Timmons said the support from the community means a lot to the team.
“Our community is great,” she said. “We come together for everything — football, volleyball, every sport.”
On this night, that community came together for one unforgettable volleyball match.
Maroa-Forsyth survived.
Clinton pushed them to the limit.
And everyone inside the gym got to witness one of the best rivalry battles of the 2026 season.
